1. EMERGENCY RESPONSE CENTER OF THE ROSATOM:
DUTIES AND ACTIVITIES
Sergei Vasilev, Sergey Yarmiychuk
Emergency Response Center of the ROSATOM
2, 3-rd Verkhniy pereulok, Saint-Petersburg, Russia,
Introduction
Emergency Response Center of the ROSATOM (ERC) is professional emergency response enterprise of the State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM. It was founded March 25, 1993 for emergency preparedness and response to any radiological incident or nuclear emergency at NPPs, research reactors, nuclear fuel cycle facilities and accidents during transportation of radioactive materials in Russia.
Method
ERC has all modern technologies for effective emergency response to any radiological incident or nuclear emergency, part of them was developed at ERC and our specialists continue to improve them. Base of well organized emergency preparedness and response system at our enterprise is skilled and trained staff: our rescue officers, experts and management. For today ERC has all necessary means and equipment to fulfill its responsibilities, which includes:
• Mobile system and portable tools for radiation monitoring, search and detection of radiation sources [1], including UAV;
• Mobile measuring laboratory;
• Modern personal protective equipment;
• Robotic systems;
• Complexes for decontamination;
• Tools for engineering rescue works;
• Modern special software tools.
Our experts collaborate with Russians and international colleagues, participate in workshops, experts meetings and conferences for experience exchange.
Experts of the ERC use different special software tools, for example GMAP, JRODOS [2], Microshield, FLUKA and Hotspot, for data collection and processing, modeling emergency situation and developing optimal decisions for effective reduction or elimination of negative radiological consequences for the public and environment.
Several times per year ERC participates in trainings and exercises on national level in cooperation with other Russian organizations, involved in radioactive sources using, for to be prepared to any radiological incident or emergency [3]. For ERC staff is organizing regular trainings using of national and international (IAEA) experience [4]. A frequency of trainings for operative group of the ERC – 1 time per week, for emergency response formation of the ERC – 1 time per month. A example of exercises for emergency personnel of the ERC is shown in Figure1. Experts of the ERC regular participate in international exercises like ConvEx, organized by IEC IAEA.
Figure 1 Field exercises for emergency responders
Figure 2 Mobile system for
radiation monitoring, search
and detection of radiation sources
Figure 3 Portable tools for radiation
monitoring, search and detection of
radiation sources
Figure 5 Engineering rescue works
Figure 4 Complex for decontamination
Figure 6 JRODOS using by assessment of possible radiological consequences during IAEA ConvEx-2b exercise in 2014
Figure 7 Using FLUKA code for reconstruction of dose-rates from 3 gamma ray sources
Results
For today ERC has central office in Saint-Petersburg (North-West part of Russia). Rapid response to potential accident with radiological consequences in any point of Russian Federation achieved through an extensive network of regional centers, which are affiliates of the ERC. Today ERC has 4 branches, each of them with individual emergency specialization to response on nuclear and radiological emergencies at NPPs, research reactors, nuclear fuel cycle facilities and accidents during transportation of radioactive materials, underwater and gas rescue works. They are located in Seliatino (Moscow region, Central part of Russia), in Seversk (Tomsk region, Siberia), Novovoronezh (Voronezh region, South part of Russia) and Glazov (Udmurtia, near Ural). Result of all activities in emergency preparedness of our ERC, described above, is well organized and effective actions in emergency response: during exercises and real emergencies.
Figure 8 Affiliates of the ERC and central office in Saint-Petersburg
Conclusions
Today ERC of the ROSATOM is part of the national Russian emergency preparedness and response system, has all necessary means and forces, ready to provide emergency response trough IAEA framework RANET. Well organized preparedness to response on any radiological and nuclear accident is achieved by permanent trainings, learning and experience exchange, developing and implementation new modern emergency response technologies.
References:
[1] VASILEV S.K., State-on-the-art systems o radiation surveying and radiation monitoring on the environment, Environmental safety 2 (2009) 34.
[2] VASILEV S.A., KUTIN V.V., ZINAKOV E.V. Experience of JRODOS using at the ERC, Book of extended synopses from IX International nuclear forum “Safety of nuclear technologies”, Saint-Petersburg (2014) 205.
[3] AGAPOV A.M., NOVIKOV G.A., GLUHIH E.N., Emergency response system on the Rosatom Corporation, Environmental safety 2 (2009) 6.
[4] NESTEROV A.M., SOROKIN A.I., STOVBUR V.I., YARMIYCHUK S.V., Rescue workers: specialized training, Environmental safety 2 (2009) 102.