The results of an emergency preparedness exercise Tuesday at the Callaway Nuclear Plant and in Reform will be posted by mid-August to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)'s website.
Local emergency responders, law enforcement, schools and other agencies in Callaway, Gasconade, Osage and Montgomery counties participated in the hostile-action based scenario.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s regional office led the evaluation of the outside agencies using a team of 21 people performing 144 criterion. This was part of the NRC's quarterly assessment at the Callaway plant.
Once FEMA has evaluated its findings, copies will be provided to state and local agencies for review. Then, a final report will be available to the public within 90 days.
The goal is to provide "lessons learned" to strengthen public safety and protection in the future, said Charles Gregg, national preparedness director. The FEMA evaluation team includes representatives from the NRC and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The FEMA evaluations will look at how agencies communicated and cooperated, the efficiency of decision making, the execution of the plan, an analysis of of the tools and training used, and the ability to notify the public.
The nuclear commission's inspection is still ongoing, said senior inspector Paul Elkman. Five inspectors will review the plant's ability to conduct an emergency exercise and prioritize problems.
Although they have no final results, Elkman said his team's preliminary conclusion is that the Callaway plant is "capable of implementing an emergency plan, formulating actions and doing what is needed to ensure the safety of the public."
On the web: www.nrc.gov