Onus falls on Port Hope for emergency response

PORT HOPE, ONTARIO - The Municipality of Port Hope is responsible for providing capable off-site emergency response in the event of a fire at any industrial facility, including Cameco and Zircatec, according to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).

A letter signed by CNSC executive-vice-president Ken Pereira was distributed to Port Hope councillors.

In the letter, Mr. Pereira explained the CNSC is not responsible for off-site emergency response capabilities. Instead, the CNSCÂ’s role is to ensure any emergency management matters at the Zircatec and Cameco facilities are adequately addressed.

“While the CNSC does take off-site emergency response capabilities into account in assessing the overall risk of the facilities it regulates, the establishment and maintenance of an appropriate emergency response capability in Port Hope rests entirely with the Municipality of Port Hope,” Mr. Pereira stated in the letter. “The Municipality of Port Hope is responsible to its citizens for fire protection at all industrial and other locations… including with respect to fires at the Cameco and Zircatec facilities.”

In recent months, it has been hinted the CNSC is responsible for resolving any fire-protection issues pertaining to the ability of Port Hope Fire Department, the letter said. Mr. Pereira stated he wrote to clarify the CNSCÂ’s responsibilities.

Coun. John Morand took exception to the letter.

“It is a complete change of their position from the past,” he said. “I believe it should be up to the (regulated) companies to step up to the mark.

“I look to the companies to continue to step up to the mark as they already have.”

After the meeting Deputy Mayor Linda Thompson said the letter does not state anything new.

Confusion may be a result of the information about fire response capability coming in many different forms, she said. It is up to the municipality and the companies to ensure adequate emergency response capabilities.

“The big question really is, ‘who will pay for that?,’” Deputy Mayor Thompson said. “(Cameco) to date has come to the plate training fire fighters.”

CAO Carl Cannon and Fire-Chief Frank Haylow will prepare a response to the CNSC in regard to the letter.

The content of the letter appears somewhat contradictory and not consistent with the understanding and perspective of the municipality.

Mr. Cannon said the letter is contradictory as to what the CNSCÂ’s role is.

Cameco spokesperson Doug Prendergast said after the meeting he considers the letter to be consistent with the CNSCÂ’s position.

“The licensee is responsible for having appropriate emergency response abilities and firefighter capability,” he said. “We feel we have always had that in place (and) it has been enhanced in the last year.”

If a fire were to occur and it got out of hand, there are numerous containment layers in the buildings to keep it from spreading beyond the fence line, Mr. Prendergast said.