Emergency Preparedness Introduction: Emergency Management includes protection, preparedness, planning, mitigation, response and recovery of incidents that are a result of weapons of mass destruction, industrial hazards, natural disasters, and involves public awareness and individual actions taken in the case of incidents, by their nature, could cause wide spread injury or death to the public directly or secondarily to a specific event.

Emergency Preparedness Example: A chemical plant in your community has experienced a fire and a warning was issued by local authorities. Do you know what to do? What can you and your family do to gain information and instructions to protect the family and assist the local First Responders through your individual actions? Terminal Learning Objective: We will explore some scenarios in this series. The information in this presentation will not supersede Local, State, or Federal guidance issued during an actual incident.

Emergency Preparedness First: Be active in your community. Know what dangers are in your area and contact your Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) PRIOR to an incident. They prepared a plan and have the answers. They can be contacted through the city or county office.

Emergency Preparedness Second: Prepare a family emergency plan and ensure all members of the family understand how to execute all aspects of that plan. Examples of Plans: Wild Fires Nuclear reactor incidents, if in the area. Storms Earthquakes Acts of terrorism

Emergency Preparedness What Should a Plan Consist: Threat(s) present, actions to be taken, equipment available, assembly points, and emergency numbers. Actions might include: Inventorying and replacing expired equipment and medications, ensuring your assembly points are still valid, updating/adding numbers, reviewing public policies, etc. Ensure all members of the family understand how to execute all aspects of that plan.

Government Planning Agencies Emergency Preparedness Government Planning Agencies Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC): The LEPC is your City and County planning bodies. They know the specifics to your area and can provide guidance for family contingency plans. State Emergency Planning Commission (SEPC): This commission provides state funding, training, and guidance to the LEPC. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): Provides federal funding and expertise to the State and Local governments to ensure compliance of federal policy, or when requested by the LEPC or SEPC.

Emergency Preparedness Many of us have lived near a nuclear power plant and may have thought that if it “melted down”, we would be irradiated or a huge explosion would occur? This presentation will focus on nuclear reactors. The series will continue with trucking routes, earthquakes, tornados, and so forth.

Emergency Preparedness Nuclear Reactors: The United States uses two types of reactors. Both are identical in function and purpose, but quite different in operation. The following slides identify the two different types, boiling water reactors (BWR) and pressurized water reactors (PWR). They are classified as light water reactors (LWR), because they use water to cool the core. The following presentations are provided by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) with information taken from the FEMA correspondence Course “IS-3 Radiological Emergency Management”.

Boiling Water Reactors BWR’s boil the water. In both types, water is converted to steam, and then recycled back into water by a part called the condenser, to be used again in the heat process.

Pressurized Water Reactors PWRs keep water under pressure so that it heats, but does not boil. Water from the reactor and the water in the steam generator never mix. In this way, most of the radioactivity stays in the reactor area.

Explanation of Basic Components Emergency Preparedness Explanation of Basic Components Heat source: This is the nuclear reactor, also known as the reactor core. Turbine/generator: Uses the energy from the steam to turn and at this point generates electricity. Condenser: Collects the steam to convert it back to water so that it can be heated again. Pump: Provides the initial thrust to get the water through the system.

Safety based on the concept of atoms: Emergency Preparedness Safety based on the concept of atoms: A brief explanation The fission (splitting) of one atom releases only a very small amount of energy. However, if other uranium atoms are located near a fissioning uranium atom, they may be struck by one or more of the neutrons released by the fission reaction. This may result in a chain reaction involving a tremendous number of fissions and great amounts of energy. Nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors are designed differently and contain different amounts of fissile materials. Consequently, a reactor cannot explode like a nuclear bomb.

Emergency Preparedness The nuclear chain reaction may be controlled using a device called a control rod. Control rods are made of materials which absorb neutrons. Thus, when a control rod is inserted into a nuclear reactor it reduces the number of free neutrons available to cause the uranium atoms to fission. When all the control rods are inserted into the reactor, it is called a reactor shutdown. Sometimes all the control rods will be inserted quickly due to a safety or emergency condition. This is known as a scram. The nuclear chain reaction is also affected by the water in the core. All light water reactors (LWR) require the core be covered with water for the chain reaction to continue. Therefore if there was an accident that resulted in loss of the water covering the core the reactor would scram.

Emergency Preparedness The 4 types of emergencies and the actions you take. Unusual Events: Events that are uncommon, but do not pose a threat to the plant or public. About 200 unusual events occur every year. Alerts: Are the result of events that should be monitored. They do not pose a threat to the public and about 10 occur each year. Site Area Emergency: Is a major failure but requires no immediate actions by the public. Standby for further notifications via the TV or radio.

Emergency Preparedness The 4th and most important, General Emergency: A severe accident has occurred. The public must evacuate. Instructions will be broadcast and should be followed PROMPTLY. - Evacuate all areas within 2-3 miles of the reactor and 10 miles downwind of the reactor. - Shelter elsewhere within 10 miles. All these actions should be taken PRIOR to a radioactive release if possible. In the three lower emergencies, DO NOT begin clogging freeways or roads in a panic attempt to leave, await instructions to do so.

Emergency Preparedness Summary: This is a very brief explanation of how a plant works and the reality of the nuclear reactions. The domes on the plants are thick and secure and additional protections are in place. Nuclear power plants are safe and provide a great source of energy.

Reactors Comanche Peak, Tx. Diablo Canyon, Ca.