In Berrien County, emergency alerts are sent through several different systems. IPAWS wireless emergency alerts, B-WARN! alerts, NOAA weather radios, and broadcasts over TV and radio are used to let you know a serious emergency is happening. Such emergencies include a nuclear accident, chemical spill, severe weather or another dangerous condition that requires you to take action for safety. Learn more about IPAWS online by visiting the Emergency Management Homeland Security Division webpage at www.bcsheriff.org and look for the public warning system section.

IPAWS is FEMA’s national alert warning system that delivers messages via WEA, EAS and NOAA weather radio. You will need to sign up for the other alert system the county uses called B-WARN!

B-WARN! is a system you sign up for. It allows you to enter landline phone numbers, cell numbers, text message numbers, pagers, email addresses, and fax numbers to be alerted in an emergency. This system also allows you to enter addresses for places you want to be alerted even if you are not there, such as a child’s school or your home while you are away. Learn more and sign up at www.bcsheriff.org. Look for the section marked “B-WARN!” on the Emergency Management & Homeland Security Division page. Or download, fill out and mail the Functional Needs card.

If you receive an emergency alert while vacationing or visiting the area, follow the instructions included in the alert. If you are outdoors, seek shelter indoors. Tune to one of the TV or radio stations listed on this page for more detailed information. Follow all directions given by park officials, sheriff and police officers.

If you receive an emergency alert while boating, do not wait for further warning. Tune to the marine channel 16 (156.8 MHz) or an area AM/FM radio station listed below for emergency information. Mariners are encouraged to keep their radios tuned to channel 16 when on Lake Michigan to receive emergency information. Marine patrol boats will also warn boaters on Lake Michigan if there is a serious emergency. You will be told the location of safe waterways and docking areas.

If you receive an emergency alert while camping, hiking, swimming or visiting area parks, follow all emergency instructions from park officials. At Warren Dunes and Grand Mere state parks, officials will use the public address system or mobile alert units to let you know what to do. At other local parks, immediately tune to an area radio station listed below and follow instructions.

The Berrien County Sheriff Office’s Emergency Management & Homeland Security Division uses two alert systems simultaneously to warn the community of emergencies: IPAWS and B-WARN!. Together, they will inform people in Berrien County when protective action should be taken for emergencies. Messages will be sent to residents, workers, visitors, boaters, campers and travelers in the County.

Make Sure You can Receive WEA and Test Alerts On Your Cell Phone

To ensure that you receive WEA as well as test alerts at 3 p.m. on the first Friday of the month.

• Contact your cell phone provider to see if they participate in WEA and if your phone is capable of receiving test alerts.
• Turn off your “airplane mode” setting.
• Check your notification settings menu. Turn on the “local alerts” setting. Settings may be slightly different for each device on the market.

If your cell phone provider does not participate in WEA, make sure to sign up for Berrien County’s B-WARN!. It’s easy. See the instructions on this page.

EAS Messages Are Sent Through TV and Radio Stations
All of the 24-hour TV and radio stations listed below and on page 2 of the calendar, are part of the EAS. Some of the stations may experience a delay in getting emergency information out due to computerized programming or limited broadcast scheduling. Check all of the listed stations until you find one that is broadcasting emergency information.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather Radio (NOAA)

Boaters, if you receive an emergency alert, immediately tune to the marine channel 16 (156.8 MHz) or an area radio or TV station listed below or on page 2 of the calendar. You will be told the location of safe waterways and docking areas. Marine patrol boats will also warn boaters on Lake Michigan if there is a serious emergency.

B-WARN! Sends Alerts to More Than Your Wireless Devices. Sign Up Online Today

Sign up at www.bcsheriff.org.

On the site’s homepage:

• Hover over the Divisions tab then click "Public Warning Systems."
• Click “B-WARN!” in the sidebar.
• Click the B-WARN! Button.
• Click the Sign Up Today button.
• Create an account.
• Fill out the online form and submit it.

IPAWS is tested on the first Friday of each month at 3 p.m. If you believe, for whatever reason, the above methods will not be able to alert you, please refer to the Functional Needs section below.

