In the Federal Radiological Situation Centre, information on the course of the accident and the current radiological situation as well as forecasts are presented in a document, the radiological situation report.

This includes the preparation, analysis, and evaluation of all relevant information in order to account for characterise the current effect on the environment and to forecast the further developments as well as to estimate the possible radiation exposure of the population residing there (in affected areas).

dispersion calculation

The radiological situation report provides all federal and state authorities who have to make decisions in an emergency (e.g. on disaster control measures) with a consistent , robust, and valid assessment of the radiological situation together with suggestions for protective measures (e.g. taking highly dosed iodine tablets or avoiding certain foods).

Within the Federal Radiological Situation Centre, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection prepares the radiological situation report.

Electronic Situation Display ELAN

The Federal Radiological Situation Centre prepares the radiological situation report with information on the course of the accident and the current radiological situation as well as forecasts on the further development of events to affected state authorities as fast as possible using the Electronic Situation Display (ELAN), a web-based platform for government authorities.

The highest federal authorities defined in the general federal emergency plan also receive the radiological situation report through the Electronic Situation Display ELAN.

The fast provision of an up-to-date radiological situation report is important so that all stakeholders have rapid access to the available information and thus a uniform basis for decision-making in order to respond to the emergency in a coordinated way.

The Federal Radiological Situation Centre is the central point of contact for information on the radiological situation and its assessment in supra-regional radiological emergencies. It exchanges information directly within the federal government and with the federal states and provides information.

Information is also exchanged with institutions and bodies of the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) as well as with external countries and international organisations. Particularly in the case of radiological accidents abroad, the Federal Radiological Situation Centre works with international authorities and organisations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on cross-border issues.

The Federal Environment Ministry is responsible for this task within the Federal Radiological Situation Centre.

The consequences of a radiological emergency for the environment can differ considerably. Many different specialised authorities at the federal and state level can thus be affected within their accountability. During planning and implementation, protective measures and recommendations of behaviour must be comprehensively coordinated between the specialist authorities concerned so that the measures are coherent and not contradicting.
Examples are

• monitoring food production in agriculture
• recommending appropriate measures to reduce or retain contamination in food and other consumer products
• providing recommendations for travellers and freight traffic

The regulations for this are created in general and special emergency plans by the Federal government and the states.

Within the Federal Radiological Situation Centre, the task of coordinating protective measures of the specialised authorities is performed by the Federal Environment Ministry.

In a radiological emergency, it is essential for the population to receive information about the accident quickly so that everyone can protect themselves as best as possible and be informed about what is happening.

Unless the authorities responsible for civil protection take over this task in emergencies, the Federal Radiological Situation Centre informs the potentially affected population about the emergency that has occurred and, if possible, about its characteristics such as origin, environmental dispersion, and probable development. It also makes recommendations on behaviour. Depending on the emergency, these may be recommendations on food consumption and hygiene rules.

The Federal Radiological Situation Centre can also suggest protective measures such as staying indoors or intake of highly dosed iodine tablets and preparing for evacuation based on radiological criteria; the decisions on implementation are made by the disaster control authorities in the federal states. At the direction of their superior authorities and crisis teams, emergency organisations and relief services implement the measures on site.

Within the Federal Radiological Situation Centre, the task of informing the general population is performed by the Federal Environment Ministry.

ODL Measuring Network comprises 1,700 probes nation-wide.

In a radiological emergency, the measuring network for monitoring the gamma local dose rate (ODL measuring network) switches from routine operation to intensive operation.

The measurements of the stationary measuring probes of the ODL monitoring network will also be completed by mobile measurements as soon as possible in order to identify the radionuclides on the ground and better delineate the affected areas.

Federal and states measuring stations, Kerntechnischer Hilfsdienst GmbH (KHG), and the BfS can deploy measuring teams with measuring vehicles and helicopters for mobile measurements.

Depending on the emergency scenario and affected areas, the measurement programme can be adapted and spatially intensified where critical decisions on protective measures are needed. The exact location of the measurements is determined by the measurement strategy. It considerably depends on meteorological conditions and is a result of the situation report.

To ensure that the measurement strategy can be successfully implemented, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection coordinates the joint mobile measurements at the Radiological Federal Situation Centre.

In accordance with the Nuclear Safety Officer and Reporting Ordinance, the Incident Reporting Centre of the Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) centrally records all reportable events that occur in nuclear facilities in the Federal Republic. In monthly and annual reports, the Incident Reporting Centre regularly documents the reportable events recorded in this way.

This work in the area of responsibility of the Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Disposal is carried out largely independently of the Federal Radiological Situation Centre.

As the “head office” of the Radiological Situation Centre, the Federal Environment Ministry (BMUV) is in charge and ensures that

• the radiological situation report is created, provided, and transmitted to the addressees specified in the general federal emergency plan
• the cooperation of the specialised authorities is coordinated at the federal level
• the exchange of information between authorities is carried out in a targeted manner
• decision-makers at the federal and state level are advised in the best possible way from a radiological point of view
• the population is informed quickly and safely