The State provided the following information via email:
This is notification of an event in Washington State as reported to and being investigated by the WA Department of Health, Office of Radiation Protection.
Date of Event: Wednesday, August 9, 2006
Location of Event: Everett Washington
ABSTRACT: (where, when, how, why; cause, contributing factors, corrective actions, consequences, Dept. of Health (DOH) on-site investigation; media attention): At some time between 10:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 8 and 6:00 a.m. Wednesday August 9, 2006, a radiography truck was stolen from the parking lot of the Extended Stay America hotel on 8410 Broadway in Everett, Washington. The truck was discovered missing at 6:00 am as the radiographer was about to leave for work. The truck contained an AEA (QSA Global) model 880 radiography device, Serial Number D2720. The device contained an Iridium-192 75 curie source, serial number 28772B. The device was reported to be locked and secured in the truck. The truck was reported to be equipped with an alarm and truck disabling device but was not used. The keys to the vehicle were reported to have been left in the door of the truck. The truck is a white 2006 Chevrolet 2500HD extended cab with a dark room shell in the bed. It has a Texas license plate number [DELETED]. A report was made by the radiography company to the Everett police department upon discovery of the missing truck.
Notification Reporting Criteria: WAC 246-221-240.
Isotope and Activity involved: Iridium 192, 75 curies.
Overexposures? (number of workers/members of the public; dose estimate; body part receiving dose; consequence): None.
Lost, Stolen or Damaged? (mfg., model, serial number): Stolen model AEA (QSA Global) model 880 radiography device, s/n D2720. It contained a 75 curie source, s/n 28772B.
Disposition/recovery: None.
Leak test? May 25, 2006.
Vehicle: (description; placards; Shipper; package type; Pkg. ID number)
The truck is a white 2006 Chevrolet 2500HD extended cab with a dark room shell in the bed. It has a Texas license plate number [DELETED].
Release of activity? None.
Activity and pharmaceutical compound intended: N/A
Misadministered activity and/or compound received: N/A
Device (HDR, etc.) Mfg., Model; computer program: N/A
Exposure (intended/actual); consequences: N/A
Was patient or responsible relative notified? N/A
Was written report provided? N/A
Was referring physician notified? N/A
Consultant used? N/A
Washington Event Number : WA-06-051
Other agencies notified: USDA - Krisher-Clive
- * *UPDATE PROVIDED BY SCROGGS TO KOZAL VIA E-MAIL ON 8/10/06 AT 1712 EDT* * *
The truck was found by police at 4 pm [PDT], August 9. It had been abandoned in a strip-mall parking lot near Everett. DOH staff were at the scene, making measurements and assured radiation safety for police and fire personnel during the recovery effort. It appears the dark room had not been entered. The radiography device was still in its stowed position. After the police had finished conducting their criminal investigation at the scene, the truck and device were returned to WeldSonix IR personnel.
DOH staff are continuing to investigate the incident. Corrective actions are to be determined.
Notified R4DO (Bywater), NMSS(Holahan), ILTAB(Hahn), IRD(Wilson), DHS(Craig), DOE(Watt), EPA Region X(Sibley), Canada via e-mail, HHS(Dalziel), FEMA (Bagwell), USDA(Parks)
- * * UPDATE AT 18:54 ON 1/3/2007 FROM ARDEN SCROGGS TO MARK ABRAMOVITZ * * *
At approximately 3:40 P.M. Wednesday August 9, 2006 Snohomish County Sheriff's officers found the missing radiography truck in the parking lot of an apartment complex south of the City of Everett, Washington. A DOH Health Physicist had been dispatched to Everett that day to begin an investigation and was at the Everett police department when the vehicle was reported found. The Health Physicist went to the site of the recovered truck and performed surveys of the area. The Snohomish County Sheriff's officer was able to gain access to the truck darkroom by opening the lock and allowing the HP to perform surveys inside the vehicle's storage area. The radiography device appears to have remained in the truck and was undisturbed.
The inspection of the stolen truck and the radiography device prompted a broader investigation resulting in the inspections of all the licensee's trucks, equipment and area operations. These inspections found several items of noncompliance that were ultimately addressed by the license.
These items were: control licensed material at all times, assure proper key control, physically secure exposure devices inside the vehicle to prevent unauthorized removal, and block and brace the transported package to prevent movement. These items were corrected and verified by DOH follow-up, field-site inspections.
Notified the R4DO (Pruett),
NMSS (Giitter),
IRD (Wilson),
ILTAB (English, via E-mail) and Canada (via E-mail).