MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – You may see some emergency vehicles in the area around the Point Beach nuclear power plant in Manitowoc County over the next few weeks.
Manitowoc County Emergency Services is conducting exercises with the plant. Federal regulations require state and government agencies near nuclear plants to periodically show they can protect the health and safety of people who live within 10 miles of the plant in case there’s an emergency.
During the exercises, the county will open a simulated evacuee reception center at the county highway shop and activating the emergency operations center. Holy Family Memorial Hospital and radio stations in the Manitowoc area are also scheduled to take part.
“It’s highly unlikely we will ever have to implement these procedures in our Emergency Operations Plan for a nuclear plant incident,” Travis Waack, Emergency Services Director, said in a news release. “However, participating in these exercises makes us better prepared as a community to respond to a wide variety of disaster scenarios.”
A practice exercise is set for Monday night and Tuesday during the day. Federal officials will then evaluate the exercise on Sept. 13-14.
County officials remind the public that the exercises and just a drill.
