A person will be continually exposed to a low level of radiation throughout their life, this is perfectly normal and does not cause any health effects. Exposure to large amounts of radiation however can cause sterility, cataracts or even death.
Northumberland County Council may be required to respond to a radioactive incident within the County of Northumberland. The County Council Resilience Team has produced a plan to ensure that robust and effective arrangements in place to meet the requirements outlined in the Radiation Emergency Preparedness and Public Information Regulations (REPPIR) 2001.
The Regulations place specific duties on the County Council which include the dissemination of public advice in conjunction with partner agencies.
REPPIR covers all of the key agencies involved in responding to radiological emergencies, including the operators, carriers and Local Authorities. The Regulation with most importance to Local Authorities is Regulation 17.
The purpose of Regulation 17 is to ensure members of the public actually affected by a radiation emergency are informed promptly of the details and facts of the emergency, and the measures to be taken to ensure their health and well being is protected.
