The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management’s Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project recently conducted a multi-agency emergency response exercise involving a thundersnow scenario at its Crescent Junction disposal cell site.
Office of Environmental Management
December 10, 2024
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Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project staff members from the Crescent Junction disposal site are pictured with a local pilot and paramedics who took part in a recent multi-agency response exercise.
CRESCENT JUNCTION, Utah ― The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management’s (EM) Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project recently conducted a multi-agency emergency response exercise involving a thundersnow scenario at its Crescent Junction disposal cell site.
The exercise simulated a thundersnow event involving thunder, lightning and snow. Although rare, this weather phenomenon has occurred in Utah as recently as March.
A helicopter lands at the Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project’s Crescent Junction site as part of a recent emergency response exercise.
The onsite exercise evaluated the abilities of the Moab UMTRA Project and the emergency organization of the surrounding community to respond to the mock incident at the Crescent Junction site, which is in a remote location approximately 30 miles north of Moab, Utah. Response times for an onsite emergency are most likely to be longer than normal, therefore practice scenarios are crucial learning tools for the project.
The scenario involved a lightning strike resulting in a life-threatening injury and a fire engulfing a vehicle and fuel tank. Moab UMTRA Project personnel practiced emergency event procedures, a sitewide “stop work” protocol, fire management procedures, and medical response plans including patient assessment, stabilization, and transport.
“This emergency exercise was critical training, and it ensures that our workers know what actions to take in case of a real-world incident. It was fantastic that local first responders were able to partner with us,” Moab UMTRA Project Engineer Chris Pulskamp said. “We’ll use the lessons learned from this exercise to continually improve our readiness and to plan future exercises.”
-Contributor: Barbara Michel
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