Indian Point Security Drill

[black47]

I was driving home from work this evening when the local news announced that Indian Point is conducting a terrorist drill through friday this week. It only caught my attention when the news reader announced that people living near the plant were advised to ignore any loud explosions coming from the plant. Any Westchester, Putnam or Rockland county first responders involved?? If so, what kind of trainngg or support is expected/provided?? I live within the 10 mile radius for evac (a joke) and curious if any local agencies are involved.

[NJFFSA16]

Apparently, no local fire or EMS agencies will participate

BUCHANAN, N.Y. (AP) - Amid controversy about safety at Indian
Point, the nuclear power plant's owners began an exercise Tuesday,
staging a mock terrorist attack on the facility to help analyze
their defensive strategies.
The exercise, which is expected to end on Friday, includes
face-to-face combat tactics using laser-equipped combat simulation
gear borrowed from the Department of Energy. Officials will also
use tabletop exercises to analyze the facility's defensive
strategies, the plant's owner, the Entergy Corp., said in a
statement.
Those living near the plant were told not to worry if they hear
explosions.
For security and safety reasons, access to the plants was
severely limited, Entergy said, and the media was asked to stay
away.
Officials monitoring the exercise include representatives from
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Giuliani Partners, a consulting
firm; and a variety of state and federal law enforcement agencies.
The NRC will determine whether Indian Point's security plan met
its objectives, and will decide whether or not to make the results
of the test public, Entergy said.
A spokesman for the NRC has said the exercise is not a pass-fail
type of test, but will be used to determine any weaknesses in the
plant's defense.
Since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack, security at Indian
Point has become a major worry in the northern suburbs. Most of the
concern has focused on evacuation plans around the reactors, but
there has also been criticism of security on the grounds.
Officials in the four counties closest to the plant -
Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and Orange - had refused to certify
the plant's emergency plans, but the Federal Emergency Management
Agency approved the plans last week, effectively overriding local
opposition.
Gov. George Pataki said Tuesday that he had "real concerns"
about the situation at Indian Point, and will address them further
down the road.
Opposition had grown since the release in January of a review by
James Lee Witt, a former FEMA director now working as a private
consultant, who found the site's evacuation plans did not properly
address the possible effects of a terrorist attack.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[SFDchief]

Re: Indian Point Security Drill

Originally posted by black47
Any Westchester, Putnam or Rockland county first responders involved?? If so, what kind of trainngg or support is expected/provided??

For this particular drill there are no outside agencies involved (with the exception of maybe the NRC and the county and possibly state OEM.

My agency is with in the 10 mile hot zone. The Westchester County OEM distributed and provided training on various radiological detection equiptment. This training started last year and there has been continuous training provided by the OEM.