[ RadSafe ] IAEA - New Event on NEWS, Japan, Power Reactor

[Dan W McCarn]

Dear Cynthia - 

I am fully aware of the limitations that the IAEA has regarding the release
of information from Member States.  I was at the IAEA through the Chernobyl
accident, and later spent two years "in country" working on strategies for
remediation.  I hold neither you nor the IAEA at fault for not releasing
accurate information sooner.

My comment was only meant to raise the level of discussion about these types
of accidents, especially when there has been so many contradictory and
difficult to understand media statements.  For over 30 years, I have felt
that the IAEA should be able to provide accurate and timely information,
especially from such an international perspective.  But yes, the IAEA are
limited by the agreements with Member States.

I noticed that you sent rather large attachments to your response to the
RadSafe group. If you are registered with RadSafe, then you can send
messages, but only with small pdf file sizes.  I have attached your response
below for the benefit of my RadSafe colleagues.

Respectfully,

Dan ii

--
Dan W McCarn, Geologist
108 Sherwood Blvd
Los Alamos, NM 87544-3425
+1-505-672-2014 (Home – New Mexico)
+1-505-670-8123 (Mobile - New Mexico)
HotGreenChile at gmail.com (Private email) HotGreenChile at gmail dot com


-----Original Message-----
From: Jones, Cynthia [mailto:Cynthia.Jones at nrc.gov] 
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2011 08:56
To: Dan W McCarn; 'The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics)
Mailing List'
Cc: Rejane Spiegelberg-Planner, INES Coordinator
Subject: RE: IAEA - New Event on NEWS, Japan, Power Reactor

Dear Dan & RADSAFE-

I am the US National Officer for INES (the International Nuclear and
Radiological Event Scale) and with all due respect, the Japanese issued a
INES Level 4 rating form for this event on 3-12-2011, six days ago.  This
was VERY early in the event and I believe it was very responsible, given the
emergency situations and dire events surrounding the earthquake and tsunami
that they are dealing with.

They issued several updates last night, which you received today.  INES is
not a requirement for the 70 countries that agree to use it and typically is
not issued systematically in emergency situations; their first priority is
safety of the people and securing the NPPs, not issuance of an INES rating,
which they also translate kindly for us in English.  I have attached the
INES User manual for you and others to read and learn about; it is also
available on the IAEA website. A shorter version of the INES pamphlet is
attached, for your review and understanding of the scale.

Let's not be so quick to rush to judgment.  The Japanese and millions of
people around the world are watching and thousands are helping them deal
with a crisis of this magnitude. The NRC has manned its Operation Center
24/7 and is working with many other organizations; including Japan's, to
provide the best advice and help we can give.  The Japanese upgraded the
INES rating level to Level 5 today, and I believe they are doing the best
they can given the priority of things that they need to do to get these
reactors and fuel stabilized.

Sincerely

Cynthia G. Jones, Ph.D., 
U.S. National Officer and Advisory Committee Member, INES 
Sr. Technical Advisor for Nuclear Security
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Office of Nuclear Security & Incident Response
Mail Stop T4-D22A,  Washington, D.C. 20555
cynthia.jones at nrc.gov
cgj at nrc.sgov.gov 
Work: 301-415-0298
Blackberry: 240-888-9820




-----Original Message-----
From: Dan W McCarn [mailto:hotgreenchile at gmail.com] 
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2011 10:25 AM
To: 'The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List'
Subject: IAEA - New Event on NEWS, Japan, Power Reactor

Dear RadSafers:

This morning I awoke to find 14 new messages from the IAEA "New Event on
NEWS, Japan, Power Reactor".  Up until now, this news service from the IAEA,
designed to inform the public about nuclear incidents and accidents, has
been silent. I am a registered user on NEWS (Nuclear Events Web-based
System).

Needless to say, I have been disappointed in the level of accurate,
verifiable information about the Japanese situation, and had hoped that my
former organization, the IAEA, would be able to fill-in with more accurate
and timely information.

I would like to ask you as the Radiation Safety Community to contact the
IAEA and encourage them to be more proactive and timely with NEWS reporting.

Ms. Rejane Spiegelberg-Planer, Senior Safety Officer, is the point of
contact for NEWS. 

R.Spiegelberg-Planer at iaea.org 

Dan ii

--
Dan W McCarn, Geologist
108 Sherwood Blvd
Los Alamos, NM 87544-3425
+1-505-672-2014 (Home - New Mexico)
+1-505-670-8123 (Mobile - New Mexico)
HotGreenChile at gmail.com (Private email) HotGreenChile at gmail dot com


-----Original Message-----
From: NEWS Automated Mailer [mailto:ContactPointNEWS at iaea.org] 
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2011 03:33
To: NEWS.Contact-Point at iaea.org
Subject: New Event on NEWS, Japan, Power Reactor

Dear NEWS User,

This is to notify you as a registered user of the NEWS Web site that a new
Event with the title:

"Loss of the cooling function to the ultimate heat sink due to the big
tsunami"

has as of today, Friday, 18 March 2011, 10:17:15 UTC, been added to the NEWS
Web site.  Additional information regarding the new Event is as follows:

Sender Country:  Japan
Date of Event:   2011-03-11
Facility/Place:  FUKUSHIMA-DAINI-4

For more detailed information about the Event including related documents,
press releases and on-site participation in forum discussions, please visit
the NEWS Web site at:

                    http://www-news.iaea.org/news/ 


NEWS Administration