Joseph J. Krol. Courtesy/NNSA

NNSA News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is conducting emergency management workshops in Vietnam to help enhance the nuclear/radiological emergency program of Vietnam emergency response personnel.

The workshops hosted by the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARANS) were conducted in Ninh Thuan this week and in Hanoi last week. The workshop in Ninh Thuan included 60 participants representing the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Management Board; Headquarters and Ninh Thuan regional representatives of VARANS; Ninh Thuan regional representatives of the Ministries of Environment, Public Security, and Defense; and Ninh Thuan Provincial and local response personnel.

The Hanoi workshop included 40 participants representing VARANS; the Ministries of Science and Technologies, Health, Environment, Public Security, and Defense; and Provincial and local response personnel.

Both workshops were opened by Joseph J. Krol, Associate Administrator for Emergency Operations, who commended Vietnam and VARANS for their initiative in developing an emergency preparedness and response program during the construction of their nuclear power plant (NPP).

“The development of a full national nuclear and radiological emergency preparedness and response program during the construction of their nuclear power plant will ensure an effective program is in place prior to initiation of their NPP,” Krol said. “Our cooperation with Vietnam will establish a nuclear/radiological response capability in the southeast Asian area.”

The workshops are being conducted by personnel from NNSA, NSTec’s Remote Sensing Laboratory at Joint Base Andrews and Nellis Air Force Base, and Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, with support provided by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.  

‪NNSA’s Office of Emergency Operations currently collaborates with more than 80 foreign governments and 10 international organizations with projects ranging from providing assistance to foreign governments in improving their emergency preparedness and response programs to joint collaborative activities that improve emergency management infrastructure worldwide.

In addition to NNSA’s primary mission to ensure the safety, security and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile without the use of underground nuclear testing, the agency provides the United States government’s primary capability for radiological and nuclear emergency response and for providing security to the nation from the threat of nuclear terrorism. With this expertise, NNSA provides nuclear emergency response support to local law enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and emergency responders in other countries.