In the unlikely event that there is an emergency at the Cook Nuclear Plant, four terms will be used to describe each situation. Those four terms are explained below. They are listed in order of least serious (1) to most serious (4). Because of the many safeguards and highly skilled people operating the Cook Nuclear Plant, it is very unlikely that a serious event will ever occur there. Chances of you having to seek shelter or evacuate because of a nuclear emergency are very remote. In most cases, evacuation is ordered as a safety measure before any danger can come to you or your family. Federal law, however, requires that the public be told what to do in case of a significant release of radioactive material from the Cook Nuclear Plant. Please keep this Emergency Information Calendar handy and become familiar with its contents. Sometimes you will hear news about a drill or an exercise involving the Cook Nuclear Plant. That is because federal, state, county and plant officials are required by law to participate regularly in drills and exercises so they are prepared in case of an emergency.

Remember, you will receive an emergency alert if sheltering or evacuation is necessary. See page 16 of the Emergency Calendar.

If you receive an emergency alert, listen to an area TV or radio station for emergency information listed below and follow instructions.

1. Unusual Event: a minor problem at the Cook Nuclear Plant that varies from normal or routine operations. No release of radioactive material is expected. Cook Plant officials will notify federal, state and county officials. You will not have to do anything.


2. Alert: an abnormal plant condition that could result in a small release of radioactive material inside the plant. This is still considered a minor event. Cook Plant officials will notify federal, state and county officials to stand by. It is not likely that you will have to do anything.


3. Site Area Emergency: a more serious situation that could result in a release of radioactive material around the plant site. All federal, state and county officials will be ready to help if needed. Protective measures may be required to ensure the safety of the public in a limited area near the plant site boundary. If so, you will receive an emergency alert. Tune in immediately to an area TV or radio stations listed below to learn whether you will need to seek shelter or evacuate.


4. General Emergency: the most serious situation possible at the Cook Nuclear Plant. It could result in the release of a large amount of radioactive material outside the plant boundary. All federal, state and county officials will provide help as needed. Protective measures may be required to ensure the safety of the public as far as 10 miles from the plant. The wireless emergency alerts, IPAWS, B-WARN! and NOAA marine radios direct you to tune into area TV and radio stations listed below if shelter or evacuation is necessary.

Two other key terms: radiation and contamination

• Radiation refers to the particles and waves given off by radioactive material. It is a form of energy that occurs naturally and artificially. We are exposed to it every day. However, radiation could be harmful to your health and safety if the levels are high enough and the exposure lasts long enough.


• Contamination is when radioactive material is where it is not supposed to be. Food, water or air is considered contaminated if it contains more or different types of radioactive material than would be normally present. Our bodies, for example, contain very small amounts of the radioactive elements potassium-40, carbon-14 and tritium. We are not considered to be contaminated because these elements exist within us naturally. However, the presence of strontium-90 (a possible byproduct of a nuclear power plant emergency) in food, air or water can indicate contamination.

Radiation is a Natural Fact of Life - Radiation is a form of energy like light or sunshine. There is radiation all around us. We are exposed to small amounts of radioactive materials every moment of our lives.

How we measure radiation - You cannot see, taste, hear or smell ionizing radiation. But we can measure it with special instruments. We use a unit called a millirem (mRem) to measure ionizing radiation.

On average, a person living in the U.S. receives about 620 mRem per year from all radiation sources. A person living within 10 miles of the Cook Nuclear Plant receives about 485 mRem because we live at a low elevation that is not near any radioactive rock formations. About 310 mRem of the total we receive comes from man-made sources, primarily medical testing. Only a tiny fraction of one percent of the man-made radiation would come from the Cook Plant.

Natural Background Radiation is in the Air We Breathe

Emergency situations often catch people off guard. A good way to stay safe in an emergency is to know what to do ahead of time. Here are five steps you can take now to make sure you, your family and your co-workers are prepared to handle any emergency.

1. After you read this Emergency Information Calendar, please share it with your family or co-workers. Then display it where you can find it quickly when you need it.


