Exeter Prepares During Seabrook Drill

Exeter, NH - February 8th, 2024: Planning is key when it comes to being prepared for an emergency at the Seabrook Station nuclear power plant, and that’s why members of several town departments and other agencies gathered in the town’s Emergency Operations Center on Feb. 7 for a drill to ensure that they’re ready to respond. 

As one of 17 communities within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) surrounding Seabrook Station, Exeter takes part in proactive emergency planning exercises to test the town’s ability to carry out a proper response if the power plant experienced a radiological emergency.

In his role as the town’s Emergency Management Director, Fire Chief Eric Wilking led the exercise and was joined by other representatives from the Fire and Police Departments, the Town Manager’s Office, Public Works Department, Parks and Recreation, the town’s Media Communications, Exeter Hospital and school personnel from SAU 16 and Phillips Exeter Academy.

Representatives from the N.H. Department of Safety and the Federal Emergency Management Agency were also on hand to evaluate.

The drill involved simulations that required officials in a variety of roles to run through their job duties in the event of an actual emergency. The four different emergency levels that could be declared are: unusual event, alert, site area emergency, or general emergency.

“This allows us to really communicate well together and establish relationships that, without these exercises, likely would not take place. When you get a group like this together a few times every other year, it comes together seamlessly. It’s not only helpful for any Seabrook-related emergency, but it helps with a natural emergency that requires us all to work together and get information out to the town,” Chief Wilking said.

Among other things, these exercises have helped the town identify areas that could become congested, resulting in a plan for assigning police officers – with protective measures in place – to those locations to keep traffic moving during an emergency.

Police Detective Bruce Page serves as the so-called “RADEF” (radiological defense) officer who is responsible for maintaining and deploying equipment, briefing emergency workers, and establishing security for the EOC to prohibit a person from entering who could contaminate the facility if they have material on them. His duties involve monitoring radiation levels in the EOC and among workers in the field. He also manages the distribution of potassium iodide for workers.

“Hopefully nothing ever happens, but if it does, at least we’re prepared to do what we need to do,” Det. Page said.

Dispatch Supervisor Jessy Shupe also plays a critical role that involves notifying key officials to get the EOC up and running in a timely manner.

Officials must also communicate with facilities with large populations, such as nursing homes, schools, day cares, and the hospital, to coordinate evacuations or other steps that may need to be taken.

“The whole thrust of this is to provide accurate and timely information about what people need to do. Do they need to shelter in place? Do they need to evacuate? What can they expect? We also need to provide the town the means to be protected,” Chief Wilking said.

For more information on Seabrook Station EPZ preparedness, visit: https://www.readynh.gov/disasters/SeabrookStationEPZPreparednessInformation.htm