Illinois National Guard Civil Support Team trains around nuclear plant

Nov 7, 2017 11:00 AM Save

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Sgt. 1st Class Jordan Schisler, of Monmouth, Illinois with the 5th Civil Support Team performs an air sample test during a training exercise near a nuclear plant outside Maroa. The samples were then brought back to IEMA's mobile command center for further testing. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Robert R. Adams, Public Affairs).

SPRINGFIELD - Story by Staff Sgt. Robert R. Adams, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Members of the Illinois National Guard's 5th Civil Support Team (CST) trained with Illinois Emergency Management Agency personnel Nov.1 in Maroa, Illinois. The two organizations worked together to collect samples all around a nuclear plant outside of the Maroa area. The samples were then brought back to IEMA's mobile command center for further testing.The teams were given points on a map around the mock plume to go perform vegetation, soil and air testing. A plume is a mass of smoke, dust or similar substance that rises into the air. The team's goal was to take samples at different distances from the nuclear plant to identify the red, yellow and green zones. These zones in a real life nuclear leak would be given to the County officials to then determine who needs to be evacuated.

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