Delaware Emergency Evacuation for the Salem / Hope Creek Nuclear Power Generators

Abstract

This report and research is an assessment of the Delaware Emergency Evacuation Plans for a radiological emergency at the Salem/Hope Creek Nuclear Power Generators in Salem, NJ. In making this assessment information is drawn from engineering as well as social science literature and the primary past nuclear emergency in the United States, Three Mile Island. The engineering research takes a look at revisions to ideas about road capacities, affects of weather on an evacuation and new methods for viewing evacuation as a process rather than list of steps, including measures of effectiveness. The Social Science literature further develops the engineering principles and is included to better understand how evacuees will respond in an emergency. This includes how the warning message will be created, understood and understanding how evacuees will choose to take protective action. This knowledge is then used to assess the current plans for the State of Delaware and make recommendations for future improvements. The information is also applied to evacuation of Delaware City, Delaware in a rough estimate of the effects of evacuation. The end result of this research is recommendations to improve methods and practices for future evacuations.