ML20137F417

Affidavit of W Ethridge Re Contention EPX-2.Minor Highway Patrol Radio & Telephone Communications Delays During 850517-18 Exercise Were Due to Priority Assigned to Messages & Emergency Operations Ctr.Difficulties Being Resolved

ML20137F417
Person / Time
Site:	Harris
Issue date:	01/13/1986
From:	Ethridge W NORTH CAROLINA, STATE OF
To:
Shared Package
ML20137F380	List: ML20137F378 ML20137F394 ML20137F404 ML20137F410 ML20137F417 ML20137F616 ML20137F649
References
OL, NUDOCS 8601170514
Download: ML20137F417 (6)

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UiN{!D I fi9 :59 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WM GF SECRm BEFORE THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICE hNdE[AND '

In the Matter of .)

)

CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY )

AND NORTH CAROLINA EASTERN ) Docket No. 50-400 OL

. MUNICIPAL POWER AGENCY )

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(Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant) )

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AFFIDAVIT OF WILLIAM ETHRIDGE ON CONTENTION EPX-2 COUNTY OF WAKE )

) ss:

. STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA ) ,

WILLIAM ETHRIDGE, being duly sworn, deposes and says:

1. I am a Captain of the North Carolina Highway Patrol and Director of the Research and Planning Section. I am responsible for directing and coordinating the Highway Patrol's role in emergency response planning for fixed nuclear facilities and hazardous materials transportation accidents. I have more than 25 years of experience in emergency planning and response. A current statement of my professional qualifications and capabilities is attached to this Affidavit. My business address is P. O. Box 27687, Raleigh, N. C. 27611. I make this affidavit in response to Contention EPX-2. I have personal knowledge of the matters stated herein and believe them to be true and correct.  !

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2. The North Carolina Highway Patrol participated in the full-scale exercise i i

held on May 17 and 18,1985 for the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant. The Highway Patrol's responsibility during the exercise was to simulate provision of traffic control through establishing and staffing traffic cont ol points placed at various locations within

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8601170514 860113 PDR ADOCK 05000400 9 PDR l

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l the plume exposure Emergency Planning Zone. Radio and telephone communications were utilized to carry out the Highway Patrol's responsibilities, and my affidavit addresses the allegations contained- in Contention EPX-2 that inadequacies in the Highway Patrol's communications network would have very adverse effects on a response to an actual emergency at the plant. Because of the reasons detailed in the following paragraphs, I believe that these allegations are unfounded, and that the Highway Patrol has the communications capabilities and procedures to effectively carry out its duties in such an emergency. I have familiarized myself with the concerns and their bases as expressed by the state evaluator. To my knowledge, communications difficulties experienced by the Highway Patrol were limited to communications delays experienced

' by the Controller / Evaluator Group through Raleigh Radio and to communications difficulties encountered by the Highway Patrol representative in the Harnett County EOC.

3. During its everyday operations, the Highway _ Patrol uses four frequencies for its normal radio traffic. In addition, our base station, known as "Raleigh Radio," is used by other state and federal agencies with law enforcement responsibilities. This radio traffic is normally handled by two telecommunicators, or " dispatchers." This was the number of telecommunicators during the exercise.

4. In addition to the four frequencies normally used by the Highway Patrol, two additional frequencies were added for purposes of the exercise. The Highway Patrol's exercise-related traffic was placed on these two frequencies, in ord,er to separate our normal traffic from that generated by the exercise. Limited exercise traffic was added to the routine dispatching done by the two telecommunicators on duty. Because the Highway Patrol's normal traffic during May 17 and 18 involved actual situations and

.. emergencies, the telecommunicators gave preference to that rather than to the exercise-L.

related traffic involving a simulated emergency. I acknowledge that this treatment of exercise-related traffic contributed to minor delays in the transmission of exercise messages, and I know that, had there been an actual radiological emergency at the plant, related radio traffic would have received an appropriate priority.

5. Each day, Raleigh Radio typically handles radio traffic from approximately 350 to 400 vehicles from different agencies. During the exercise, I would estimate that approximately 100 additional radio-equipped vehicles were added to those handled by the telecommunicators. Of course, this increased the radio traffic handled by the telecommunicators on these two days, and contributed to minor delays in the transmission of exercise-related traffic. Again, had the exercise been an actual emergency, I am confident that much of the Highway Patrol's routine traffic would have been taken off the frequencies, and, if needed, there would have been no hesitation or difficulty in adding telecommunicators and additional communications channels to handle increased radio traffic. On May 17 and 18, the Highway Patrol elected not to use additional telecommunicators solely for purposes of an exercise.

