If there were an emergency at Indian Point, county officials may recommend that residents take several actions to protect themselves, including sheltering in place, evacuation and taking Potassium Iodide (KI). Sirens would sound in the 10-mile radius of Indian Point, and the Emergency Alert and Public Notification system would be used to communicate these instructions from government officials. Find out which emergency area you live in.

If sheltering-in-place is recommended, you should stay in a house or building with windows and doors closed and outside air vents shut. This can be an effective emergency response to a radiation release. Because of wind and other weather conditions, for example, a brief release of radiation could pass through the area very quickly. In that situation, sheltering would provide the best protection.

The order to evacuate specific areas would be given by public safety officialsthrough broadcasts on radio or television. People who are told to evacuate could go to the home of a relative or friend outside of the Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ). Or, they could go to their designated General Population Reception Centers. See which center is designated for your area. For those requiring transportation, emergency buses would be available to take families and individuals to their assigned reception center.

The entire Emergency Planning Zone, that is the area 10-miles within the Indian Point Plant, would probably not be evacuated all at once. Decisions on whether to take protective actions are based on plant conditions, wind directions, weather and many other factors.

An unnecessary evacuation would tie up traffic for people who are in areas ordered to evacuate. It is important that you do not evacuate unless your specific area is told to do so.

You can view Westchester County's 2008 Emergency Planning Guide for more information.