Politics & Government

Emergency Agencies Plan Drill at Peach Bottom

The drill is mandated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Next week, emergency officials from Harford and Cecil counties participate in a drill at Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station in Delta, PA.

The drill will take place Tuesday and Wednesday, according to a statement from the Harford County Department of Emergency Services.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires the exercise to evaluate the preparedness of the state of Maryland and the commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the event of an emergency, according to FEMA.

"These drills are held every other year to evaluate government’s ability to protect public health and safety," FEMA Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney said in a prepared statement. "We will assess state and local emergency response capabilities within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone as well as the adjacent support jurisdictions.”

FEMA said it created the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program to ensure citizens living near commercial nuclear power plants would be protected in the event of a nuclear power plant accident and to educate the public about radiological emergency preparedness.

During the drill, Harford County will fully staff its Emergency Operations Center, according to the department of emergency services.

FEMA will present preliminary findings from the exercise at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 11, in a public meeting at the Homewood Suites, 200 Granit Run Drive, Lancaster, PA. Speakers include representatives from FEMA, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.


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