The People and the Plan: Intended Reactions to a Nuclear Emergency in New York State

Abstract

Nuclear emergency management procedures in the US do not explicitly address the issue of how people might react to a nuclear accident. This question was asked of a sample of residents in the Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) of the Nine Mile Point nuclear power plant in New York State, using four scenarios designed in collaboration with local county emergency planners. The answers were then compared to the directives likely to be given by the planners. Results show that respondents would follow directives in 48 per cent to 92 per cent of the cases (63 per cent is the average), depending on the scenario used. Predictive factors include attitudes towards nuclear energy and opinions on social issues, while location in the EPZ and socio-demographic characteristics do not play a significant role. Other findings suggest unresolved issues in risk communication strategies and show widespread distrust of the role of the media in the event of an accident.