On January 12, some residents of Ontario were wakened to a Nuclear Incident ALARM. Whether it was authentic or real will never be determined. Read Nuclear Scenario.The Durham Nuclear Health Committee meets 5 times per year. (DNHC Web site: https://www.durham.ca/en/health-and-wellness/nuclear-awareness.aspx – scroll down below the info on Potassium iodide (KI) tablets).
DNA (Durham Nuclear Awareness) members have been attending these meetings since 2012.
From our point of view, the meetings are mostly an opportunity for the nuclear industry to tell its perspective on all matters nuclear, to a group of people who seem very unquestioning.
The expression “echo chamber” springs to mind.
Local politicians do not attend, though we have very often invited them via email.
The January meeting is always focused on nuclear emergency planning.
The DNA‘s major efforts ever since 2012 have been focused on pressing for better nuclear emergency plans! Working closely with the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) & Greenpeace. The efforts have been very questionable.
We have talked to politicians, to bureaucrats in the provincial government & a succession of Ministers; pushed for resolutions at Durham Regional Council with some successes; pressed for more transparency from the provincial government (which is notoriously secretive about nuclear emergency planning); attended all Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) hearings ever since 2012. All to no avail.
You’re on your own
At a public meeting hosted by OPG in Pickering in October 2016, a staffer from OFMEM told the audience: “We have always been very upfront that it is up to the public to be prepared.”
In other words, You. Are. On. Your. Own
Recent Nuclear alarm, possibly real?
At the recent DNHC meeting – 5 days after the big false alarm nuclear alert on January 12th – we were told there was no incident whatsoever at Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. The alert was a “mistake” that took place during an exercise at the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre (PEOC).
Many remain skeptical. One hears rumours of leaks and cover-ups.
The posting False Alarm on the DNA site, at https://www.durhamnuclearawareness.com/blog/2020/1/16/false-alarm-tt29b provides a (partial) list of media items about the false alarm. It also provides links to postings that explain KI pills in some detail.
Ontario’s lousy nuclear emergency planning…questionable value or totally useless?
Ontario’s nuclear emergency plans are predicated on the assumption that a serious accident will not take place.
So. No plans for evacuation. No alternative plans for what millions of Ontarians/Torontonians/GTA residents will drink should a nuclear disaster poison Lake Ontario.
#WeAreOnOurOwn
DNA has known this for some time. The group, in collaboration with CELA & Greenpeace, has tried hard to change this.
At the very least, this false nuclear emergency alarm might wake up people to this sad truth.
The Instagram link “#WeAreOnOurOwn” may not be connectable. Try the Greenpeace one instead at “Greenpeace“
