Lacey: Emergency Drill To Be Held At Oyster Creek On Sept. 26

LACEY TOWNSHIP, NJ - It's only a test.

Ocean County Office of Emergency Management officials along with 17 municipal offices of emergency management will test their ability to respond to a mock emergency at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station on Sept. 26.

All of the towns are located within a 10-mile radius of the nuclear plant off Route 9 in Lacey Township. The simulated drills are held twice a year to evaluate the response of nuclear plant workers and municipal, county and state agencies.

“The Ocean County Office of Emergency Management participates annually in drills that focus on the nuclear power plant,” Ocean County Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy said. “This year’s exercise will be monitored and reviewed by FEMA. The federal agency will look at the actions taken by the participants and will review it for both efficiencies and any deficiencies they may find.”

Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will discuss the results of the Oyster Creek mock drill at a public meeting at 1 .m. on Sept. 29 at the Ocean County Office of Emergency Management at the Ocean County Airport on Route 530 in Berkeley Township.

Oyster Creek is the oldest nuclear plant in the United States. It went online on Dec. 23, 1969.

Photo: Patricia A. Miller