Gasconade County emergency services personnel participated Oct. 20 in a graded Callaway Nuclear Plant drill that is required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission(NRC).

This was a statewide drill that involved several local, state, and federal agencies, according to Dan Dyer, the county’s emergency management director. The drill tested all the different agencies abilities to handle a simulated nuclear power plant emergency. This year’s drill was different as it was also a graded Ingestion Pathways Exercise (IPX)  and only conducted every six years.

The Gasconade County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) not only had to handle a simulated power plant emergency, which was precipitated by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake located in the New Madrid area, they also had to deal with severe road damage to Highway 100. In the simulation, the Gasconade River bridge at Highway 100 had structural damage with a vehicle trapped on the bridge.

Also during the nuclear exercise, OEC was informed that an arsonist had lit the MFA building in Morrison on fire. This created not only a large fire but a hazardous materials incident which required the evacuation of the city of Morrison. Due to the bridge closure and road damage staff had to use alternate evacuation routes.

Agencies that made up the EOC staff were the Gasconade County Emergency Management Agency, the county commission, the clerk’s office, Gasconade County Health Department, the sheriff’s department, the assessor, Gasconade E-911, Hermann EMS, Owensville Emergency Management, Owensville Fire/Haz-Mat team, county road and bridge, Division of Family Service, Hermann Area District Hospital, Morrison Fire and the American Red Cross (St. Louis Chapter).

Dyer said the EOC staff did an outstanding job. FEMA evaluators told Dyer after the drill that they were extremely impressed with the performance of the group, which was reflected in Gasconade County’s grade as they met all of the NRC criteria without any errors.