# Presentation: 199633

- Beating The Clock
- Presented by:
- Darrell M. Lankford
- Consultant

## Beating The Clock

- Developing Timely, Accurate, and Meaningful News Releases (NRs) is difficult when the clock is ticking
- Evaluators are standing over your shoulder, the Emergency Director is asking when they will see a NR, and the NR Approval Cycle is slower than Molasses in winter
- Step out of the Box and consider the following:

## The Approach 

- Realize that pre-formatted, pre-approved, bulleted News Releases (NRs) are part of the solution
- Work with site Emergency Preparedness personnel to obtain the Site Emergency Preparedness Hazards Assessment (EPHA)
- Refer to the EPHA sections that cover Site Descriptions, Categorization, Classification, and Emergency Action Levels (EALs)

## Site Description(Example)

**1.4 Site Description**
**1.4.1 Overview Description of Site**
**1.4.1.1 Detailed Reactor Technology Complex (RTC) Facility Description**
-         The RTC is located in the southwestern portion of the INL, 4.9 miles northwest of the Central Facilities Area (CFA).  RTC consists of 100.2 acres, and includes 80 buildings and 63 structures. The area was originally established in the early 1950s with the development of the MTR. Two other major reactors followed, which are the ETR and the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). The MTR was shut down in 1970 and the building is now used for offices, storage, test areas for the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center, and fuel storage in the canal. The ETR has been inactive since January 1982.
-         The ATR is the major program at RTC and the majority of 500 personnel stationed at RTC provide direct support to it. The rest of the personnel provide support to other programs located throughout the INL. The RTC mission is to provide facilities, utilities, and support capabilities to enable government and private
-         agencies to conduct experiments associated with developing, testing, and analyzing materials used in nuclear
-         and reactor applications. RTC facilities have been modified over the years to fit the changing needs of the INL and provide five major types of functional space: reactor, laboratory, office, training, and craft support for maintenance. For purposes of discussion, RTC is divided into several functional sections:

## Backgrounder(Example)

**REACTOR TECHNOLOGY COMPLEX (RTC)**
**Introduction:**
- Idaho National Laboratory (INL) consists of an 890 square-mile area in southeastern Idaho typically referred to as the “INL Site,” along with laboratories and administrative buildings located approximately 35 miles east in the city of Idaho Falls.
- The Idaho Nuclear Technology Engineering Center (INTEC) is one of many facilities located on the INL Site.
**Facility Location:**
- The RTC is located in the southwestern portion of the INL, 4.9 miles northwest of the Central Facilities Area (CFA). RTC consists of 100.2 acres, and includes 80 buildings and 63 structures. The area was originally established in the early 1950s with the development of the Materials Testing Reactor (MTR). Two other major reactors followed, which are the Engineering Test Reactor (ETR) and the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR).
- The MTR was shut down in 1970 and the building is now used for offices, storage, test areas for the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTC), and fuel storage in the canal. The ETR has been inactive since January 1982.
**Facility Workforce:**
- The ATR is the major program at RTC and the majority of 500 personnel stationed at RTC provide direct support to it. The rest of the personnel provide support to other programs located throughout the INL.
**Facility Mission:**
- The RTC mission is to provide facilities, utilities, and support capabilities to enable government and private agencies to conduct experiments associated with developing, testing, and analyzing materials used in nuclear and reactor applications.
- RTC facilities have been modified over the years to fit the changing needs of the INL and provide five major types of functional space: reactor, laboratory, office, training, and craft support for maintenance.

## Backgrounder (Cont.)

**Facility Descriptions:**
- RTC is divided into several functional sections:
**ATR Reactor Section **
- This section is located on the northwestern end of the RTC. It contains the large ATR building, an office building, the reactor’s cooling tower, ATR maintenance support and warehousing facilities, and several smaller buildings.
- The ATR, building TRA-670, is one of the world’s largest and most advanced test reactors and has operated continually for over 30 years. Construction of the ATR was completed in 1965 with initial start-up in 1967. Operation under full power began in 1969.
- The ATR is a 250-megawatt thermal nuclear reactor designed to study the effects of intense irradiation on samples of reactor materials, especially fuels.
- The reactor design provides :
- 		 (a) High thermal neutron density and the ability to adjust neutron density 			       within the test region
- 		 (b) Relatively constant axial flux (neutron) distribution
- 		 (c) The ability to vary the fast-to-thermal-flux ratio.
- The reactor vessel is a pressurized, solid stainless steel container that houses the reactor internals, core, and reflector assembly.
- Four primary coolant pumps are available; however, the normal pump configuration is either three primary coolant pumps running with one in standby or two pumps running with two in standby.

## Emergency Action Levels (EALs)

**3. RADIOLOGICAL RELEASE**
**REACTOR TECHNOLOGY COMPLEX (BUILDING 634)**
**SAE. SITE AREA EMERGENCY**
**Facility Emergency Action Levels**
- RTC-634-3.SAE.1
**Initiating Event/Condition**
- Radiological release from unsuppressed fire, lasting 20 min after fire suppression activities began, on TRA-634 loading area that involves irradiated test train in its storage cask
**AS INDICATED BY **visual confirmation of fire or activation of fire alarm/sprinkler system
**AND **RCT confirmation by radiation survey outside TRA-634.
**Onsite Protective Action **
- Evacuate nonessential RTC, INTEC, and ICDF personnel and field workers within **3,000 m (9,840 ft or 1.9 mi) **of RTC.
- Control nonessential vehicle and personnel access to exclusion zone. Depending on radiological conditions, consider relocating to alternate ECC at CF-609.
**Offsite Protective Action Recommendations**
**NOTE**: *Depending on release duration and meteorological conditions, ingestion pathway offsite protective action recommendations (PARs) may be required*. *The INL Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will determine and recommend additional PAs and ingestion pathway advisories.*