2. Keep the following items together in a safe, easy-to-get-to place:
   • Emergency cash
   • Important papers
   • First-aid kit
   • Extra keys
   • Prescription medicines
   • Checkbook
   • Debit cards
   • Portable radio
   • Extra batteries
   • Flashlight
   • Pet supplies
   • Credit cards
   • Personal identification
   • Potassium iodide (KI) if obtained in advance


3. Make a list of personal instructions that you, your family or co-workers will need to follow in an emergency. Keep a list of supplies you may need with the instructions. Include on your supply list the items in step 2 above and the evacuation supplies listed on page 17 of the Emergency Calendar.


4. Keep your vehicle in good running order. Fill your gas tank whenever it gets below half. If you do not have a car or do not have someone to drive you in an emergency, fill out a Functional Needs card. Mail the card right away. You do not need a stamp.


5. If you know people who have functional needs, make sure they mail in a Functional Needs card. This may include anyone with vision or hearing impairments, physical or mental disabilities, or someone who has no means of transportation. Please help them fill out the Functional Needs card and return it right away. You can also fill out the form online at www.bcsheriff.org. We have an emergency team ready to help people reach safety. If you know someone who is vision impaired or has difficulty reading, please assist them with the information in this calendar. Help display it in a visible location if others need it to assist the person with functional needs

For a printable copy of this guide visit the Resources tab below and click 2022 Emergency Planning Guide.

For additional emergency preparedness tips and an online planning guide: On the www.bcsheriff.org homepage, click on the Divisions tab and select Emergency Management & Homeland Security Division from the sidebar. Then click Resources & Guides for links to helpful Federal, State and local websites.

It is very important that everyone stays safe during an emergency. If you or someone you know has a functional need such as vision or hearing impairments, physical or mental disabilities, no means of transportation or ability to be alerted, please inform the County by filling out this Functional Needs Emergency Information Card and mail it right away.

When you send in the Functional Needs Information Card for yourself or another person, the Berrien County Emergency Management & Homeland Security Division enters the information in the B-WARN! system so they can alert you quickly in an emergency.

For anyone who might need special help in an emergency

• Download and print a copy of the Functional Needs Card. Complete it and mail it in. No postage is required.
• If you prefer, you can fill out the Functional Needs information at www.bcsheriff.org.
• Your functional needs information will be kept confidential.
• Each person needing assistance, even if living together at the same address, should fill out a card or the online form to notify us of each person’s needs.
• The Berrien County Health Department will keep your functional needs information on file for one year. Please fill out a new card and mail it in as soon as you receive your new calendar.
• If you know someone with a functional need, volunteer to help them in an emergency. This is especially important if that person lives within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone (see the map in the resource section). If this is not practical, please discuss and/or assist them in filling out the Functional Needs Emergency Information Card or the online form.

Tune to one of these radio or TV stations for emergency information. All call letters are accurate at the time of printing. All stations are on the air 24 hours. Check your cable or satellite provider for your channel lineup.

Follow all broadcast instructions promptly. T He radio or TV announcer will tell you what actions you should take, if any.

AM Radio
WHFB - 1060
WNIL - 1290
WSJM - 1400

FM RADIO
WAUS - 90.7
WSJM - 94.9
WTRC - 95.3
WEFM - 95.9
WCOE – 96.7
WYTZ - 97.5
WCXT - 98.3
WQLQ - 99.9
WAOR - 102.7
WCSY - 103.7
WIRX - 107.1

TV
WNDU - NBC 16
WNDU - NBC 16.1
WNDU - 16.2
WSBT - CBS 22
WSBT - CBS 22.1
WSBT - FOX 22.2
WBND - ABC 57
WBND - ABC 57.1

For many emergencies, it may be safer to stay indoors. During a severe weather emergency, for example, buildings offer the best protection, especially basements. While indoors, do the following:

