3.1 General

3.1.1 Preparedness is defined as actions taken prior to a nuclear emergency to be ready to respond and manage consequences.

3.1.2 An appropriate level of preparedness shall be developed and maintained to allow for a robust response to nuclear and radiological emergencies, should one occur.

3.1.3 The assigned responsibilities for nuclear and radiological emergency preparedness are set out in the appendices to Annex I.

3.1.4 An emergency plan concept of operations is established as part of preparedness activities to ensure that all responding organizations share a common vision and support the development of an integrated response capability. The PNERP concept of operations in Section 3.3 provides a brief overview of the planned response to a General Emergency resulting from a beyond design basis accident at a reactor facility.

3.1.5 Hazard-specific preparedness activities can be undertaken because the source of a nuclear emergency is known.  As such, the details provided in this chapter are, for the most part, applicable to nuclear emergencies.

3.2 Components of Nuclear Emergency Preparedness

3.2.1 Program Management

  1. Senior management of Stakeholder organizations should provide leadership and commitment, and assume overall responsibility, accountability, and authority for their emergency preparedness program.
  2. Senior management of Stakeholder organizations should ensure that sufficient funding and resources are allocated to develop, implement, evaluate, and maintain their emergency preparedness program.
  3. Stakeholder organizations should establish a planning cycle to plan, develop, implement, and maintain their nuclear emergency plans and procedures.

3.2.2 Planning Basis

  1. Planning basis is the identification of hazards that the nuclear emergency management program must address based on their impact on health and safety, property, and the environment.
  2. The EMCPA requires every provincial ministry and Municipality to identify and assess the various hazards and risks to public safety that could give rise to emergencies.
  3. Emergency Response Organizations other than reactor facilities that are responsible for nuclear emergency planning shall align their plans with the PNERP and its planning basis which considers the risks and impacts to responders, the public, property, and environment within their organization's jurisdiction.
  4. Chapter 2 provides a detailed discussion on the Planning Basis forming the foundation of this PNERP.

3.2.3 Communication

Accurate, co-ordinated and timely communications within and between stakeholder organizations and the public are critical to effective emergency response and recovery. As such, stakeholder emergency plans shall implement and maintain communication procedures which provide emergency data and information to the following as applicable:

  1. individuals within or external to the stakeholder organization who require the data for decision-making purposes
  2. the media
  3. those affected or potentially affected by a nuclear or radiological emergency
  4. international or trans-border authorities

3.2.4 Emergency Management Coordinating Committees

  1. The province, through the OFMEM, shall establish a provincial level Nuclear Emergency Management Coordinating Committee (NEMCC) to ensure that an optimum state of nuclear emergency planning, preparedness, response and recovery is achieved and maintained in Ontario.
  2. Goals of the NEMCC include:
    1. collaboration with stakeholder organizations to ensure that their respective emergency plans are aligned and integrated with the PNERP
    2. discuss inter-organizational issues

      Note: For example, inter-organizational issues can include issues related to, but not limited to program funding, resources, exercise design and scheduling, etc.

    3. conduct joint reviews subsequent to a nuclear emergency requiring an integrated response
  3. Designated Municipalities shall establish coordinating committees to review and manage nuclear emergency management concerns.
  4. Temporary sub-committees and standing sub-committees under the coordinating committees may be established as needed to provide specific information and advice.
  5. Each coordinating committee and sub-committee shall develop and maintain terms of reference.

3.2.5 Organizational Structure

  1. An appropriate organizational structure shall be designed to manage the various phases and aspects of the emergency. The outline of the provincial structure is described in Chapter 4 of this plan.
  2. Ministries, municipalities and other involved stakeholder organizations should develop and document the structure of their Emergency Response Organization in their nuclear emergency response plans.

3.2.6 Plans and Procedures

  1. As the foundation for nuclear and radiological emergency response, the province and stakeholder organizations (see Annex I) shall develop and maintain emergency plans and procedures to support the activation and execution of this PNERP.
  2. The province and stakeholder organizations shall review their nuclear emergency plans and procedures at least every five years (see Section 1.3) and revise them as necessary to ensure their continuing suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness.
  3. The province and stakeholder organizations shall validate their nuclear emergency response plan and procedures (e.g., through exercises) to demonstrate that systems (i.e., equipment, procedures, and personnel elements) as designed meet the organization's response plan requirements.
  4. As applicable to the organization, nuclear emergency response plan procedures should include, but are not limited to supporting the following functions:
    1. categorization and notification procedures
    2. public alerting
    3. emergency information
    4. public direction
    5. transportation management (e.g., Ministry of Transportation (MTO))
    6. reception and evacuation centres (e.g., Designated Municipalities)
    7. long-term housing (e.g., multi-ministry and multi-jurisdictional planning group)
    8. health issues (led by the Local Public Health Units and Medical Officers of Health in conjunction with Local Health Integration Networks and MOHLTC)

3.2.7 Facilities and Equipment

  1. Stakeholder organizations shall establish, maintain and document the emergency facilities and equipment necessary to activate and implement their emergency plans. Examples include but are not limited to operations centres, information centres, other emergency centres, telecommunication facilities and equipment, computers and other technology, field monitoring vehicles and radiological surveying equipment, etc.
  2. Stakeholder organizations shall conduct inspections, tests, or both, in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations, to confirm the functionality and readiness of critical emergency equipment systems and equipment.