## The Approach (Cont.)

- Select the most likely sites, based on historical evidence and from talking to your Hazards Assessment expert
- Make sure you understand the Protective Action Recommendation (PAR) criteria found in the Emergency Action Levels (EALs) section of the Cat/Class portion of the EPHA
- Develop your Backgrounders for each site based on the Site Description information

## The Approach (Cont.)

- Once the Backgrounders are developed start developing News Releases for the selected sites, hazards, and the respective EALs
- Use two news writers in the development process if possible; one to develop the NRs and one to push the NRs through the approval process
- Know the word processing software and EOC software (Web-EOC, EMInS) and equipment and interactions between the two

## Sample News Release(Typical Prose Format)

- News Release
**ALERT DECLARED AT PLANT FARLEY**
- An Alert was declared at the Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant on Unit 1 at 4:44 p.m. CDT because of the initiation of the fire protection system inside the diesel generator building.  There was no fire.  There were some exhaust fumes in the building that caused the fire system to actuate. Both units are operating at 100 percent power.
- At no time were members of the public or plant employees in danger. There are no injuries.
- An Alert is the second least serious of four nuclear plant emergency classifications assigned by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Appropriate federal, state and local officials have been notified.
- Plant Farley, a two-unit electric generating plant, is owned by Alabama Power Company and operated by Southern Nuclear Operating Company. Both are subsidiaries of Atlanta-based Southern Company.
- Media Contact: Elizabeth ThomasMedia Inquiry Line:   (205) 992-5395

## INL Sample News Release

**News Release # 2**
**Reactor Technology Complex (RTC)**
**ALERT **
**(Radiological Release)**
- The most current information for release is contained in this section with text in bold.
**Date and Time of Most Current Information Release: **
** ****At approximately **_***(date and time)***_**, an Alert was declared at the Reactor Technology Complex (RTC) which is part of the Idaho National Laboratory (INL).  The emergency was declared due to a release of radiological material.   **
**An Alert is the second lowest level of emergency the US Department of Energy uses in identifying an emergency at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL).  **
**The public should tune their Radio/TV to the Emergency Alert System (EAS) Stations at KIDK-AM and KUPI-AM or KADQ-FM and Television Stations KIDK, KIFI, and KPVI.   Information will be reported as it becomes available. **
**Offsite agencies have been notified and are being kept advised of emergency activities associated with this event.**

## INL Sample NR (Cont.)

**All RTC personnel not responding to the emergency have been requested to evacuate area _____.  *****List any other employee protective actions here e.g., Shelter-in-place, etc.***
**There are no reports of injuries at this time or *****specify injuries or deaths.***
***(Optional) *****Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs) at the site and DOE have been activated.**
***(Optional) *****An EOC is a center where facility and DOE senior managers communicate with State and local authorities regarding activities designed to mitigate the emergency, protect employees, the public and the environment.**
**The RTC’s mission is to provide facilities, utilities, and support capabilities to enable government and private agencies to conduct experiments associated with developing, testing, and analyzing materials used in nuclear and reactor applications.**
***Use facility specific information in the***** *****RTC Backgrounder to provide details.***

## INL Sample NR (Cont.)

**The RTC peak population is approximately 500 people during the regular day shift.**
***(Optional) *****The Joint Information Center (JIC) in Idaho Falls has been activated.  The media will be notified when the JIC is operational and ready to receive them.  All information regarding this event will come from the JIC once it is operational, that includes information from all of the offsite agencies, e.g., State and affected counties.**
**News Media inquires should still be at (208) 526-9206 at this time.**

## NETL Sample News Release

**Logo & Header go here**
**Generic General Emergency (GE) **
**Pittsburgh, PA**
**PRESS INFORMATION _____________________________________________________________**
- The most current information for release is contained in this section with text in bold.
**Date and Time of Most Current Information Release: **
**At approximately (date and time), a General Emergency (GE) was declared at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) located in Pittsburgh, PA.  NETL is a Government Owned and operated facility whose mission is to NETL supports DOE’s mission to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States. The only U.S. national laboratory devoted to fossil energy research, NETL implements a broad spectrum of energy and environmental research and development (R&D) programs that will return benefits for generations to come. **
**A General Emergency is the most serious level of an emergency at a DOE facility.  The exact cause of the emergency is unknown at this time but NETL is working with local authorities to protect employees, the public, and the environment.**
**Everyone within the immediate notification zone (INZ) of the facility is asked to Shelter-in-place.  Shelter-in-place means to go indoors, turn off all ventilation systems, close all doors and windows and listen to your Emergency Alerting System (EAS) radio station KQV or WDKA T.V. stations for further instructions.**
**The OSC declared the General Emergency because _________________________ in the area of ______________________ building.**
**NETL Emergency response personnel are on the scene.  The NETL Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been activated.  The EOC is a facility where NETL senior managers gather to determine emergency response measures necessary to mitigate the accident, protect the workers and public, and environment.  **
**The Joint Information Center (JIC) in Allegany County’s EOC has been activated.  The media will be notified when the JIC is operational and ready to receive them.  All information regarding this event will come from the JIC once it is operational, that includes information from all of the offsite agencies, e.g., Allegany County, and other Governmental Agencies.**
** ****Presently the New Media should make inquiries concerning NETL’s response to the emergency to (412) 386-4646.**
- ______________________________________________________________________________________
- Information previously released by NETL EOC:

## Summary

- Using proven EP tools to develop NRs prior to the emergency is a solid approach to Beating The Clock
- This approach reduces Stress and Fatigue for the news writers
- Several DOE Facilities are now using this system.

## Questions?