Department of Energy Program

DOE Program Overview

Pursuant to State law T.C.A. § 58-2-106, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) is “responsible for maintaining Tennessee’s comprehensive statewide program of emergency management.” Under this authority, TEMA coordinates the offsite planning and response activities for potential impacts from operations at the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) to include:

·  Developing and maintaining a plan that provides for the coordination between the DOE, State and local agencies to ensure an effective offsite response to an emergency at the ORR.

·  Conducting and coordinating training for State and local responders to a potential offsite incident at the ORR.

·  Coordinating the States hazardous materials training certification.

·  Providing maintaining, and calibrating radiation detection equipment for State and local responders to a potential offsite incident at the ORR.

TEMA also administers the State’s DOE exercise program to include monthly notification drills between DOE, State, and local agencies, and weekly and monthly communication tests ensuring connectivity with DOE’s computerized emergency information systems. TEMA also coordinates annual exercises simulating hazardous materials emergencies at ORNL or Y-12, sometimes involving hundreds of State and local response personnel.  These drills and exercises ensure offsite responders maintain readiness to respond and implement protective actions to minimize the harmful impacts of a hazardous materials release from the ORR.