Emergency Protective Actions

The protective actions that may be recommended during a serious S.S.E.S. Nuclear Power Plant emergency are either "shelter" or "evacuation". Whenever a recommendation is made the public announcement will be preceded by the sounding of the 62 sirens in the EPZ, to alert residents to tune into their local EAS radio or TV station. Do not assume that evacuation is always the best protective action to take. By taking it upon yourself to evacuate you may be exposing yourself unnecessarily to radioactive fallout whereas if you took shelter the problem may have passed you by.

Please remain calm and follow the instructions of the professionals that will be closely monitoring the situation

Shelter means to seek protection indoors so you are not exposed to radioactive contaminants . To reduce your chance of exposure close all windows and doors as well as your fireplace damper. Cover exhaust fans, cracks around window AC units and dryer vents. Turn off heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems that draw air from the outside. Remain indoors and stay tuned to your radio or TV for updated information. A list of emergency supplies that should always be available in your home can be found in the Family Plan Template.

An evacuation ordered as a result of significant radiological release may require an immediate response with little or no preparation time. So it is important to have an evacuation supply kit ready to go at all times. A sample evacuation kit can be found in the Family Plan Template. The location of public mass care reception centers and directions can be found here.