The Hart Model for Chapter Action on Homeland Security

Author

A. Brodsky

Abstract

It is the 30th anniversary of the passing of James C. Hart during his 1974–75 presidency of the Health Physics Society (HPS). Jim, as he liked to be addressed, was one of the earliest health physicists. He had a degree in chemistry and later obtained a law degree during his career at Oak Ridge. He devoted many years to HPS, including preparation of the first charters, by-laws, and articles of incorporation. In addition to by-Laws, he promoted the concept of generic rules for chapter operation, which were essentially a list of specific tasks, procedures, and programs, compatible with provisions of by-laws and in sufficient detail to promote continuation of important activities. Each chapter could revise these generic guideline rules in accordance with its own needs. The rules could be documented in chapter handbooks to guide each new set of officers in the organization and continuation of important programs. The importance of our participation in homeland security suggests the need for by-Laws changes and generic chapter rules, revised and adopted by each chapter, to provide a standing homeland security (HS) committee, composed of a number of subcommittees with chairs appointed by the HS committee chair, to assemble training materials; contact and train responders; and disseminate, in public media, information and simple protective actions for the public. HS committee activities should be coordinated with those of public information or education committees. Previous chapter handbooks have examples of rules that may be used to develop more participation in chapter activities. (This paper represents opinions of the author alone.)

Meeting

This abstract was presented at the 38th Annual Midyear Meeting, "Materials Control and Security: Risk Assessment, Handling, and Detection", HPS Members Call to Action Session, 2/13/2005 - 2/16/2005, held in New Orleans, LA.

 
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