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The training is a
joint initiative of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air and the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA). The training will take place July 7-9
at IEMA’s lab in Springfield.
“Our radiochemistry lab has long been recognized as one of the
best in the country and we’re excited to have the opportunity to
take part in this very important training,” said IEMA Director
James K. Joseph.
Joseph said a major nuclear or radiological incident anywhere in
the U.S. could necessitate support from all federal and state
radiochemistry laboratories, including IEMA’s lab.
In addition to maintaining readiness to respond to an incident,
IEMA’s laboratory supports the agency’s environmental monitoring
program. IEMA routinely collects water, air and vegetation
samples from areas surrounding the six operating nuclear power
stations, one shuttered nuclear power station and other
radioactive material facilities within the state.
These samples are tested by IEMA’s radiochemistry laboratory to determine if a
public health and/or environmental radiological impact exists. The agency
publishes annual environmental monitoring reports on its website at
http://www .illinois.gov/iema/NRS/Pages/Environmental_ MonitoringReports.aspx
.
[Patti Thompson, Illinois Emergency
Management Agency]
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