• Keep calm. Panic is your worst enemy in any emergency.
• Close all windows and doors and bring pets inside.
• Turn off all air-intake systems such as fans and air conditioners. Turn down the furnace thermostat. Close fireplace dampers.
• For severe weather emergencies, if your building has a basement, take a radio and go there.
• Do not go outside until you are told it is safe to go out or are told to evacuate. If you must go outdoors briefly to warn someone during a nuclear emergency, cover your nose and mouth with a cloth towel or scarf.
• Do not use the telephone or the internet unless it is absolutely necessary. It’s important to keep telephone lines open for emergency use.
• Stay out of your car or vehicle in a weather emergency. Seek shelter in the basement of a nearby building or a ditch until the weather emergency passes.
• Do not pick up children from schools or day care centers. School staff and child caregivers will keep children in school until it is safe to go out again. Listen for directions on TV or radio stations (see page 2) about where and when they can be picked up. Visit your school’s webpage to learn more about their plan.
• Do not worry if you or family members are in a hospital or other special-care facility, as they also have emergency procedures.

Plan Ahead for Sheltering-In-Place

• Have ready access to a battery-operated radio and flashlight plus extra batteries.
• Seven- to ten-days' supply of yours and your household members’ prescriptions and medications.
• Three-days' supply of non-perishable food and beverages for your household and pets.

ANYONE WITH FUNCTIONAL NEEDS: If you might need special help in an emergency, refer to the Functional Needs section above.

• Only call 911 if you are experiencing an emergency. If you have a general question or need advice, use the Cook Nuclear Public Inquiry Hotline: 866-362-3105.
• Listen to the radio or TV for instructions. They will give you evacuation routes and directions to open Congregate Care Centers.
• Go directly to a Congregate Care Center and register. Follow the broadcasted evacuation route instructions to the nearest open Congregate Care Center. Please register when you arrive so family and friends will know where you are. After you have registered you may go to stay with friends or family who live outside the danger area. If you prefer, you will be assigned to a safe, nearby gathering place.
• Stay calm. You and others with you should have time to get ready to leave safely.
• Take only essential items. Pack as if you were going on a trip for only a few days. Use the list on pages 17 and 22 as a guide.
• Do not take firearms, alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs.
• If you have functional needs and have sent in a postcard, you will receive the necessary assistance. If you need help, listen to a local TV or radio station listed on page 2 for the telephone number you can call.
• Have a plan for your pets. Congregate Care Centers will only accept pets if they are service animals. Make arrangements to stay with relatives, friends or at a pet-friendly hotel outside of the area. Bring pet supplies with you. Animal Control will be at Congregate Care Centers to provide additional options and advice. For more information, go to ready.gov/caring-animals, PetTravel.com and PetsWelcome.com.
• Turn off small appliances, lights and water faucets. However, leave your refrigerator and freezer on.
• Turn off all air-intake systems such as fans and air conditioning. Turn down the furnace thermostat. Close fireplace dampers.
• Close and lock all windows and doors. The evacuated area will be secured and you will not be allowed to return until it is safe.
• Check on neighbors. Make sure they know how to evacuate and that they have transportation.

IMPORTANT: Do not pick up your children from schools or child care centers. If necessary, they will be taken to shelters outside the danger zone. Listen for directions on TV or radio stations (see page 2) about where and when they can be picked up. Do not worry if you or family members are in a hospital or other special-care facility, as they also have emergency procedures.

Emergency Calendar References

• 2024 Emergency Calendar
• 2024 Functional Needs Card
• 2024 KI Voucher
• 2024 Emergency Planning Guide
• 2024 Emergency Alert System Map
• 2024 Emergency Planning Zone

Contacts

Berrien County Emergency Management
Division of Berrien County Sheriff’s Office
919 Port Street
St. Joseph, Michigan 49085
(269) 983-7141 Ext. 7215

Cook Energy Information Center
One Cook Place
Bridgman, Michigan 49106
1-800-548-2555
cookinfo@aep.com

Website Resources

• www.bcsheriff.org
• Berrien County Public Alert FAQs
• Public Alert Testing Feedback Form
• www.michigan.gov/KI
• Indiana Michigan Power
• American Electric Power
• ready.gov/caring-animals
• PetTravel.com
• PetsWelcome.com

