March 16, 2011 -- As the tragic events in Japan unfold, with much of the focus on the nuclear power plants, County Executive Robert P. Astorino and his emergency team continue to consult with experts and political leaders at various levels about the safety of Indian Point.

“Our  hearts go out to everyone in Japan,” Astorino said.

He added: “With regard to Indian Point, it is always safety first. The most important thing we can do right now is gather the facts and do it in a steady comprehensive way so that we have the best information possible available to us.” 

Toward that end, Astorino said he, Commissioner of Emergency Services Anthony Sutton  and numerous county officials have been in constant touch with Entergy, the company that owns and operates Indian Point, as well as representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the State Office of Emergency Management and the county’s congressional delegation, including U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.

Astorino is writing the NRC to request a formal meeting with its regional administrator to discuss the steps the agency is taking to apply lessons learned from the tragedy unfolding in Japan as it relates to the continued safe operation of Indian Point here in Westchester County. The county executive also participated in a conference call today with Entergy and officials from Orange, Rockland and Putnam counties and New York State. 

“We want to ensure that all the agencies and parties involved are sharing vital information with each other and taking the right actions to ensure public health and safety is being preserved now and in the future,” Astorino said.  

The county executive stressed that Westchester is closely monitoring the situation in Japan.

“I got my first e-mail alert from Commissioner Sutton at 7 a.m. last Friday and we have been monitoring and assessing the situation ever since,” Astorino said. “People should know that our Indian Point preparedness is a 365-day- a- year job.” 

Sutton detailed the following:

• Westchester County, along with the three other counties in the Indian Point region, participates in annual drills of its emergency plans that are overseen and evaluated by FEMA and/or the state. These drills involve the county executive as well as personnel from many county departments and agencies, including emergency services, public safety, communications, health, public works, transportation and information technology. Other participants include representatives of area hospitals, schools and other emergency agencies. Westchester County got high marks from FEMA on its performance in the last drill.
• The emergency services department is in constant communication with Entergy.
• Communication systems are tested every week and sirens are tested silently every day.
• The county’s emergency plan is constantly updated to deal with changing events. 

“On our Web site, residents can find complete information about our emergency preparedness,” Sutton said, “including English and Spanish versions of the Indian Point emergency booklets.”

The booklet can be found at:  www.westchestergov.com/indianpoint. It contains information about how to prepare for an emergency and what to do during an actual emergency.  

Astorino, who took office in January 2010, added, “At the start of my administration, I ordered our own Indian Point drill to ensure that any new people on my team were prepared for an emergency. This helped result in the high rating we received from FEMA during last year’s annual drill.”

People interested in making a financial contribution to help Japan may refer to a list of reputable agencies, compiled by Westchester, that are collecting funds.