Emergency planning measures for nuclear attack (FOI)

​Request

I'm pretty appalled that Jersey has no nuclear attack information especially with the on going situation, other countries in Europe have been stock pilling iodine tablets such as Germany, and some have nuclear bunkers for all citizens like Switzerland. After tensions now raising and nuclear threats to Britain I believe its about time Jersey stepped up, and its attitude of we have evaluated it everything seems to be ok is not really a answer that I feel or many feel is appropriate. If such attack was going to happen at short notice like the Russian president has said would be the case with Britain or Europe what would be the protocol to follow, i.e nuclear fall out and radiation do we sit at home for two days or a week till wind changes, and is the government taking any measures stock pilling iodine tablets. This may sound science fiction to you but its a question a lot now are wanted answered.

Response

The Emergencies Council, the body with responsibility for emergency planning in Jersey, bases all of its emergency planning and capability development on a Community Risk Register. This uses good practice from the United Kingdom as a guide as to which risks should be planned for.  While war and acts of war would give rise to an emergency were its effects to impact on Jersey, there is, in common with Local Resilience Forum areas elsewhere in the UK, no specific local plan dealing with the impact of nuclear war. However, we do plan for all nuclear and radiological matters that could reasonably affect the island and population, and has a standing Radiation Advisory Group which is mandated to review all matters of this nature.

The Radiation Advisory Group also consider the stockpiling of the iodine prophylaxis as a part of its mandate, and this is subject to regular review. At this time, expert opinion from both on and off the island is that it would not be cost-effective to do this.