title: Emergency Preparedness in the 10-Mile Emergency Planning Zone Surrounding Nuclear Power Plants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Each of the nuclear power plants in the US is encircled by an Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ). Within each EPZ, government officials, utility professionals, emergency managers, and public health practitioners collectively conduct extensive planning, exercises, and outreach to better protect their communities in the event of a nuclear accident. Our objective was to conduct a cross-sectional study of off-site public health preparedness within EPZs to better understand the dynamics of nuclear preparedness and uncover lessons for all-hazards preparedness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a qualitative, interview-based method, we consulted 120 county emergency managers, state health preparedness officers, state radiation health officials, and industry officials from 17 EPZs in ten different states.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interviewees reflected that EPZ emergency preparedness is generally robust, results from strong public-private partnership between nuclear plants and emergency management agencies, and enhances all-hazard preparedness. However, there exist a few areas which merit further study and improvement. These areas include cross-state coordination, digital public communication, and optimizing the level of public education within EPZs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This first-of-its-kind study provides a cross-sectional snapshot of emergency preparedness in the 10-mile EPZ surrounding nuclear power plants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; and Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Amesh A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Adalja
authors.affiliation: UPMC Center for Health Security, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Tara Kirk
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Sell
authors.affiliation: UPMC Center for Health Security, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Sanjana J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ravi
authors.affiliation: UPMC Center for Health Security, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Minton
authors.affiliation: UPMC Center for Health Security, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Morhard
keywords: emergency; nuclear; preparedness; public health