Being Prepared For Nuclear Emergency

What would you do if you learned of a nuclear disaster unfolding where you are? Do you know what do do with children in school or whether you should leave town or stay inside your home?

There are 83,000 people who live, work and go to school within a ten-mile radius of the Sequoyah nuclear power plant. That's the area that would be under an evacuation or other special orders should a radiological emergency arise.

Hamilton and surrounding counties work with state officials every two years drilling for such a disaster.

"In order for Sequoyah to have an operating license we have to pass that test every other year, we take it very seriously," according to Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency Director Bill Tittle.

Tittle said the first priority is evacuating children in schools and day car facilities within that ten-mile radius. Parents should not rush to schools to get their children in the event of a radiological alert because officials will take care of that.

"To immediately get those children out of there and take them to paired schools, each school has another school to which the children will be bused immediately to get them out of that area," Tittle said.

Everyone who lives within a ten mile radius of a TVA nuclear facility like Sequoyah is supposed to get an annual calendar with detailed information about what you should do in case of an accident. 

There's a special card inside the calendar you can fill out and mail to TVA free of charge that will give details about special needs you may have to authorities in the event of an evacuation.

If you do live within ten miles of a TVA nuclear plant you are encouraged to register your home and cell phones so that you can get emergency notifications with instructions.

"I did read it, I don't remember everything but I've got it where I can get to it," June McCormick said.

We met June and Sammy McCormick as they visited their daughter's home in eye sight of Sequoyah. They encouraged everyone read the calendar and be prepared for any emergency.

"If they do that I don't think there will be nearly as much panic as there would be otherwise," Sammy McCormick said.

Should there be a radiological emergency a system of 108 sirens will activate. That's when you should turn on your radios or TV's and get the latest warning information.

"We've got a plan, I just hope that everybody has a plan in light of what's going on in Japan," Mrs. McCormick said.