Radiation Safety and Cleanup Preparations was believed that a REDAR survey mightfacilitate the in situ survey and possibly reduce the areas to be surveyed by the vans. The REDAR was installed on a UH-I helicopter during the week of 20 June 1977. Transponders were set up on Enewetak and Biken (Leroy) Islands, and ee ee (EG&G) Radiation and Environmental Data Acquisition and Recorder (REDAR)system over the islands to perform a gross radiological survey before field surveys with the in situ. vans began. The system was designed to detect and record surface radiation from americium-241 (Am-24l). It ee RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLL mew 180 the system was checked out.’ ELLER ER (AEC) listed a suspected contaminated debris burial site in the vicinity of the Erie GZ. This suspicion had to be resolved before work could begin to locate the rock crushing facility in the area.? A special team was deployed on 30 June 1977 to investigate the Erie Site. It consisted of two radiological specialists from Field Command, two ae o STAT SE a, RET ame ak EDT... rs land area had eroded away and contaminated debris was scattered on the to foot intervals. A backhoe was used to dig a trench beside each stake were dug as obtain soi! samples and locate any buried debris. Trenches water. Each ground and rock coral of deep as 6 feet depending on levels of trench was checked with an SPA-2 micro-R meter for evidence e trenches at 1-foot intervals (Figure 4-1) and were analyzed by Eberlin ERIE SITE SURVEY A 1958 drawing showed an area of contaminated rubble some 200 feet wide from the Erie ground zero (GZ) to the ocean beach. By 1977, muchofthis nd men from U.S. Army Armaments Research and Development Comma Element Army with magnetometers to help locate buried debris, a U.S. members of the (USAE) survey team and backhoe operators, plus 16 survey team The (FRST). newly arrived Field Radiation Support Team placed at 50stakes with it from located the GZ and established five radials of the contaminated debris. Soil samples were taken from the sides Survey flights were conducted during the next 2 weeks. Several passes were required to surveythe larger islands. A total of 35.6 hours were flown for the survey before it was completed on 8 July 1977.8 The survey was largely unsuccessful as REDAR did not havethe sensitivity necessary to refine areas for in situ soil surveys. It was also thwarted by heavy vegetation covering large parts of many islands. Consequently, it was of little benefit in improving the 1973 radiological survey data. Runit (Yvonne) was the last island scheduled for contaminated soil survey and cleanup. The northern end ofthe island, which had been contaminated by many nuclear detonations, was to be used for contaminated soil and debris stockpiles and crater containment operations. The southern end of the island, which was to be used for the quarry, rock crusher, and other support activities, was radiologically nonhazardous, with one possible exception. In May 1956, a nuclear device, Erie, had been detonated from a 300-foot tower near the ocean beach just north of the runway on the southern end of Runit. Experimental specimens had been scattered west of the tower at distances of 120 to 300 feet. In order to find the specimens, the soil in that area had been removedto depths up to 5 feet and deposited to the north in thin layers. The depression was later backfilled but pertinent reports did not indicate what had happened to the debris produced by the detonation. 181 Instrument Corporation (EIC) in their laboratory at Enewetak Camp. survey. A Stringent radiological safely measures were established for the s were sampler Air pier. el personn hot line was established near the r enginee the During ns. operatio oving positioned downwind ofall earth-m and boots rubber wore line hot the crossing survey phase, all personnel all double surgical masks. During the trenching/soil sampling phase, s, coverall (anti-C) tion ntamina anti-co boots, personnel in the area wore where s opening all over tape with hoods, and ors gloves, full-face respirat y by dust might enter. Due to heat stress and discomfort produced primaril 2 hours in the respirator, personnel were able to work only approximately ns, it the morning and 2 hoursin the afternoon. After a few days’ operatio s was noted that personnel were notfully recovering from the previou hourly day's fatigue. Thereafter, workers in full anti-C suits were given as breaks. Temperature readings of over 90°F were commonplaceas early from d remove 1000 hours. Because of the heat, two FRST members were the survey before it was completed on Il July 1977. site at The survey effort disclosed that there was no contaminated burial es picocuri 24 was activity Erie GZ. The average surface and 1]-foot depth per gram (pCi/g), well below the 40 pCi/g guideline for any surface soil well below cleanup action. Some subsurface hot spots of 150 to 282 pCi/g, found. were cleanup, d require for es guidelin the then current 400 pCi/g the with ent Concurr tion. construc site Runit during off These were roped nt hot line was survey, contaminated debris found south of the permane working In collected and stockpiled north of that line by USAE personnel full anti-C suits.!9,!! control The Erie site survey provided a valuable field test of radiological Field survey, the in participating By ent. and safety measures and nt Liculena and Bramhtt r Command’s radiological planners, Dr. Edward Colonel Manuel L. Sanches, USA, and the JTG Radiological Control Division staff, were able to observe and experience directly the application ical control of their plans. This permitted further refinement of the radiolog project. the for used and safety procedures which were to be