| Oregon Reponse to Hanford/CGS Emergency |
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Oregon´s Response to a Hanford or CGS Emergency
In sequence, this is how the state of Oregon would respond to an emergency (Alert or higher) at Hanford or CGS.
USDOE-Richland or Energy Northwest contacts the Duty Officer at the Oregon Department of Energy (Oregon Energy) that an "emergency" has been declared. At this point, Oregon Energy´s chief concern is providing accurate information to the public and monitoring the event. The Duty Officer notifies the two counties and state radiological monitoring teams go on standby.
Oregon Energy tells other state emergency responders and Umatilla and Morrow counties to stand by. As the lead agency, Oregon Energy keeps in contact with USDOE-Richland and Energy Northwest and stays abreast of events. Oregon Energy also works with USDOE-Richland or Energy Northwest and Washington state on public information. Few nuclear incidents ever get beyond the Alert stage. If USDOE-Richland or Energy Northwest elevates the situation to a Site Area Emergency, Oregon Energy is told immediately. Oregon Energy alerts the two counties and activates Oregon´s Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) in Salem.
Salem response agencies, like the National Guard and the Agriculture and Transportation departments and State Police, send staff to the ECC.
If needed, the Oregon Health Division sends field teams to the two counties to begin radiation monitoring. The governor and state technical advisors stay in touch with USDOE-Richland or Energy Northwest and decide what, if any, protective actions should be taken in Oregon.
Even in a Hanford or CGS General Emergency, Oregon´s response would continue to focus on public information and radiation monitoring in the two counties.
However, let´s assume that some airborne radioactive materials from Hanford or CGS reached Umatilla and Morrow counties.
This is how the state would respond:
Field teams would identify contaminated and potentially contaminated areas. The counties would activate Emergency Operations Centers in Pendleton and Heppner. Off-duty county emergency response staff would be contacted and some may be called to duty.
The Salem ECC Public Information team would work with the counties, Washington state, and USDOE-Richland or Energy Northwest to issue news releases, governor´s statements and other general information about the state´s response to the emergency.
The counties would help the Oregon Department of Agriculture notify commercial dairies, farmers and food processors of the emergency and actions to be taken.
Again, it´s important to remember that the potential for human ingestion of contamination on crops and water is not likely, but it is the state´s and the two counties´ chief concern.
Emergency Precautions
Field teams, with sensitive detection devices, would monitor for radiation. Later, they would survey the Ingestion Zone. Teams would find and map areas where precautions must be taken.
These are Food Control Areas and Relocation Areas.
· Food Control Area
A Food Control Area is where crops, pastures and gardens have been contaminated. Oregon would impose controls on foodstuffs, milk and dairy products and drinking water. Residents of a Food Control Area could remain there, but no foodstuffs could be sent out of the area. The counties set the boundaries of Food Control Areas based on recommendations from the Oregon ECC.
· Relocation Area
A Relocation Area is where contamination is high. People would not be allowed to work or live there until the danger is past. It´s not likely that Oregon would need to relocate residents after a Hanford or CGS accident. If relocation was needed, however, the counties, not the state, would set the boundaries of Relocation Areas.
Field teams would continue to monitor contaminated or potentially contaminated areas until any concern had passed.
Staying Prepared
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Hanford Emergency Preparedness in Oregon - Brochure
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