Facing the Fires of a Meltdown - Lessons Learned from Fukushima
Robert Lewin, CAL FIRE/San Luis Obispo County

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Audio Compact Disc: $23

On March 11, 2011, for six protracted minutes, a colossal earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale rocked the earth. Of a magnitude beyond anything in Japan's history, it began approximately 20 miles deep in the ocean 42 miles east of Japan. It unleashed a tsunami, with waves topping 100 ft high in places, that produced even more havoc on the island nation. The official death toll stands at near 20,000. Three Japanese nuclear reactors damaged in the catastrophe, while in "cold shutdown," are still emitting radiation. The lesson is clear: Protection of nuclear facilities by skilled full-time onsite fire departments and well-trained and equipped offsite fire departments needs to be significantly increased. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) must require that industry, local, state, and federal firefighting services review and participate in comprehensive improvements to the way nuclear power plants are protected. If U.S. fire fighters are expected to follow the example of what Japanese fire fighters did to stabilize damaged reactors, then comprehensive changes must occur at and around nuclear power plants.