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FEMA Raves About Counter-Terrorism Drill

A year of preparation culminated late in November as emergency responding agencies across central Illinois converged on DeWitt County at the Nuclear Power Plant for a counter-terrorism drill.

Monday night at the Clinton City Council meeting, Teresa Barnett, the DeWitt County EMA Director explained the drill was in coordination with FEMA and was basically a mock-disaster at the power plant.

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According to Barnett, in the post-drill evaluation, FEMA was raving about the performance. She indicates the mock-disaster coincided with an actual incident of an oil spill, which emergency responders had to go to.

[audio:12081530013-12915plantdrill2.mp3] [/audio]

The drill resulted in a perfect score for DeWitt County and surrounding agencies. Barnett says she's been doing drills like these for many years and has never seen a perfect score. She calls it a "stellar year".

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Barnett indicates the perfect score was more than just a pat on the back for the emergency services of the County and area. She says if they could not demonstrate to FEMA, they could adaquately protect the power plant, there was a possibility the plant could shut down for that reason.

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