[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 87 (Monday, May 6, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30382-30384]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-11121]


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FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY


Radiological Emergency Preparedness: Exercise Credit

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

ACTION: Notice with request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) 
Program Strategic Review initiative 1.6, the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency (FEMA) is proposing to implement a policy for 
granting REP exercise credit to offsite response organizations (ORO) 
for participation in an actual incident or in a non-REP exercise. The 
subject notice contains the activities eligible for consideration for 
credit, guidelines for submitting a request, and documentation 
required.

DATES: FEMA must receive comments on or before July 5, 2002.

ADDRESSES: You may submit your comments to the Rules Docket Clerk, 
Office of the General Counsel, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 
C Street, SW., room 840, Washington, DC 20472, or send them by e-mail 
to [email protected]. Please reference ``REP Exercise Credit'' in the 
subject line of your e-mail or comment letter.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vanessa E. Quinn, Chief, Radiological 
Emergency Preparedness Branch, Technological Services Division, Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20472; 
(202) 646-3664; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the REP Program Strategic Review 
initiative 1.6, FEMA is proposing to implement a policy for granting 
REP exercise credit to offsite response organizations for participation 
in an actual incident or in a non-REP exercise. The subject notice 
contains the activities eligible for consideration for credit, 
guidelines for submitting a request, and documentation required.

Background

    A radiological emergency response plan is developed and exercised 
in order to have reasonable assurance that adequate protective measures 
can be taken in the event of a radiological emergency. FEMA evaluates 
the exercises to ensure that the OROs have the capability to respond to 
a radiological emergency. An ORO's response to man-made or natural 
events or participation in a non-REP exercise may also test all or part 
of the plan. For those areas that were tested, it may be appropriate to 
give credit in place of certain aspects of an evaluated REP exercise.

Credit for Responding to an Actual Emergency

    When an ORO responds to an actual incident involving radioactive 
materials, FEMA can consider granting exercise credit for such response 
activities as environmental monitoring; monitoring for contamination of 
persons and equipment and/or other activities, if these activities were 
successfully performed according to the applicable plan and procedures. 
FEMA may also consider granting credit for generic response activities, 
such as mobilization of personnel and facilities,\1\ for those OROs 
affected by an actual radiological incident.
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    \1\ FEMA will evaluate all facilities, as a baseline, during the 
first exercise under the new Evaluation Criteria. Therefore, FEMA 
will not grant exercise credit for facilities for the first exercise 
using the new Evaluation Criteria.
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    When an ORO responds to an actual incident that does not involve 
radioactive materials, the ORO may qualify for credit for generic 
response functions and activities, such as mobilization, facilities\1\, 
communications equipment, and congregate care. The Credit columns in 
Table 1, Federal Evaluation Process Matrix, indicate which functions 
and activities may be considered for the granting of exercise credit 
for response to a radiological or a non-radiological emergency.
    When requesting exercise credit for a response to an actual 
emergency, an ORO should ensure that the response included the 
following four elements:
     A prompt and timely mobilization of key State and local 
government staff and providers responsible for REP emergency functions;
     An actual reporting of the key REP staff who, in 
accordance with the plans, would report to the facility;
     Activation of the facility(ies) of the responding 
jurisdiction(s); and
     Establishment of communication links among responding 
organizations.
    The ORO should then provide the following documentation to FEMA:
    1. Type and nature of the emergency;
    2. Timeline, to include time of response and time State and local 
REP staff arrived at the facility;
    3. Sign in-out sheet with name, function, date and time;
    4. List of involved REP personnel and organizations and their 
connection to a REP response;
    5. Communications log showing the establishment of communication 
links with other organizations;
    6. List of involved jurisdictions;
    7. Emergency decisions made and implemented;
    8. Resources (facilities, equipment, etc.) used; and
    9. List of corrective actions or improvement items identified in 
the after-action report.

