SRNS to Assess Emergency Management Program After Drill
WC Monitor
8/1/2014
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, the managing contractor for the Savannah River Site, is conducting an assessment of its emergency management program after issues were identified in this year’s annual emergency preparedness exercise. Out of six objectives for the exercise, two were graded as “not met”—facilities and equipment and exercise control and conduct, according to a Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board site representative report publicly released this week. “While SRNS stated the equipment issues were relatively minor individually, the cumulative impact was that the emergency equipment needed to effectively respond to emergencies is seriously degraded. The most serious exercise control issue was that controllers allowed firefighters to violate a temporary (and real) radiological buffer area at the incident scene,” says the report, dated July 3.
The other four objectives—radiological/chemical monitoring; emergency response facility staffing and activation; notifications; and offsite interactions—were graded as “partially met,” according to the report. “The overall rating was ‘partially met,’” the DNFSB site rep report says, adding, “Four of the six objectives that were graded partially or not met this year had been graded partially or not met in either the 2012 or 2013 annual evaluated exercises.”
In a written response this week, Jim Giusti, a spokesman for the DOE Savannah River Operations Office, said, “Emergency drills and exercises are conducted on a regular basis to validate existing plans and procedures, reinforce emergency response techniques, and to improve responder performance. This drill did that. The DNFSB weekly site report recounts the contractor’s evaluation of their own performance in the drill. To identify additional areas for improvement and to ensure that SRS personnel are prepared to respond effectively and safely to emergencies, SRNS is currently assessing all aspects of the Emergency Management program.”
SRNS expects to complete the assessment by the end of this year, according to contractor spokeswoman Barbara Smoak. “SRNS is committed to maintaining the safety and security of SRS and the surrounding areas. Emergency drills and exercises are conducted on a regular basis to validate existing plans and procedures, reinforce emergency response techniques, and to improve responder performance. When possible, emergency exercises include participation from the surrounding states and counties, providing opportunities to practice the necessary communications and coordination needed to preserve the safety of the offsite population,” Smoak said in a written response, adding, “Feedback from other agencies such as the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board is an important tool to evaluate the site’s Emergency Management program and, as such, is welcomed by SRNS.”
