Oregon Partners Practice Nuclear Emergency Response
On May 19, Oregon Department of Energy staff joined representatives from the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon Health Authority, Oregon State University, and two eastern Oregon counties to participate in an annual Hanford Emergency Exercise to test our emergency preparedness program.
This year’s exercise, conducted virtually, featured a scenario of an explosion in the 300 Area of Hanford, which is in the southern area of the site. USDOE officials notified our agency that there were multiple injuries and a shelter-in-place order for the area around the simulated explosion. In the event of an emergency (real or exercise) like this, the Oregon Department of Energy sets up an Agency Operations Center with ODOE staff and other radiation and public health experts to determine if an incident is likely to put Oregonians at risk.
About 30,000 Oregonians live in Boardman, Irrigon, Hermiston, and Umatilla – communities located within the 50-mile nuclear emergency planning zone for the Hanford site. An actual fire, explosion, or other accident involving Hanford's contaminated facilities or underground radioactive and chemical waste storage tanks could cause an airborne release of hazardous radioactive materials.
That’s why ODOE staff work with our partners in Washington, other state agencies, and Morrow and Umatilla county representatives to practice important protective procedures, focusing on:
Effectively alerting and mobilizing emergency responders.
Providing timely and accurate information to the public and news media.
Issuing and implementing appropriate protective action recommendations to protect public health and safety.
Sampling, processing, and analyzing potentially contaminated soil, vegetation, air, and water.
In addition to an annual Hanford emergency exercise, ODOE staff and our partners also participate in regular emergency exercises for the Columbia Generating Station Nuclear Power Plant, which provides power to the northwest and is also located in the Hanford/Richland area. This fall, ODOE expects to activate our in-person Agency Operations Center for two CGS-related emergency drills, including one graded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Learn more about Hanford and Oregon’s role.
Learn more about our Emergency Preparedness work.
Join us at the next Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board Meeting to learn more about the Hanford cleanup and how it affects Oregon.
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