What if you were not informed when a nuclear emergency occurred?

That was the fear expressed by speakers this week during the state’s annual review of the plan that would be put into action in case of a large-scale accident at one of New Jersey’s four nuclear reactors.

“The deteriorating telecommunications infrastructure throughout in South Jersey will have a disastrous impact in executing this plan,” said Barbara Stratton who lives in Stow Creek Township in Cumberland County within the 10-mile emergency planning zone around PSEG Nuclear’s Artificial Island generating complex.

Without reliable service how would a person in harm’s way receive a call alerting them of an emergency, she asked.

Stratton spoke at the Salem County Department of Emergency Management headquarters Wednesday night where officials from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, New Jersey State Police and New Jersey Department of Health held the local hearing.

The New Jersey Radiological Emergency Response Plan deals with how emergency officials would respond if there was a major release of radiation from one of the four reactors in the state. It addresses what evacuations, if any, would be needed and testing of the environment after a radiation release. A key part of the plan is communicating with the public about what actions they would need to take.

“Many area within and surrounding the emergency response zone do not have anything other that deteriorating copper landline telephone service that does not work in wet or damp weather,” Stratton said. “The citizens in these areas have no alternatives …. Cell service is non-existent or spotty at best.”……..

A public hearing has been scheduled by the state Board of Public Utilities on the matter on Aug. 4 in Estell Manor.

Both Stratton and Facemyer urged officials involved with nuclear emergency planning to attend the BPU hearing. ……http://www.nj.com/salem/index.ssf/2016/07/what_if_there_were_a_nuclear_plant_emergency_and_y.html