The West Baton Rouge Office of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security works closely with the River Bend Nuclear Plant at the north end of the parish within the ten-mile Emergency Protection Zone (EPZ).
Exercises
There are two exercises conducted each year with the five parishes included in the EPZ:
- East Baton Rouge
- East Feliciana
- Pointe Coupee
- West Baton Rouge
- West Feliciana
West Baton Rouge
West Baton Rouge Parish has only approximately 90 residents in the Arbroath area that are included in the EPZ. One of these exercises is graded by the federal government. West Baton Rouge plays a vital role, we would have to assist with the evacuation of Point Coupee Parish. Efforts would also be coordinated with the following agencies:
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness
- Louisiana Radiation Protection Division
- Mississippi State Emergency Preparedness
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Classified Emergencies
In the nuclear industry, emergencies are classified as Notification of Unusual Event, Alert, Site Area Emergency or General Emergency. The West Baton Rouge Office of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security also works with the Industrial facilities to plan emergencies involving chemicals. We participate in drills with the facilities in our parish and have systems installed to communicate with them in the event of a major emergency.