Radiation Videos

Field Tests and Demonstrations



BEST/MATRR began our Community Radiation Monitoring Project aka Radiation Detectives in the fall of 2012 with a training session led by Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL) director, Lou Zeller. Our local group has established 50 monitoring sites surrounding and downwind of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant in north Alabama, 28 miles west of Huntsville's city center; and we are increasing monitoring of Sequoyah Nuclear Power Plant in Tennessee, which is about 18 miles north of Chattanooga.


Our group is fortunate to have a highly trained specialist in nuclear contamination and medical response, Garry Morgan, as our project director and monitoring trainer. Garry has assembled, utilized and maintained our equipment kits, and has expanded our methods over numerous field testing sessions, incorporating his training and studies of Department of Defense, Homeland Security, and State Radiation Health Control protocols.


Garry Morgan is also the group videographer and has carefully documented many of our monitoring efforts, which may prove helpful to those beginning their own monitoring projects. Garry offers in-the-field training for groups across the country, only charging for expenses, if you want to begin monitoring radiation in your area.


6/13/13

Car Surface Wipe Radiation 1898 CPM and TV Interview on June 7, 2013, and Our Presentation to Scottsboro City Council on June 10, 2013


Part of our monitoring program includes educating the public and policy makers. After establishing 50 monitoring sites in north Alabama with CPM readings from background to 40 times background, our group commissioned epidemiologist Joseph Mangano, MPH, Director of the Radiation and Public Health Project, to provide information on health issues in the area both before and after Browns Ferry Nuclear reactors came online. On June 6, we released our preliminary report on the radiation findings of our first monitoring project and health issues in the area. The report is titled, Radioactive Emissions and Health Hazards Surrounding Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant in Alabama. 

The next day we attended the closeout of a week long Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Emergency Preparedness Exercise in Decatur, Alabama, just south of Browns Ferry and about 60 miles west of our base in Scottsboro. Garry Morgan, Director of our Community Radiation Monitoring Project, had taken a reading of our travel vehicle before we left and the reading was only background level. On the return drive, a rain storm descended and once back in Scottsboro, Garry took another reading and found high levels. He performed a wipe taking a sample from the car, which resulted in our highest recorded radiation level yet, peaking at 1898 CPM.

Later the same day, Garry was interviewed by a Huntsville reporter for WAAY TV (an ABC affilliate), and our side recording of part of the interview was added to the video.

On the following Monday, June 10, Garry presented our report to the Scottsboro City Council and portions of that presentation are also included on the tape.