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Oswego County, state agencies, and power companies will participate a nuclear accident drill on September 30 to sharpen their response skills and improve emergency plans.

Every two years the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the emergency operations of the county and state, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) test and evaluate the nuclear utility companies. Every year in between, the State Emergency Management Office (SEMO) conducts a drill to test the county and companies and prepare for the federal exercises.

The Sept. 30 drill is a state-monitored drill that will involve a simulated nuclear accident at one of Constellation's nuclear power plants at Nine Mile Point. The responsibility for coordinating the county's response falls to the County Emergency Management Office, directed by Patricia Egan.

These annual drills last for several hours and include realistic accident scenarios with one or multiple causes that the companies, governments and emergency agencies must respond to quickly and effectively. Unexpected twists are thrown in to test emergency plans and emergency responders' knowledge and adaptability. The drills often lead to the simulated release of radiation and simulated evacuation of schools and many towns and villages within the 10-mile emergency planning zone around the nuclear plants.

FEMA and SEMO nuclear drills are thorough, so everyone carries out their duties as though it were the real thing. All aspects of the county's, state's and utility's operations are tested and scrutinized. The Emergency Operations Center, Joint News Center, Personnel Monitoring Center, Emergency Alert System activation, field monitoring teams, traffic control points and back-up route alerting, transportation of a contaminated and injured person to a hospital, bus companies, schools, the Reception Center at the New York State Fairgrounds, and congregate care centers are all assessed.

The drills involve hundreds of workers and volunteers from the government, power companies, radio stations, and agencies such as the American Red Cross and the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services.

Oswego County's Emergency Management Office prepares to protect the public's life and property not just from nuclear accidents, but also from any natural or man-made emergencies such as major fires, floods, tornadoes, winter storms, chemical accidents, and terrorist attacks. The staff creates and updates Oswego County's Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan. The plan coordinates the efforts of all emergency responders in the event of natural or man-made disasters. The plan is tested regularly by holding exercises that simulate a variety of emergencies.

For more information on radiological and emergency planning in Oswego County or to receive a copy of "Oswego County Emergency Planning and You," visit the county website at www.oswegocounty.com or call 1-800-962-2792 or 591-9150.