A person will be continually exposed to a low level of radiation
throughout their life, this is perfectly normal and does not
cause any health effects. Exposure to large amounts of radiation
however can cause sterility, cataracts or even death.
Northumberland County Council may be required to respond to a
radioactive incident within the County of Northumberland. The
County Council Resilience Team has produced a plan to ensure
that robust and effective arrangements in place to meet the
requirements outlined in the Radiation Emergency Preparedness
and Public Information Regulations (REPPIR) 2001. The
Regulations place specific duties on the County Council which
include the dissemination of public advice in conjunction with
partner agencies. REPPIR covers all of the key agencies involved
in responding to radiological emergencies, including the
operators, carriers and Local Authorities. The Regulation with
most importance to Local Authorities is Regulation 17. The
purpose of Regulation 17 is to ensure members of