News : WHAT IF? BC EMA prepares for variety of disasters; drill declared success

Public Health Director Nancy Farmer helps deputy Ron Tippet with a device to measure radiation.

Nikki Knapp of DAEC explains the response to the drill to a FEMA observer.

Nikki Knapp of DAEC reviews map with Mary Williams and Carol Zander of BC Human Services Dept.

BC EMA Dir. Scott Hansen relays details of the DAEC earthquake drill Wednesday morning in EOC.

DAEC safety team member Steve Rollins reviews data from nuclear power plant during drill in Vinton

Messages from other agencies are received by computer and displayed on a screen at EOC.

Officials receive updates via several methods, including these faxed alerts.

Scott Hansen marks areas where potential radiation may occur during DAEC drill in Vinton.

Even though emergency management is serious stuff, Hansen uses humor to communicate its importance.

There are few people who believe more strongly in nuclear power than Scott Hansen.

Hansen does see nuclear energy as a clean, safe alternative to oil or coal.

But the main reason that Hansen, the Benton County Emergency Management Agency Director, thinks there should be more nuclear power plants is this: State and federal laws require safety drills and preparation in counties near a power plant. And those drills prepare leaders in those counties for real disasters.

To some, an earthquake in Benton County is unthinkable.

But the years of preparing for the unthinkable helped prepare Hansen to respond to the unthinkable in 2008, in Parkersburg. He spent several days there after the devastating tornado, helping coordinate the emergency response.

He said at the time that the training required because of the Duane Arnold Energy Center (DAEC) in Palo helps Benton County to be much better prepared for real emergencies because of all the drills related to the DAEC nuclear power plant.

On Wednesday morning, county officials were alerted to a scenario that affects the power plant and several areas of Benton County. Although the participants know it is only a drill, they do not receive advance notice of the particular situations that will arise in the drill.

Only the DAEC safety leaders know all those details, said Nikki Knapp, a member of the DAEC safety team.

Knapp is one of several DAEC members who worked to prepare the drill. Virtually every county agency and department has people involved in the exercise, which continued through mid-afternoon Wednesday.

The Linn County EMA was also involved. There were two Cedar Rapids locations where the exercise took place, and all of the participants were in communication with state Homeland Security officials at Camp Dodge, coordinating communication and other details.

The scenario the local officials responded to in this drill was an earthquake that caused some damage at the nuclear power plant and possible radioactive dangers. The wind is from the south-southwest, which affects which areas of the county could be exposed to radiation. The drill also supposed that the earthquake damaged the bridge between Urbana and Shellsburg, and also caused a collapse of a grain elevator in Shellsburg, which caused injuries, a fire and a gas leak.

The drill was designed to add additional challenges to the responders as they attempt to help those affected and to evacuate areas where radiation may become a danger.

While the county benefits from the preparation, FEMA does as well. There are FEMA observers involved in the drill, and new FEMA employees are also participating, learning the process.

"It was a good day, a fun day," said Hansen after the drill had ended.

He thought the county's response was very good. A meeting has been scheduled for Friday, when FEMA evaluators will verbally rate the day. A written report will be sent to local officials later.

"Everyone takes this very seriously," said Hansen, explaining that effective emergency response plans are necessary for the power plant to remain operational.