3.2.8 Training

  1. The EMCPA requires every provincial ministry and Municipality to include training in their emergency management program. As such, all stakeholder organizations should define and document their nuclear emergency training requirements to improve individual and team proficiencies.
  2. The EMCPA requires every provincial ministry and Municipality to identify and assess the various hazards and risks to public safety that could give rise to emergencies. As such, where the Hazard Identification Risk Assessment (HIRA) identifies nuclear or radiological incidents as a hazard, stakeholder organizations shall develop and implement a training plan as part of the organization's emergency management program.
  3. The training plan should ensure that:
    1. Staff are provided with initial training to understand their emergency roles and responsibilities, and receive continuing training to maintain the knowledge, skills, and abilities.
    2. Staff are competent to carry out the organization's nuclear emergency procedures and perform their roles.
    3. Staff are qualified to use the tools and equipment associated with their role.

3.2.9 Exercises

  1. Exercises provide an opportunity to identify emergency response strengths and weaknesses, and can be used to validate and improve emergency plans and procedures.
  2. The EMCPA requires every provincial ministry and Municipality to identify and assess the various hazards and risks to public safety that could give rise to emergencies. As such, where the Hazard Identification Risk Assessment (HIRA) identifies nuclear or radiological incidents as a hazard, exercises should be developed and run based on such scenario(s).
  3. Regulations pursuant to the EMCPA require every provincial ministry and Municipality to conduct annual exercises.
  4. Stakeholder organizations should develop and document their exercise program requirements and consider the following general objectives:
    1. Assess the effectiveness of all elements of the emergency plan within a five-year timeframe.
    2. Assess the organization's performance.
    3. Conduct exercises where there is no prior notice to the participants.
    4. Conduct exercises that are initiated outside of normal working hours. and
    5. Conduct exercises that include more than one shift cycle.
  5. Stakeholder organizations should communicate exercise schedules with each other as necessary to support planning for large scale multi-jurisdictional exercises.

3.2.10 Public Awareness and Education

  1. Nuclear
    1. Populations likely to be affected in a nuclear emergency should be aware of the possible hazards and what they can do to minimize their effects. As such, the public living or working in the Detailed Planning Zone of reactor facilities shall be provided with specific instructions on measures to take in the event of a nuclear emergency.
    2. Provincial ministries and stakeholder organizations shall support the development and delivery of a public awareness and education program as part of their nuclear emergency management program as applicable.
    3. Public awareness and education responsibilities are outlined in Annex C.
  2. Radiological

    General public awareness and education programs form part of each community's emergency management program, pursuant to the EMCPA, and should cover all hazards, including radiological ones, according to its HIRA.

3.2.11 Alerting, Notification and Response Systems

Procedures shall be established to support the initial notification of off-site authorities, the notification of members of Emergency Response Organizations, appropriate responses to such notifications and the alerting and public direction of the affected population. Details on initial notifications are contained in Section 5.2.

3.2.12 Evacuation and Relocation Planning

Advance planning and preparedness shall be conducted for the following items in support of the Evacuation and Relocation protective measures:

  1. transportation management (e.g., Ministry of Transportation)
  2. Reception and Evacuation Centres (e.g., Designated Municipalities)
  3. long-term housing (e.g., multi-ministry and multi-jurisdictional planning group)
  4. health issues (led by the Local Public Health Units and Medical Officers of Health in conjunction with Local Health Integration Networks and MOHLTC)

3.2.13 Iodine Thyroid Blocking

  1. Iodine Thyroid Blocking involves the ingestion of potassium iodide pills in order to prevent the uptake of radioactive iodine. As such, it is most effective if ingested prior to a radioactive release.
  2. Stakeholder organizations must make arrangements in advance to ensure that the population that may be affected by the release of radioiodine has access to the pills in a timely manner.
  3. Responsibilities and requirements to undertake this preparedness measure are further described in Section 6.5.2.

3.3 Concept of Operations

3.3.1 This section provides a description of the emergency response activities that would be undertaken in the event of:

  1. A Reportable Event, Abnormal Incident and On-site Emergency notification from the reactor facility.
  2. A General Emergency notification from the reactor facility.

