Today our preparedness team will participate in a drill (graded by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission) to test our response to a simulated radiation release from the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. The exercise simulates an event where people, food or drinking water could become contaminated in the very unlikely event that there were to be a release of radioactive materials into the atmosphere.
Our focus includes the providing contamination control measures to protect the public from eating or drinking any contaminated food or water, guidance on the health effects of radiation exposure, distributing potassium iodide (there is a stockpile here in the state and nationally), coordinating with the CDC, and supporting for local public health agencies and hospitals. Here’s a link to our Emergency Response Plan including our Radiological Response Plan. The entire AZ response system is evaluated and graded every few years… and this year’s graded exercise is today.
