Scope

• Transporting of nuclear warheads can cause a peacetime radiological emergency.danger radiation image by choucashoot from Fotolia.com
  
  According to The Federation of American Scientists (FAS), The FRERP encompasses all radiological emergencies during peacetime that have either actual, potential or perceived consequences in the United States, its territories, possessions or territorial waters. FAS also explains that according to the Plan, the level of the federal response will be determined by the type and amount of radioactive material involved, its location and the impact or potential impact on the public and environment. They add, "Emergencies occurring at fixed nuclear facilities or during the transportation of radioactive material, including nuclear weapons, fall within the scope of the Plan regardless of whether the facility or radioactive materials are publicly or privately owned... or [not] regulated at all."
  
  

History

• Nuclear reactors at Three Mile Island plant.three mile island image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
  
  On March 28, 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania had an accident in which radioactive material overheated to a dangerous level due to a cooling system failure. After the incident, the chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NCR), Joseph M. Hendrie recommended to a Congressional committee that comprehensive plans be put in place to deal with emergencies at nuclear power plants. Later that year, FEMA was designated as the lead agency in dealing with nuclear power plant emergencies. FEMA has since published numerous nuclear emergency contingency plans which culminated in the FRERP published on May 8, 1996.
  
  

Purpose

• Under the FRERP plan, federal agencies work together.emergency sign image by max blain from Fotolia.com
  
  As stated in the summary section of the FRERP, "the Plan provides a concept of operations, outlines Federal policies and planning considerations, and specifies authorities and responsibilities of each Federal agency that has a significant role in such emergencies." In the introduction of the Plan it states that its objective is "to establish an organized and integrated capability for timely, coordinated response by Federal agencies to peacetime radiological emergencies."
  
  

Significance

• The FRERP publication is the first plan that oversees the response of all federal agencies that may have a significant role in responding to a peacetime radiological emergency. With FEMA overseeing possible emergency scenarios and simultaneous multiple agency responses to an incident, there is less probability that an oversight in response protocol will occur.
  
  

Considerations

• State and local governments also have a role in radiological emergency response.Library of Congress image by dwight9592 from Fotolia.com
  
  Responding to peacetime radiological emergencies is also the responsibility of state and local governments. For emergencies in nuclear facilities not under the control of a federal agency, there may be a private sector response also, as the owner and operator of a private nuclear facility has responsibility for response within the facility itself. The FRERP goes into effect for areas under federal control and in emergencies in which support is requested by state and local governments.