Three Mile Island Survey: A Snapshot of the Results
The majority of Three Mile Island survey contributors lived in or near Harrisburg, PA, when the accident occurred on March 28, 1979. The remaining contributors lived in other states and learned about the accident through the national media. The survey responses represent a broad spectrum of the population: a worker in a sewing factory, an insurance agent, a nurse, a doctor, school administrator, the chief clerk of Cumberland county, a locksmith, an NRC employee, a nuclear contractor, the director of the PA Bureau of Radiation Protection insurance agents, a professor, a car salesman, a bank-employee, a secretary and many others.
Many contributors recall the morning of the accident vividly: “I was a nurse working at Holy Spirit Hospital in Camp Hill during the accident. I worked the day shift and was at work the morning of 3/28/79. I first recall hearing of 'an event' at TMI about 9 AM. As a supervisor, I recall hospital administration met with management staff to put our disaster plan into effect. That included possible discharge of all patients that could be sent home to make room for possible emergency victims. At that time we had no idea what kind of “victim” to expect (…) Many of us had no idea what to do …go or stay…at the hospital or in the Harrisburg area. Confusion, panic and anxiety were the emotions. It was hard to get information and we had no idea what was the best decision. I decided not to leave work or leave the area, even though I was in child bearing age” (anonymous, #67).
Sandra Whittaker, who was the Chief Clerk of Cumberland County, PA, also learned about the accident at work: “On the morning of the 28th, the head of our Emergency Management department came rushing into the Commissioners Office to see me. He looked grim…and immediately related that there had been an accident at Three Mile Island (…) As the Chief Operating Officer for the Commissioners, there was never a question of personally evacuating. I would stay" (# 53).
Like Sandra Whittaker and the anonymous nurse, many people stayed at work and in the area on the day of the accident. Others left town, like Mary Abeln, who was “nine months pregnant at the time. My due date was March 30, 1979. I was at home putting the final touches on the nursery, listening to the radio. I can remember hearing about Three Mile Island and an ‘incident.’ At the time, I wasn't very informed on nuclear power, other than a broad/vague idea of the reactors and energy source. I made some calls to friends who were in the know, and the enormity of potential exposure quickly sank in. I contacted my OBGYN who advised that although he could not tell or advise me what to do, the local hospitals were being manned by military staff and ‘if it was my wife, I would leave town.’ We left that day to stay with relatives. My daughter was born in Danville, PA” (#59).
The lack of accurate information, the confusing messages, the uncertainty about the impending danger, and conflicting advice were particularly disconcerting for area residents: “I remember the confusing information that was being given to the public. The public was not told that there even was a problem until several hours after the event. Then we were told to stay indoors and keep doors & windows closed. Shortly thereafter, residents within 5 miles of the plant were notified of ‘voluntary’ evacuation not only by the media, but also by police & fire officials going through neighborhoods with broadcasting the message via loud speakers. I first heard about the problem through TV announcements. My first reaction was that closing doors & windows would not keep anyone safe (…) I thought then & I still think now that there should have been a mass evacuation implemented” (anonymous, #51).
Jeffrey V. Russell, an insurance agent in Harrisburg, heard the news on the radio. He wrote he “didn't feel I could trust the government officials, either because they didn't provide enough ‘positive direction’ or they seemed to be hiding the true danger” (#35). Tim Ziegler, who worked at a PVC coated fiberglass screen manufacturing plant at the day of the accident, acknowledges that the responses by the government and the press were measured. At the same time he remains skeptical about the accuracy of the information provided to the public. “I believe that the government reacted very well to keep the public from going into a greater state of panic, but I believe they may have done that to the detriment of public safety. I also believe the accident was far worse than has ever been made public. The NRC may have tried successfully to minimize panic and also protected the TMI owners from catastrophic loss” (#33).
Several contributors noted that the local reporting was more accurate and less sensationalist than the national coverage. Thomas M. Gerysky, who was the Director of the PA Bureau of Radiation Protection at the time, “thought that the local radio, TV and press were extremely good in their reporting.” However, it seemed “the farther away one was from the scene, the more outrageous was the reporting.” Gerysky is “still proud of the way the Pennsylvania governor or government reacted.” At the same time, he thought that: “the utility was not being honest during the first few days of the accident. The NRC headquarters took too long to decide to come to Harrisburg, the rest of the Federal Agencies attempted to assist in their fashion” (#7).
The evaluations of the long-term effects of the accident and the opinions about nuclear power as an energy source vary among the contributors. Heidi W. Roye wrote that “since it has happened things have changed with the technology of preventing any more accidents. I know I do feel safe living close by” (#50). Sylvia Snellbaker, who lives between two nuclear power plants, Peach Bottom and TMI, wrote that “nuclear power is safe and reliable, but it should be controlled by the government, not a private company” (#66). An anonymous contributor wrote that he or she has lost trust in the government: “Before the accident, I believed that the government would not allow potentially dangerous facilities to be in populated areas. After the accident, my naivety is gone. TMI made me become aware of some of the failings of our government. Especially on the issue of nuclear power. Nuclear power plants should NEVER be permitted in populated areas. The risk of catastrophe is too enormous in the unlikely event of an accident of some sort” (#51).
The complete entries of the TMI survey may be browsed at: http://chnm.gmu.edu/tools/surveys/responses/95/
Last updated August 5, 2004
