Re[2]: off-site emergency drills

[sandy_perle@email.fpl.com]

     Ron Goodwin wrote:
     
     Scenario writers have to meet objectives stated by FEMA and NRC.  
     Scenario writers do not always want to meet these objectives but the 
     180 day clock is something you can not argue with (The 180 day clock 
     starts when a utility or state agency fails an exercise and must 
     re-exercise within 180 days).
     -----------------------------------------------------------
     
     Since not all emergency exercises have an off-site evacuation as an 
     objective, i.e., the exercise objective might be to test the real-time 
     activation, or an ingestion pathway, there are opportunities to have 
     some realism injected.
     
     We once had an evaluated exercise where everyone expected that 
     "something" was going to happen soon, for that is the way it always 
     is. But to the surprise of everyone, nothing happened. NO releases 
     above a few mrem/hr, a wind speed of approximately 5 mph and therefore 
     no contamination from particulates, etc. You know what? The players 
     were upset because they felt cheated. They weren't exercised. SO, it's 
     not always the scenario writers and FEMA etc. who need to be blamed. 
     The players themselves, who normally say that the time line is too 
     compressed, are often the loudest individuals criticizing a "non" 
     event exercise.
     
     Just a different perspective form one who believes that we need to 
     test realistic situations, and, test the ridiculous occasionally, 
     since there is still a small probability of a catastrophic event which 
     "could" happen, and we need to be prepared, but NOT every year.
     
     Sandy Perle        
     Supervisor Health Physics
     Florida Power and Light Company
     Nuclear Division
     Juno Beach, FL
     
     (407) 694-4219 Office
     (407) 694-3706 Fax
     
     sandy_perle@email.fpl.com
     
     homepage: http://www.lookup.com/homepages/54398/home.html
     
     DISCLAIMER: The comments and opinions are mine alone and do not        
                 necessarily reflect those of my employer