Nuclear or Radiological Emergency Exercise (Web Based)- Convention Exercise (ConvEx-2e)
Convention exercises are conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to test the preparedness capabilities of member states for responding to nuclear or radiological emergencies and to test IAEA tools in emergency response. ConvEx 2(e) is the exercise designed to test IAEA tools applied to scenarios occurring in member states. Therefore, the IAEA invited Sri Lanka to host this exercise due to a long partnership in this area, and Sri Lanka has done tremendous work in relation to nuclear or radiological emergencies. As a competent authority, the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Council (SLAERC) accepted the invitation. Consequently, the IAEA, in collaboration with the SLAERC, organized a ConvEx-2e exercise on February 22, 2024. The primary objective of this exercise was to assess and test the IAEA's assessment and prognosis tools used to analyze nuclear or radiological emergencies.
The simulation involved a hypothetical scenario developed by the IAEA, consisting of a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) attack in the Colombo Railway Station, encompassing interactions through emergency communication channels. Participants were required to answer the questions asked by IAEA technical teams after submitting injects with the responses. The exercise was conducted online through the IAEA USIE platform, with the Sri Lankan team from the following stakeholder organizations invited by SLAERC to participate in the exercise. All participants gathered at the SLAERC premises and responded to the IAEA through the web platform after discussion. The invited parties are:
- Ministry of Health (Disaster Preparedness and Response Division)
- Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board
- Sri Lanka Army
- Sri Lanka Navy
- Sri Lanka Air Force
- Sri Lanka Police
Based on the inputs given by the Sri Lankan team regarding the accident scenario, the IAEA technical teams evaluated our emergency preparedness and response capabilities and provided their summary and evaluation report, including recommendations and feedback regarding the event. Mr. Prageeth Kadadunna, Director (Inspection & Enforcement) and National Emergency Coordinator, was the main counterpart of this exercise, and Mr. Jayantha Premakumara, Senior Scientific Officer, and Mr. Malinda Piyarathna, Scientific Officer, worked as coordinators of this exercise. Group leaders of SLAERC Emergency Response teams, along with their members and other participated stakeholders provided their valuable expert ideas to ensure the success of the event