Credit for Participating in Preparedness Exercises Other Than REP

    ORO(s) may request REP exercise credit for demonstrating 
preparedness capabilities in FEMA exercises other than REP. These 
capabilities could include congregate care, facilities,\1\ 
and/or other activities performed in the exercise. The Credit columns 
in the attached Table 1 indicate which functions and activities may be 
considered for the granting of exercise credit for participation in an 
exercise other than REP when the exercise has a radiological component 
or when the exercise does not have a radiological component.
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    \1\ FEMA will evaluate all facilities, as a baseline, during the 
first exercise under the new Evaluation Criteria. Therefore, FEMA 
will not grant exercise credit for facilities for the first exercise 
using the new Evaluation Criteria.
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    ORO credit requests for participating in non-REP exercises must 
specify the exercise and document the ORO's participation, including 
the activities it performed and a list of corrective actions or 
improvement items identified in the exercise after-action report. If 
credit is granted, the ORO must also include its exercise participation 
in the Annual Letter of Certification.

Process

    An ORO submits its application for credit to the appropriate FEMA 
Region.

[[Page 30383]]

The application must specify the basis for the credit (response to a 
radiological emergency, response to a non-radiological emergency, 
participation in a radiological exercise other than REP or 
participation in a non-radiological exercise other than REP) and the 
REP evaluation area criterion (a) for which credit is requested. The 
application must also contain the appropriate documentation, as 
specified above. The FEMA Region will submit the request for credit, 
along with the Region's review and recommendations, to FEMA 
Headquarters. FEMA Headquarters will determine whether the credit 
requested will be granted, and if so, will issue an exemption to an ORO 
from FEMA evaluation of this criterion (a) in the next REP exercise. 
However, even if FEMA exempts a criterion from exercise evaluation, 
certain fundamental radiological emergency response functions and 
activities that are integral to the REP exercise must still be 
demonstrated in order to conduct the exercise. FEMA will specify any 
exempted activities that the ORO must still demonstrate. FEMA will not 
evaluate these activities unless their demonstration had a potential or 
actual adverse effect on the REP exercise.

Timeline

    The ORO requesting credit for responding to an actual radiological 
or non-radiological emergency should submit the request to the 
appropriate FEMA Regional Office within 90 days following the event. 
The ORO requesting credit for participation in a non-REP exercise 
should submit the initial information 60 days in advance of the non-REP 
exercise and follow-up documentation within 90 days after the non-REP 
exercise. Any credit that is granted must be completed in time to allow 
inclusion in the extent-of-play discussions 90 days prior to the REP 
exercise for which credit is granted. FEMA will grant exemption from 
evaluation of a specific exercise criterion only once during the six-
year cycle for the applicable REP exercise. In addition, FEMA will not 
consider exemption from evaluation if the emergency response activity 
for which credit would be sought occurred more than two years before 
the date of the next scheduled REP exercise.

    Dated: April 23, 2002.
Michael D. Brown,
General Counsel.
    Table 1, Federal Evaluation Process Matrix, reads as follows:

