Annex B The use of community facilities during a nuclear or radiological emergency
(Reference: Paragraph 7.9.1 b))
1.0 General Concept for Community Facilities
1.1 Community facilities such as community centres, schools and colleges may be used to support the response to a nuclear emergency, primarily as Reception Centres, Evacuation Centres or as Monitoring and Decontamination Units (MDUs) for citizens temporarily displaced by the event or as Emergency Worker Centres and ERAMG field command posts for emergency workers responding to the event. In considering the impact a nuclear emergency may have on these community facilities, it is important to note the following:
- A nuclear emergency is a very unlikely event;
- Should an event occur, evacuation should take place well before the release of radiation to the atmosphere, thus radioactive contamination is unlikely; and
- If monitoring and decontamination activities result in the contamination of community facilities, then:
- Contamination should be confined to limited areas.
- Facilities shall be restored to pre-emergency condition as soon as possible.
2.0 Legislation
2.1 The Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Plan (PNERP) is formulated by the Lieutenant Governor in Council (LGIC) pursuant to Section 8 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) and, pursuant to Section 3 (4), Designated Municipalities shall also prepare emergency plans which address nuclear emergencies. These plans shall conform to the PNERP.
3.0 Declaring an Emergency
3.1 Whenever the PNERP has been or is to be activated, and the criteria for declaring an emergency has been met, the LGIC or Premier may declare an emergency in that area.
3.2 Under the EMCPA (Section 7.0.1 (1)), the LGIC or Premier can declare that an emergency exists in the province, or any part of it.
3.3 Similarly, the Head of Council of a Municipality can declare that an emergency exists in the Municipality, or any part of it (Section 4.2 below).
3.4 The purpose of an emergency declaration is to enable both the province and Municipality to take any lawful actions considered necessary to protect public safety. Provincially, this power includes the ability to require a selected Municipality to provide assistance to an emergency area (even if it is not within the emergency area).
4.0 Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Plan (PNERP)
4.1 Under the PNERP, certain community facilities, such as centres to assist evacuated persons, are essential for fulfilling the emergency response mandate. These facilities are normally established in large institutions such as community centres, schools or colleges.
4.2 Municipal Roles and Responsibilities
- Designated Municipalities are those in the vicinity of a reactor facility, which have been designated under the EMCPA, and are required to address a nuclear emergency in its emergency response plan (Paragraph 2.1 above).
- The PNERP specifies designated municipal roles and responsibilities that must be addressed in their municipal nuclear emergency plans.
- Nuclear emergency plans for Designated Host Municipalities shall include provisions for the reception, care and shelter of people and animals (Sections 7.12 and 7.13) evacuated from their homes. Further, if the nature of the emergency is such that evacuees may have been exposed to a radioactive plume, these municipalities' plans must also include provisions for accommodating the monitoring and decontamination function. Designated Municipalities (i.e., those within the Detailed Planning Zones of reactor facilities) may also act in a host Municipality capacity either for their own citizens or for citizens of a neighbouring jurisdiction.
- Support Municipalities may be specified by Emergency Order and may be responsible for providing support and assistance to Designated Municipalities (Section 1.10.4).
4.3 Reception Centres
- Municipal nuclear emergency plans shall identify the location of facilities that will be used for the reception, care and initial shelter of evacuees.
- Evacuee monitoring and decontamination may be accomplished either in a Reception Centre that receives evacuees immediately upon leaving the emergency area or, may be set up separately.
- A Reception Centre is the first destination for evacuees. It is organized to perform many of the following functions:
- registration and inquiry
- allocation to Evacuation Centres
- first-aid
- monitoring and decontamination (co-location optional)
- Host Municipalities shall resource Reception Centres for the first three functions listed in Paragraph 4.3 c) above.
- In the event of a nuclear emergency, reactor facilities in Ontario shall provide the equipment and trained staff to perform monitoring and decontamination activities (pursuant to federal licensing requirements to provide off-site assistance).
- OFMEM shall co-ordinate with appropriate stakeholders to establish arrangements for off-site assistance as outlined in Paragraph 4.3 e) above for the Town of Amherstburg.
- Municipal nuclear emergency plans shall identify the roles and functions fulfilled by emergency workers at Reception Centres and include provisions for the selection, staffing and resourcing of these facilities.
4.4 Evacuation Centres
- Evacuation Centres are facilities set up by designated Host Municipalities to provide shelter, food, and other (e.g., family reunification and emergency social services) services to people who have been evacuated as a result of a nuclear emergency.
- Municipal nuclear emergency plans shall identify the location of facilities that will be used for Evacuation Centres.
- Municipal nuclear emergency plans shall identify the roles and functions fulfilled by emergency workers at Evacuation Centres and include provisions for the selection, staffing and resourcing of these facilities.
4.5 Emergency Worker Centres
- Emergency Worker Centres are facilities set up to monitor and control exposure of emergency workers to radiation.
- Emergency workers are those who perform emergency services in support of an emergency response. Emergency workers include:
- those required to remain in, or to enter, areas affected or likely to be affected by radiation from a nuclear emergency, and for whom special safety arrangements are required
- those who are required to provide response outside the affected areas
- helpers who are registered with an authorized responding organization
- police, firefighters, paramedic services, emergency social services workers, and other essential services
- nuclear energy workers are not included in the definition of emergency workers
- Municipal nuclear emergency plans shall identify the location of facilities that will be used as Emergency Worker Centres. These locations should also be able to accommodate a command post for environmental monitoring operations of the Environmental Radiation and Assurance Monitoring Group (ERAMG).
- Municipal nuclear emergency plans shall identify the roles and functions fulfilled by emergency workers at Emergency Worker Centres and include provisions for the selection, staffing and resourcing of these facilities.
- In the event of a nuclear emergency, reactor facilities (except Fermi 2) shall provide the equipment and trained staff to perform monitoring and decontamination activities (pursuant to federal licensing requirements to provide off-site assistance).
- OFMEM shall co-ordinate with appropriate stakeholders to establish arrangements for off-site assistance as outlined in Paragraph 4.5 e) above for the Town of Amherstburg.
4.6 Monitoring and Decontamination
- Nuclear Emergency
- Reactor facilities in Ontario are responsible for monitoring and decontamination of both evacuees and emergency workers. They are responsible for providing core staff and resources, and for staff training.
- Similarly, once the emergency functions have ceased to be necessary, the Ontario reactor facility is responsible for restoring the monitoring and decontamination portion of any facility used, to its pre-emergency state.
- OFMEM shall co-ordinate with appropriate stakeholders to establish arrangements for monitoring and decontamination of both evacuees and emergency workers as outlined in Paragraph i) above for the Town of Amherstburg.
- Radiological Emergency
- MOHLTC is responsible for coordinating the setting up of facilities to monitor and decontaminate the public.