The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) along with 75 Member States and 12 international organizations concluded a two-day international emergency exercise yesterday that tested responses to a simulated accident at a nuclear power plant in UAE.
The accident scenario at Barakah Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) simulated a significant release of radioactive materials into the atmosphere. This required States to address matters such as the prompt exchange of information, assessment of the situation, decisions on protective and other response actions including possible medical response, public communication, and the import/export of goods and border crossings.
Such so-called Level 3 Convention Exercises (ConvEx-3) are organized every three to five years to test international emergency response arrangements. The practice is based on the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident and the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency. The last ConvEx-3 exercise was held in 2017 in cooperation with Hungary.
In addition to the common objectives of the exercise that focus on inter-agency coordination and communications, WHO’s objectives included areas of notification under the International Health Regulations, coordination between various levels and offices of the Organization, the technical assistance capacity, and public communication.
“This exercise provided an excellent opportunity to test our own emergency response operating procedures, and the technical skills of our staff and the collaborating centres we work with. Such exercises are important element of preparedness and we appreciate the opportunity offered through the inter-agency cooperation with IAEA and partners. The inter-departmental collaboration of the Organization is remarkable. The lessons learned from this exercise will be taken forward as actionable outcomes to further strengthen the Organization’s preparedness to respond to radiological and nuclear emergencies,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health.
According to the scenario, the accident response would have involved evacuation of people within the 16 km radius from the NPP, administration of potassium iodide pills to reduce risk of thyroid cancer to those who were exposed, and the management of injured patients. WHO works with its global expert network to support national authorities with regards to public health response. “We had 33 Collaborating Centres and Liaison Institutions members of the WHO Radiation Emergency Medical Preparedness and Assistance Network (REMPAN) playing the exercise and offering technical advice and assistance to the accident state through WHO Secretariat” said Dr Zhanat Carr, lead technical officer for WHO’s work on radiation emergencies. “The level of technical expertise offered by this a global expert network is unprecedented, these are the world’s top experts in radiation emergency medicine. REMPAN is an indispensable asset for WHO”.
In the frame of the exercise, WHO liaised with national authorities to monitor the public health impact of the event. Public health messages were shared via a social media simulator and provided information for the public as the situation developed, and of the protective actions they should take to protect themselves, as well as on mental health and psychosocial support to the affected community and emergency responders.
Large-scale exercises of this kind are conducted every three to five years to test arrangements in place for fulfilling obligations under the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident and the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency. Based on a national exercise in a Member State, the Level 3 Convention Exercise (ConvEx-3) is the IAEA’s highest level and most complex emergency exercise. It is designed to identify emergency preparedness and response best practices as well as areas for improvement.
This week’s exercise underscored the need for better cooperation during an emergency at the national and international level on the prompt exchange of information; the conduct of assessment and prognosis; the provision of international assistance; and the coordination of public information.
In the coming weeks, the IAEA will compile feedback from participating Member States and international organizations into a report that will identify good practices and areas for further improvement to strengthen national and international preparedness to respond to nuclear and radiological emergencies of all kinds.