                                                     TABLE 1.--Federal Evaluation Process Matrix\1\
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                                                                                              Out-of-                 Credit
    Evaluation Area and Sub-         Consolidates REP-14                                    sequence of  --------------------------------   Staff ass't
            Elements                     objective(s)            Minimum frequency \2\       exercise                       Non-radio-         visit
                                                                                             scenario      Radio-logical      logical
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1. Emergency Operations          1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 17, 30..                              ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............
 Management.
    a. Mobilization............  ...........................  Every Exercise............  NO              YES             YES             NO
    b. Facilities..............  ...........................  Every Exercise............  NO              YES             YES             YES
    c. Direction and Control...  ...........................  Every Exercise............  NO              NO              NO              NO
    d. Communications Equipment  ...........................  Every Exercise............  NO              NO              NO              NO
    e. Equipment and Supplies    ...........................  Every Exercise............  YES             YES             NO              YES
     to Support Operations.
2. Protective Action...........  5, 7, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17,                                 ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............
                                  26, 28.
    a. Emergency Worker          ...........................  Every Exercise............  YES             YES             NO              YES
     Exposure Control.
    b. Radiological Assessment   ...........................  Every Exercise............  NO              YES             NO              NO
     & Protective Action
     Recommendations &
     Decisions for the Plume
     Phase of the Emergency.
    c. Protective Action         ...........................  Every Exercise............  NO              YES             YES             NO
     Decisions for the
     Protection of Special
     Populations.
    d. Radiological Assessment   ...........................  Once in 6 years...........  NO              YES             NO              NO
     and Decisionmaking for the
     Ingestion Exposure
     Pathway\3\.
    e. Radiological Assessment   ...........................  Once in 6 years...........  NO              YES             NO              NO
     and Decisionmaking
     Concerning Relocation, Re-
     entry, and Return\3\.
3. Protective Action             5, 14, 15, 16, 17, 27, 29..                              ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............
 Implementation.
    a. Implementation of         ...........................  Every Exercise............  YES             YES             NO              NO
     Emergency Worker Exposure
     Control.
    b. Implementation of KI      ...........................  Once in 6 years...........  YES             YES             NO              NO
     Decision.
    c. Implementation of         ...........................  Once in 6 years...........  YES             YES             YES             YES
     Protective Actions for
     Special Populations.
    d. Implementation of         ...........................  Every Exercise............  YES             YES             YES             YES
     Traffic and Access
     Control\5\.
    e. Implementation of         ...........................  Once in 6 years...........  NO              YES             NO              NO
     Ingestion Pathway
     Decisions.
    f. Implementation of         ...........................  Once in 6 years...........  NO              YES             NO              NO
     Relocation, Re-entry, and
     Return Decisions.
4. Field Measurement and         6, 8, 24, 25...............                              ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............
 Analysis.
    a. Plume Phase Field         ...........................  Every Full Participation    YES             YES             NO              NO
     Measurements and Analysis.                                Exercise\2\.
    b. Post Plume Phase Field    ...........................  Once in 6 years...........  YES             YES             NO              NO
     Measurements and Sampling.
    c. Laboratory Operations...  ...........................  Once in 6 years...........  YES             YES             NO              NO
5. Emergency Notification and    10, 11, 12, 13.............                              ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............
 Public Information.

[[Page 30384]]

 
    a.1 Activation of the        ...........................  Every exercise............  NO              NO              NO              NO
     Prompt Alert and
     Notification System\5\.
    a.2 Activation of the        10.........................                              ..............  ..............  ..............
     Prompt Alert and
     Notification System (Fast
     Breaking).
    a.3 Notification of          ...........................  Every exercise............  NO              NO              NO              NO
     Exception Areas and/or
     Backup Alert and
     Notification System within
     45 minutes.
    b. Emergency Information     ...........................  Every exercise............  NO              NO              NO              NO
     and Instructions for the
     Public and the Media.
6. Support Operations/           18, 19, 20, 21, 22.........                              ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............
 Facilities.
    a. Monitoring and            ...........................  Once in 6 yrs.\4\.........  YES             YES             NO              NO
     Decontamination of
     Evacuees and Emergency
     Workers and Registration
     of Evacuees.
    b. Monitoring and            ...........................  Once in 6 yrs.\4\.........  YES             YES             NO              NO
     Decontamination of
     Emergency Worker Equipment.
    c. Temporary Care of         ...........................  Once in 6 yrs.\6\.........  YES             YES             YES             YES
     Evacuees.
    d. Transportation and        ...........................  Every 2 years.............  YES             YES             NO              NO
     Treatment of Contaminated
     Individuals.
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\1\ See Evaluation Criteria for specific requirements.
\2\ Each State within the 10-mile EPZ of a commercial nuclear power site shall fully participate in an exercise jointly with the licensee and
  appropriate local governments at least every two years. Each State with multiple sites within its boundaries shall fully participate in a joint
  exercise at some site on a rotational basis at least every two years. When not fully participating in an exercise at a site, the State shall partially
  participate at that site to support the full participation of the local governments.
\3\ The plume phase and the post-plume phase (ingestion, relocation, re-entry and return) can be demonstrated separately.
\4\ All facilities must be evaluated once during the six-year exercise cycle.
\5\ Physical deployment of resources is not necessary.
\6\ Facilities managed by the American Red Cross (ARC), under the ARC/FEMA Memorandum of Understanding, will be evaluated once when designated or when
  substantial changes occur; all other facilities not managed by the ARC must be evaluated once in the six-year exercise cycle.

[FR Doc. 02-11121 Filed 5-3-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6718-02-P