6. In order to carry out its roles during the exercise, the Highway Patrol placed a representative in each of the county EOCs. Only in Harnett County did the representative experience occasional difficulties with communications, and these I attr!bute to the conditions occurring in the temporary EOC which the county had established for the exercise. In Harnett County, because of a lack of telephone equipment in the temporary EOC, some difficulties were experienced by the Highway Patrol representative in communication of data via the telephone. However, the Highway Patrol, through the radio in its vehicle outside of the EOC, had the assigned role of providing backup communications capability, if needed, for the EOC. The difficulties due to the insufficient number of telephones caused the representative to use radio communications to transmit and receive information. A hand-held unit was used from within the building, and, because hand-held units do not have the power and range of larger units, it was necessary for the representative to use the more powerful mobile radio in the vehicle from time to time. This necessitated that the representative leave the building to use the radio in his vehicle outside. This difficulty contributed to delays in transmission of messages.

7. I am sure, however, that if Harnett County had a fully operational EOC, the Highway Patrol's communications difficulties would not have been significant and this problem would be resolved. I am aware that Harnett County is developing a permanent EOC, equipped with improved communications capabilities, and the Highway Patrol Communications Section is taking steps to assure that this capability will be compatible with the Highway Patrol's. This will include additional telephone capacity to be available to the Highway Patrol. I fully expect that this corrective action will prevent the communications difficulties, experienced by the Highway Patrol in Harnett County during the exercise from being repeated. In addition, a microwave repeater tower will be operational by March 1,1986 located at Duncan, North Carolina. This will allow excellent radio coverage for the counties surrounding the Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant.

8. To my knowledge, the Highway Patrol did not experience any other communications problems during the exercise which could be considered as sufficiently important to actually interfere with the Highway Patrol's responsibilities in the event of an actual emergency. The difficulties experienced by the Controller / Evaluator group should not be a consideration, as during a real emergency, that group would not exist.

9. In conclusion, the Highway Patrol did experience some minor delays in the radio and telephone communications during the exercise for the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant. These were due to the lesser priority assigned to exercise-related messages l

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and to the temporary nature of the Harnett County EOC. While recognizing these delays, I emphasize that they are not sufficient to prevent the Highway Patrol from successfully accomplishing its designated role during the exercise. Furthermore, had there been an actual emergency at the plant, messages would have been given an appropriate priority and/or more telecommunicators would have been added. In addition, during a real emergency, two additional Highway Patrol radio stations, Fayetteville and Greensboro, could be brought to bear on the communication needs of the responding units. Finally, the changes now underway to develop a permanent Harnett County EOC will resolve the communications difficulties encountered there. Given these facts, I am confident that the Highway Patrol will be able to effectively respond to an actual I

3) emergency at the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant. ,

t WILLIAM ETifRIDGE

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Sworn to and subscribed before IJ I

me this //i_Uday January,1986.

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/ Notary Pu)dic ~

My commission expires:/)/m[ ff /9ff

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RESUME I Name William Stone Ethridge 3321 Barnsley Lane Raleigh, N.C. 27604 Home (919) 872-6174 office 733-5282

' D0B 7-30-35 Married Dorothy G. Ethridge Staff Manager Great American Insurance Company

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Employed Department of Crime Control & Public Safety North Carolina Highway Patrol 1958-Present Education West Edgecombe High School Central Piedmont Community College University of North Carolina-Charlotte North Carolina State University Associate Degree- Applied Science Sachelor of Science- Management Master's Progra -Administrative Objectives Training over 3500 hours0.0405 days <br />0.972 hours <br />0.00579 weeks <br />0.00133 months <br /> of emergency planning in Public/ State affairs. Manpower allocation, fleet management, emergency operation and security. Ceneral law enforcement problems.

Experience . Responsible for planning and research for the Highway Patrol. Responsible for computer operations throughout the Department of Crime Control & public Safety.

Com=ittees _ Advisor to Region "J" Council of Govern =ent for

. planning for transportation of hazardous esterial.

Me:ber of sub-co=rittee on radiation protection.

Security Served two (2) years in charge of security for Governor James B. Hunt. Advisor to Governor James G. Martin for executive security.

Publications Hazardous Material Response Radiological Response for Fixed Nuclear Facilities Executive Security 9 p 9

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