CURRENT ARRANGEMENTS IN CHILE FOR TRAINING AND EXERCISES Loreto Villanueva Z. Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission 8th Competent Authorities Meeting, IAEA, Vienna, 2016
AGENDA General framework Training activities Exercises
General Framework Chile has not formalized up to now a National Radiological Emergency Plan, that establish specific arrangements for training and exercises, on formal basis. But mainly from 2010, a series of coordination activities have been developed under the framework of a working group, named CONSER. CONSER means Commission for Safety and Security in Radiological Emergencies, CONSER, i.e, all Chilean organizations with responsibilities and functions in radiological emergency response and nuclear security. From 2010 up to now, both, training activities and exercises has been developed as part of the activities of CONSER, at national level. Training activities are mainly organized and conducted regularly by Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission, some of them supported under IAEA or US-DOE. Table-top-exercises, TTX, for radiological emergency management at national level, have been organized under CONSER, supported by GICNT and DOE. CCHEN, on its role of operator of the only nuclear research facilities in the country, conduct regularly, on-the field exercises, for its 2 nuclear centers. Gobierno de Chile Ministerio del Interior
Current Coordination Mechanism: Commission for Safety and Security in Radiological Emergencies (CONSER) Established informally since 2010. Formalized in December 2015, by Decree from Ministry of Interior and Public Security. Technical Advisory Inter-Agency Commission to the President of Chile. Mission: Provide advice and support to National Authorities in the strengthening of national capabilities to prevent and respond to nuclear/radiological emergencies/nuclear security events, that could affect public security, people integrity or environment. Objectives: Propose measures to strengthen national capacities to deal jointly with the various stages of an event that may endanger the nuclear/radiological safety or security Advice for proper intersectorial (inter-agency) coordination Suggest actions to the dissemination of knowledge and international standards on nuclear/radiological safety and security. Members: All national organizations with legal responsibilities and functions in the response to a radiological emergency/ nuclear security event. Gobierno de Chile Ministerio del Interior
Current Coordination Mechanism: Commission for Safety and Security in Radiological Emergencies (CONSER) Ministry of Interior and Public Security (Presidency of CONSER) National Emergency Office Carabineros of Chile (Police) Emergency Health Services National Intelligence Agency Customs Ministry of Health (incl. Emergency Health Services and Regional Radiological Authority): Technical Secretariat Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Defense Public Prosecutor Investigative Police Maritime Police (Army) Aeronautical Safety and Security Agency Legal Medical Institute (forensic) Ministry of Transport Ministry of Environment Agricultural and Livestock Service Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission: Technical Secretariat Permanent Invited Members: Firefigthers and Public Prosecutor
OVERVIEW OF TRAINING ACTIVITIES
CCHEN involvement in training activities CCHEN has conducted historically training activities at national level, oriented to radiation protection including response to radiological emergency. Target audiences: operators of nuclear/radioactive facilities and first responders. From 2012, a Nuclear Security Support Center project, NSSC, is under development and pilot training activities have been conducted on that scope. Training activities on response to radiological emergency /nuclear security events have been supported by IAEA and US-DOE. Its target audience has been CONSER organizations.
Organization of IAEA training courses, at national level Developed Activities, mainly under IAEA Regional Project on radiological emergencies, RLA/9076 First responders to radiological emergencies, held on 2010 Emergency Plans for Research Reactors, held on 2010 Medical response to radiological emergency, held on 2007 and 2009 after a radiological emergency occurring at Nueva Aldea. Planned Activities: New, First responders for radiological emergencies, to be held on October 2016, organized by CCHEN. Medical response to radiological emergencies, to be held on November 2016, organized by MoH
Organization of training activities supported by US-DOE ( actual ORS) Developed Activities: Organization of Search and Secure Basic Training Course for orphan radioactive sources, January 2015, directed to 25 technical staff of 9 national organizations involved. A donation of radiation detection equipment, US$ 130.000 was received and distributed among organizations.
Establishment of a training facility, for NSSC Developed Activities: Implementation of a basic facility for training, located in one of our Nuclear Centers (Lo Aguirre), for NSSC activities, including response to radiological emergencies. Small facility, with 2 classrooms, one laboratory oriented to radiological protection, one PC-room, with capacity to 25 persons (furniture was acquired as well as one PC, data projectors (2, one in each-room).
Pilot training courses conducted (customized) From 2015, pilot-training activities have been performed with the participation, as trainers, of CCHEN radiological experts, belonging to the unit dedicated both, to respond in case of radiological emergencies and to cope with operational radiation protection in our facilities. They used their own operation equipment and applying their experience in previous training activities oriented to radiological protection. During 2015, 3 first training activities, were one-day customized courses, providing general lectures, and one exercise in the field. They were conducted at the new training facility in Lo Aguirre Nuclear Center. A new pilot training activity, from 1 ½ day, was conducted May 2016. Planned Activities: During 2016, 2 similar training courses will be held.
OVERVIEW OF EXERCISES Exercises on USIE platform On-the field exercises at nuclear centers Table-top exercises
Experience on USIE platform exercises In recent years, CCHEN as National Competent Authority(NCA) and National Warning Point (NWP) has been participating, on most CONVex series of exercises, planned by IEC. Up to now, participation has been restricted to CCHEN s role. It is expected to achieve, in the future, the involvement of National Civil Protection System, as a whole, in these type of exercise, once CONSER s activities could be strengthened or when National Radiological Emergency Plan be formalized.
