Page 10 - SRNS_Today_August_2021

10 | SRNS TODAY | AUGUST 2021

New and improved emergency readiness tool

When disaster strikes—whether it’s a tornado, earthquake, active
shooter, terrorist attack, radiological release or fire—the situation
can cause chaos and confusion. The way any organization reacts
to an emergency influences the outcome for people, property and
the surrounding environment. As the most diverse and complicated
Emergency Management (EM) program in the DOE complex, SRNS is
leading the way to a single Readiness Assurance tool to improve EM
self-assessments and exercises. SRS personnel work in the Infectious Disease Response Team (IDRT) War Room in
October 2020. The IDRT coordinates Continuity of Operations, an aspect of EM assessed
The DOE Criteria Review and Approach using the new CRAD.
Document (CRAD) handbook is used by the
government and its contractors for conducting Several emergency preparedness working groups, including the
assessments of EM programs and their ability to Emergency Readiness Assurance Subcommittee and NNSA are
respond to emergencies. It provides the ability to looking to use SRNS’ standardized approach at this year’s virtual
measure successful responses to an emergency conference hosted by the Emergency Management Issues Special
event or incident and can be clearly documented Interest Group (EMI SIG).
against an approved DOE standard.
“We are leading the vision of a single Readiness Assurance tool that
“The CRAD is structured around 15 program elements and multiple uses the same data consistently from site to site. If a consistent
lines of inquiry in DOE’s Comprehensive Emergency Management approach can be obtained throughout DOE sites, this would lead to an
System,” said Tom Diaz, Emergency Response Training and Evaluation efficient system for assessments and evaluations,” said Diaz.
Group Manager. “SRNS performed a crosswalk of the CRAD and EMI SIG was established in 1986 as the EM Special Interest Group
Emergency Management’s self-assessment process and identified there and became the “Emergency Management Issues Special Interest
was no standard approach to the assessment program across the Group” in 1991. The organization is the only DOE special interest
complex,” he said.
group that remains. It coordinates the exchange of expertise, ideas,
SRNS employees shared this standardized process using the Exercise and resources among DOE and contractor emergency management
Builder software application, which resulted in very positive feedback personnel, identifies common issues and priorities, and pursues
from DOE Headquarters and emergency managers from across the activities that address shared needs. The EMI SIG is sponsored by the
complex. The new process will allow SRNS to track training impacts NNSA Office of Emergency Management Policy. Members of the EMI
and improvements and build tailored exercises where trends and issues SIG are emergency managers, coordinators, planners and trainers from
can be tracked and resolved. facilities across the DOE system.

SC Women in Business NCP Engineering Interns tour SRS

award received

SRNS Senior
Scientist Natalia
Johnson was named
one of the 2021
South Carolina
Women in Business
by Greenville
Business Magazine,
Columbia Business

Monthly and Charleston Business Magazine.
This prestigious award honors selected
businesswomen across South Carolina based
on career achievements, contributions to their Over the summer, NNSA Capital Projects Engineering Interns Chase Marzullo,
company and community involvement. Camden Kinard, Justin Fox, Kara Keenan and Tyran Parker learned more about SRS,
through tours of the Site and the Savannah River Site Museum.