One of the ways Radiation Protection Centre (RSC) can reach its goals and discharge its main functions is public information about main radiation protection topics.
Public information about problems of radiation protection, discharged actions and other points of radiation protection, RPC aim for publicity while organizing and realizing the prevention of ionizing radiation of public and workers. Because of this, RSC is communicating with journalists, giving informational reports, publishing methodological recommendations, presenting the results of the newest researches.

Information about significant events – conferences, seminars – is presented through the Public Relations Division of the Ministry of Health as well as directly to the mass media. This method is quite effective and helps inform a lot of means of mass media. The mass media is informed directly of the more complex and important points of radiation protection.

Direct communicating with people is getting more and more important in order to inform the society. Teachers, physicians, workers of the local council are invited to the organized seminars. Collaboration with schools is also very important. Pupils are interested in ionizing radiation, they are introduced to the problems of radiation protection, natural exposure.


PUBLIC INFORMATION IN 2010

Much attention was paid to public information on radiation protection: events, guided tours, open days, communication with representatives of various society groups were organized, press releases to the wide public and specialists were disseminated.

In 2010 RSC organized an open day (Fig. 1) for society and media representatives wishing to be better informed about ionizing radiation and its applications, medical exposure and other relevant subjects. During the open day radiation protection specialists explained dangers of ionizing radiation to human beings and how to protect against them, discussed the issues of contamination of daily consumed food and drink¬ing water with radionuclides, and health risks of radon in residential premises and in the depths of the Earth. Beside this, everybody could make familiar with RSC publications on various radiation protection subjects.

Fig. 1 open day at RSC

RSC website (http://www.rsc.lt) was visited more than 570,000 times since it opened in 2000 to the end of 2010. The web¬site was rated be one of the top sixty most visited Lithuanian websites dedicated to science, education and career. The website was visited by approximately 100 unique visitors on a daily basis, who viewed it more than 300 times. www.rsc.lt was updated at least once a week informing about new developments and hot radiation protection topics.
RSC disseminated specialized and public information both by posting it on the website and using other information channels: websites of news agencies, TV, radio, press. In 2010 more than 70 press releases on various radiation protection subjects were posted in media outlets. Many of them were included into specialized publications (“Medicinos teorija ir praktika” (Medical Theory and Practice), “Lietuvos sveikata” (Lithuanian Health), the publication of Lithuanian Dental Chamber, etc.). RSC specialists gave TV and radio interviews on topicalities: medical exposure, human health effects of firewood products contaminated with radioactive materials, radiological mushroom contamination, etc.

The aim of public information on key developments in radiation protection was to inform the population, societies, associations, companies, institutions and other organizations on measures undertaken to protect against harmful effects of ionizing radiation.

Informing the society on key radiation protection subjects makes the public better informed about the contact points they should use to get professional and easy to understand information or advice, when facing ionizing radiation directly or indirectly.

 

Last update: 7 September 2011