The Radiation Protection Office of the U.S. Air Force Surgeon General was informed this morning that an improved chemical agent detector was lost at the Moody AFB in
Georgia. The device is identified as a DuPont-Merck, model #NER004R, serial number 18465. The device contains 15 milliCuries
Ni-63. It is also identified as a SSDR NR-1129-D-103-S. The permit number GA-00653-01/00AFP docket number 030-00653. The device was in the custody of the 820th Security Forces Group Commander and appears that the equipment was misplaced following a training exercise that was conducted on base. The USAF is investigating by conducting a search of all the gear associated with the exercise, and does not believe the device is in the custody of the general public.
Licensee is going to contact Rachel Browder in Region IV.
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks.
This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the
IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source