3.3.2 Reportable Event, Abnormal Incident and On-site Emergency Notifications

  1. The emergency begins with the occurrence of an abnormal operating condition at the reactor facility. Immediately, reactor facility operators and Shift Manager follow emergency procedures to diagnose and stabilize the event.
  2. The reactor facility Shift Manager categorizes the event and, within 15 minutes, notifies the province and Designated Municipalities
    1. In response to any nuclear emergency notification, the PEOC Duty Scientist from OFMEM would consult with staff at the reactor facility to obtain any necessary clarification or details.
    2. In response to a Reportable Event notification the PEOC Duty Commander should declare a Routine Monitoring response level until the situation has been resolved.
    3. In a scenario an Abnormal Incident or On-site Emergency notification is received, the process would progress as described below.
  3. Within 15 minutes of receiving the notification from the reactor facility, the province notifies the off-site Emergency Response Organization of the Provincial Response Level which would, depending on the notification category, be either Enhanced Monitoring or Partial Activation. See Annex D, Appendix 1 for immediate provincial and municipal response actions.
  4. Scientific staff immediately begin to assess the situation, based on conversations with, and information and data from, the reactor facility. Within a few hours the Scientific Section, along with the rest of the PEOC, is staffed as appropriate to the response level, and a business cycle for information gathering and decision-making is established to facilitate the response.
  5. Protective action decision-making is undertaken by the PEOC Commander, based on the Scientific Section technical assessment and in light of the operational situation. Should protective actions, such as sheltering-in-place, be necessary, they are directed and undertaken prior to a radioactive release. This system of operational and technical awareness and decision-making would be repeated, according to the PEOC business cycle, until the emergency phase is terminated and recovery begins (recognizing that overlap in phases is possible).
  6. Within hours of the initiation of the event, the media are briefed by a provincial spokesperson who may be supported by representatives from the reactor facility, and other organizations as necessary. A Joint Information Centre may be established to support media briefings to ensure the public are provided with timely and accurate information on:
    1. the status of the emergency
    2. the hazards and areas affected
    3. precautionary and protective measures being directed or changed
    4. where to get more information
  7. Within hours of being notified of a nuclear emergency, the full integrated emergency response capability of the reactor facility, plus municipal, provincial and federal organizations, has been activated with the province co-ordinating all off-site actions.
  8. Within a day protective and ingestion control measures have been implemented as necessary to protect the public and ensure that all traded goods meet international standards.

3.3.3 General Emergency

  1. The concept of operations below describes the response to a General Emergency notification from a reactor facility and may be adapted as required in response to local conditions.
  2. A General Emergency notification may be applicable to an accident of varying severity, from DBA to a severe BDBA.
  3. The emergency begins with the occurrence of an abnormal operating condition (e.g., loss-of-coolant accident) in the reactor facility which could lead to a release of radioactivity that would require off-site protective measures.
  4. Immediately, reactor facility operators and Shift Manager follow emergency procedures to diagnose, stabilize and categorize the event.
  5. Within 15 minutes of categorizing the event, the reactor facility Shift Manager notifies the province and Designated Municipalities of a General Emergency notification category. See Annex D, Appendix 1 for immediate provincial and municipal response actions.
  6. The General Emergency notification to the province and municipalities will immediately and automatically trigger a number of default actions:
    1. Within 15 minutes of receiving the notification from the reactor facility, the province notifies the off-site Emergency Response Organization of the Provincial Response Level, which shall be Full Activation.
    2. The Designated Municipalities initiate the public alerting system (e.g., sirens, telephone auto-dialer, etc.).
    3. Unless circumstances require a departure from this response, the PEOC Commander:
      • Shall direct the implementation of evacuations in the AAZ
      • May direct ITB in the AAZ
      • Shall direct sheltering in the DPZ
      • Shall direct precautionary measures in the AAZ and DPZ
      • Shall issue an emergency bulletin advising the affected public of the above protective measures and where to get more information.
  7. Following implementation of default actions in f) above, the PEOC shall determine if additional protective measures are required, including the need for additional evacuations. If so, they will be initiated in such a way that those areas at immediate risk or adjacent to the reactor facility are evacuated first before a radioactive release occurs. Eventually, if conditions warrant, the entire Detailed Planning Zone may need to be evacuated in all directions as winds will shift during the emergency.
  8. The province provides the public in all emergency planning zones with direction on any required ingestion control measures. In those areas where there is a risk of contamination of food, water, milk, or commodities, the public may be advised to:
    • Place grazing animals on stored (covered) feed.
    • Protect drinking water supplies that directly use rainwater.
    • Restrict consumption and distribution of non-essential local produce, wild-grown products (e.g., mushrooms and game), milk from grazing animals, rainwater, and animal feed.
    • Restrict distribution of commodities until further assessments are performed.
  9. Reception and Evacuation Centres are set up and staffed at pre-determined facilities outside of the Detailed Planning Zone. Additionally, mobile Monitoring and Decontamination Units (MDU) can be deployed where needed. These off-site facilities are established to register, process, and monitor and decontaminate evacuees as necessary.
  10. Emergency Worker Centres (EWC) are also established at pre-determined facilities outside the Detailed Planning Zone. These facilities are used as an entry control point for all off-site municipal, provincial and federal response organizations involved in the response. Reactor facility staff provide a support function at the EWC to monitor and decontaminate emergency workers and helpers who require access to the affected area.
  11. Once the radioactive emission (if any) has ended, the Field-based surveillance and monitoring team of the ERAMG is promptly dispatched to survey, identify and report to the province, the existence of any areas of contamination or hot spots both within and beyond the Detailed Planning Zone. The results of their surveys will be assessed by the province against pre-determined Operational Intervention Levels (OILs), to identify any areas where additional protective actions and other response actions are warranted or where measures can be rescinded where not necessary.