Defence Nuclear Accident Response Organisation (NARO) is maintained by the
UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to respond to an accident or incident, including one arising through
terrorist acts
Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...
, involving defence nuclear assets.
Defence Nuclear Assets include:
* Naval Nuclear Reactors; to include all operational
Royal Navy submarine reactors
* Defence nuclear reactor fuel
*
Nuclear Weapons
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions (thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bomb ...
and radioactive components
* Radioactive material on defence nuclear sites, which warrants implementation of the site emergency arrangements
The aim of the NARO is to ensure, in conjunction with the appropriate civil agencies, an effective response to a defence nuclear accident. The key objective is to protect public health and safety.
The MOD has two key responsibilities in the maintenance and provision of a nuclear accident response capability in the event of a defence nuclear accident:
*The MOD has executive responsibilities for the safe operation of its nuclear programmes and for the post accident render safe and recovery operations
*The MOD is nominated by the
Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for supporting the prime minister and Cabinet. It is composed of various units that support Cabinet committees and which co-ordinate the delivery of government objecti ...
as the UK Lead Government Department to coordinate the Central Government response to a Defence Nuclear Accident, and for liaison with the Devolved Administrations as appropriate (The Central Government response is coordinated through the Nuclear Accident Information Advisory Group, NAIAG)
The NARO consists of military and civilian personnel from across the MOD, who provide a wide range of skills and expertise, including:
nuclear safety
Nuclear safety is defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as "The achievement of proper operating conditions, prevention of accidents or mitigation of accident consequences, resulting in protection of workers, the public and the ...
, radiological monitoring, command and control, mapping, information management and security.
The MOD conducts a regular series of exercises, involving local authorities, local emergency services and agencies across government, in order to ensure the effectiveness of the nuclear accident emergency plans. In the unlikely event of a defence nuclear accident, the MOD would support the emergency services and local authorities as appropriate.
MOD UK
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References
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
Ministry of Defence Police
Trident (UK nuclear programme)
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