Martin Virgilio, deputy Executive Director for the NRC’s Reactor and Preparedness Programs, has these tips for agencies to stay on top of their game for incident responses:

1. Have a plan on the books for responding to emergencies including facilities, procedures and staff. Be prepared to transport technically qualified and trained staff to a trouble spot immediately.

2. Drill and practice your plan frequently

3. Make sure your staff is well-trained for an incident. Responding to emergencies is not an area where you should rely on contractors.

4. Maintain a good working relationship with other agencies that are stakeholders in your emergency response operation. Make sure you maintain your contacts which may be hard if these contacts are political appointees who frequently change positions.

5. Maintain an environment where staff is comfortable voicing concerns.

6. When an incident is ongoing, make sure you maintain contact with the team and the team leader to ensure they are receiving all the support they need. Continuity is important in emergency response and it is best if you can keep same person in the role as team leader and spokesperson for the entire emergency.