ATHENS, Ala. — A nuclear emergency is something no one wants to think about. But, for people at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant, planning in advance is important, and they've got a way to help you plan, too.
Scott Fiedler is with TVA, known as the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant runs 24 hours a day 365 days a year. The plant is located about 5 miles south of Athens. "Each year, TVA provides a calendar and we send it to about 40,000 people within 10 miles of the plant."
There is also information about how a nuclear power plant works. "It provides information on what to do in the event of an emergency, pairing schools to go and pick up your student in case there is an emergency, and it also includes a card you can send in case you need additional assistance in case of an evacuation. that way, emergency responders can get to you in a timely manner."
Furthermore, TVA is not the only agency that wants you to plan ahead. Gregory Robinson with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency has these tips. "During the event is not really the time to put together a plan or even communicate a plan to individuals that you may have stewardship over. it's very important to create that plan before an event happens. that way you'll know what the requirements are, where you need to get the information from, how you communicate with people who you need to communicate with, what it is that you need to put in what we call go pack like the flashlights or the batteries or other things that you need in order to respond to any type of disaster that happens here in the state."
Fiedler adds that in case of an event, this is also very important to note. "If there is a nuclear event at the browns ferry nuclear plant, the most important thing is to tune into a trusted news source like FOX54. They'll be providing information directly from TVA and state officials. So that is the most important thing that you can do to keep your family safe."