By Connor Boyd
BLOOMINGTON – An Illinois laboratory is one of just nine in the nation selected to participate in a unique opportunity.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency’s (IEMA) radiochemistry lab took part in on-site training aimed at increasing state and federal capabilities to respond to a potential nuclear or radiological incident. IEMA spokesperson Adnan Khayyat said the state was chosen for good reason.
“Illinois is kind of unique in that we have so many nuclear reactors in the northern part of the state,” Khayyat said. “And so we have a pretty robust nuclear safety program in the state prepared to respond to any type of incident at any one of those nuclear powerplants, historically.”
The training is a joint initiative of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Office of Radiation and Indoor Air and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Khayyat described the incidences the lab handles.
“The radiological component of a typical radio incident isn’t really the major concern,” Khayyat said. “The major concern is the explosive or detonation. Radio incidents, while they would cause havoc and impact our communities are not at the level of concern of a nuclear incident.”
A major nuclear or radiological incident anywhere in the U.S. could necessitate support from all federal and state radiochemistry laboratories, including IEMA’s lab. Khayyat added the lab’s services are capable of reaching beyond state borders.
“Were set up to respond in Illinois, but we definitely could respond multistate,” said Khayyat. “We also have mobile lab access, we have a two-band team that can go out anywhere in the state or, for that matter, anywhere outside of the state.”
Connor Boyd can be reached at [email protected].