On- the field exercises on nuclear facilities CCHEN conducts regularly on-the-field exercises to test the emergency plans of its 2 nuclear research centers, located in Santiago. In recent years, the on-the field exercises are conducted in a centralized way, organized from a operational unit, entitled to coordinate all activities related to emergency management at CCHEN. Each year, on-the field exercises are designed by a technical team, to evaluate some specific facilities within the nuclear centers that could originate a general emergency at the site.
On- the field exercises on nuclear facilities (cont). Communication flow to local authorities is a very important part on the exercises. Depending on specific objectives, external first- responders are taking part on the exercise. Inmediately after the exercise, a general evaluation is performed, including first responders view, observers, members of the emergency plan and the whole staff. Recommendations for improvement are collected and become part of Action Plan to be implemented the next period.
Experience on table-top exercises First TTX, July 2014, Santiago: Half-day exercise, 36 participants. To test coordination mechanisms among response agencies. Identification of potential risk factors and solve resource allocation. Development of strategies and resolution of disputes. Second TTX, binational three-day REMEX-2014, Paihuén, August 2014, Buenos Aires, sponsored by GICNT. More than 100 participants. Response and mitigation actions Binational cooperation Nuclear detection Cooperative opportunities Third TTX, national extended exercise, sponsored by GTRI, Santiago, November 2014. One and a half day, about 130 participants. To familiarize participants with the national response to theft or sabotage of a radioactive source. To foster troubleshooting, joint awareness, control and command and communications, teambuilding, crisis management and its consequences. Gobierno de Chile Ministerio del Interior
Methodology: Common aspects Specific objectives agreed for each TTX, related to response and mitigation actions. Different scenarios, responding to above objectives, developed by a working team, (national members and experts from GICNT and GTRI). An illicit act was the origin of the radiological emergency. Exercises watch on multiple events associated with high activity sources currently used in Chile (Co-60 and Ir 192). General rules/guidelines provided to participants: players/observers. All information provided by exercise moderators, through a series of injects (paper, video, etc) describing an evolving situation and incidents. Key questions formulated to players. Players described their actions in response. Post-exercise analysis conducted by facilitators, to identify gaps and recommendations for improvement. Gobierno de Chile Ministerio del Interior
Methodology: Scenario development First exercise: 2 emergency scenarios in different regions of the country, beginning with the theft of a teletherapy source (Co-60, approx. 2000 Ci, waiting for radioactive waste management), in a city 800 km from Santiago, Its subsequent transport to the capital, where it was reduced to scrap. Tampering with the source originated a radiological emergency of great magnitude, significantly affecting population health and the environment. Second exercise, binational exercise with Argentina, 2 independent and different scenarios for each country Chilean scenario involved 3 incidents of stolen radioactive material over a period of months culminating in the detonation of a RDD in busy downtown Santiago. Multiple casualties were reported, soon found to be contaminated. A radical domestic organization claimed responsibility for the attack through an online video. Misinformation spreads to the public through inaccurate comments shared on social media. Gobierno de Chile Ministerio del Interior
Methodology: Scenario development Third exercise: Consecutive events associated with theft of radioactive sources (in 2 regions of Chile), one in a hospital and the other from industrial use. Subsequently, threat of use of radioactive source of highest activity (approx. 6000 Ci of Co-60) in a major port of the country. Gobierno de Chile Ministerio del Interior
Some findings of TTX a) Interagency communication and coordination Response to a radiological emergency/ security event involved multiple agencies, requiring extensive coordination/communication internally (including medical community and the public) and internationally. The need for partner agencies to have well-established and exercised plans and protocols for streamlined information sharing and notification procedures. Need for partners to have a shared vocabulary of radiological emergency and nuclear safety/security terms b) Communication to the public Need for clearly defined and unified public information sharing protocols, to communicate a single, easily understood message to the public. Gobierno de Chile Ministerio del Interior
Some findings (Cont.) c) First responders training: First responders need an essential knowledge and training in nuclear and radiological hazards to protect themselves and the public. d) Interface between radiological emergency response and nuclear security Need to make initial decisions on whether or not to enter a crime scene based on limited data, when responding to a nuclear security incident. e) Cooperative opportunities among neighbours Need for strong bilateral cooperation before an incident, especially through the sharing of response protocols and notification procedures, including close coordination through MFAs. Gobierno de Chile Ministerio del Interior
Some findings of TTX f) Nuclear detection capabilities Detection capabilities were not uniformily distributed across the country, specially due to its length. Existing technical expertise, specially at nuclear regulatory agencies, can be a resource for providing detection training to customs officers and first responders. g) Medical capabilities Need to have established medical capabilities in the country, specially for the initial response, and about the best ways to achieve it, along the country. Importance of international cooperation through IAEA, specially in this area. Gobierno de Chile Ministerio del Interior
Some findings of TTX International cooperation and coordination Need for partners to have a core understanding on the roles, missions, and capabilities of international entities (e.g. IAEA ). Improving information sharing, in particular the need to share best practices and response protocols. Gobierno de Chile Ministerio del Interior
Conclusions on TTX TTX aimed to test national response capabilities following a radiological emergency/ nuclear security incident have been an effective tool for training as well as for improvement of current EPR capabilities allowing: Identification of gaps to be solved Provision of recommendations for improvement Launching of specific actions to solve gaps, currently under way. Support of International Initiatives, GICNT and GTRI, key factor for development. Binational exercise, valuable experience. Gobierno de Chile Ministerio del Interior