Recently, the Norwegian Armed Forces, emergency services, the county municipality and several Troms municipalities conducted a joint preparedness exercise. They practiced the routines related to a radioactive leak from a nuclear submarine. – When we practice, we always want to uncover points for improvement, and we did that this time as well, says Ronny Schjelderup, director of emergency preparedness at the State Administrator in Troms and Finnmark. The exercise showed that communication between the agencies and out to the population has several points for improvement. – This is not something we can underestimate, says Schjelderup. More and more nuclear submarines call at Tromsø, and the city’s population of around 80,000 lives close to where they call. The submarine calls have several times been met with protests from the population. More and more American nuclear submarines are now docking in Tromsø Want to have their own exercise Schjelderup says that they have systems ready to release information in the event of an incident, but that it is the information itself that needs to be worked on. – We need to create more predefined information that can be made available when needed, he says. That is why he wants to have a separate exercise where you only focus on communication between the various agencies, and out to the population. – There are always some small things that can be improved to ensure good cooperation, says Schjelderup. The emergency director adds that they have plans for a separate exercise where they focus on communication. – We must constantly work on improving ourselves, but in sum I feel that we are well prepared to handle a radioactive leak from a nuclear submarine. In the event of an incident, they can send out information via the internet, radio and TV. They can also use the municipality’s SMS notification system. Emergency management director at the State Administrator in Troms and Finnmark, Ronny Schjelderup, says there is a need for a separate communication exercise. Photo: Dan Henrik Klausen/Arnstein Jensen / news – It is important that we have good routines Chief of Staff for the police in Tromsø, Øyvind Gundersen, says that communication between the agencies can be improved – In such incidents, it is a rescue case, and then we want routines and planning on how it should be handled, says Gundersen. – But communication can always be improved. Gundersen points out that they do not see it as very likely that an accident will happen, but that it is still important to practice. – We always plan based on the assumption that the worst can happen. In that case, it is important that we have good routines in place, and be sure that the various actors talk well with each other. Chief of Staff for the police in Tromsø, Øyvind Gundersen, agrees that communication can always be improved. Photo: Øystein A. Antonsen / news
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Too bad communication – news Troms and Finnmark