This portion of the Emergency Information section outlines plans to protect the food supply in the event of a nuclear emergency. Information in this section includes the following:

• If you live within 10 miles of the Cook Nuclear Plant, your first warning may be an IPAWS Wireless Emergency Alert or a B-WARN! alert. If you receive an alert, tune to a radio or TV station listed on page 3 for emergency information.
• If you live farther than 10 miles from the plant, you will be notified by area radio and TV stations. The news report will let you know if you need to take protective action, or a Cooperative Extension Service official will contact you. Please follow the emergency instructions right away.
• If you have questions about a real or potential emergency, please contact the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development at 800-292-3939 during business hours (8 a.m.-5 p.m.). After hours, call 517-373-0440.

What should you do if you are told to seek shelter?
During a nuclear emergency, it is very important to limit your outdoor activities as much as possible. Please stay indoors and follow the instructions provided in radio and TV messages.

What should you do if you are ordered to evacuate your farm?
If you live within 10 miles of the Cook Nuclear Plant, you may be told to evacuate. You may be permitted, with directions from the state and county, to reenter the evacuated area temporarily to tend to the needs of your farm. You will receive instructions on where to check in, what routes to use, safety precautions and decontamination procedures.

Your Cooperative Extension Service agent can provide animal health and feeding guidelines.

IMPORTANT: Do not delay when notified to evacuate. Instructions on how to safely return to care for livestock will be given when it is safe to do so.

During a nuclear emergency, dust-sized, radioactive materials can fall onto fruits, vegetables or grains. This food could enter the food supply and be eaten by the public. For example: Cows could eat grass covered with radioactive iodine-131. Traces of the iodine could be passed through to the milk and then to people who drink it. Iodine-131 has the potential to concentrate in the human thyroid gland where it could cause thyroid cancer.

Protecting the food supply during a nuclear emergency
Following a nuclear emergency, the public could be exposed to radioactive material in several ways. At first, particles and gases released into the air could be ingested or inhaled directly. Additional exposure could result from eating or drinking food or milk contaminated by traces of radioactive material. Farmers, food processors and distributors will be required to take steps to protect the food supply. Every step will be taken to minimize or avoid contamination. Please read this page and the next to learn how to protect the food supply in the event of a nuclear emergency.

Samples will be collected to determine protective action
In the event of an accidental release of radioactive material, State of Michigan emergency workers will determine what protective steps you will need to take. Emergency workers will collect samples of air, water and soil to see whether there is radioactive contamination, where it is located and the amount. Samples of milk, forage, crops and processed foods also may be taken. Field data and other factors will be used by the state to determine the best course of action to protect the public and the food supply.

Samples may be taken from as far away as 50 miles from the plant site. State of Michigan emergency workers will give farmers, food processors and distributors outside of the 10-mile radius of the Cook Nuclear Plant specific instructions on how to collect and test samples.

Samples are being taken now to give us a baseline
Radioactive materials occur naturally in the environment. So Indiana Michigan Power and State of Michigan emergency workers continually take samples of the air, water, milk, vegetation and animal life near the Cook Nuclear Plant. This gives them a “natural” baseline for comparison in the event of a nuclear emergency.

Farmers, food processors and distributors could face serious financial losses following a nuclear emergency. Under federal law, you will be reimbursed for any of these losses. The Price-Anderson Act, enacted by Congress in 1957, requires the operators of nuclear power plants and certain other nuclear facilities to purchase nuclear liability insurance policies for the protection of the public. As a result, no-fault insurance pools are in place to pay claims promptly without lengthy court hearings. Claimants need only prove that the injury or property damage resulted from the nuclear emergency. Commercial insurance policies exclude coverage for nuclear emergencies because the Price- Anderson Act makes coverage unnecessary.

What you should do with food and products contaminated in a nuclear emergency

After an event, there may be additional guidance from government officials on food, fruits and vegetables, feed and animal health.

• Crops in the field - Let your standing crops grow to maturity. The level of radiation exposure they may receive should not affect their growth. Most contaminants will be washed off in the rain. Or, over time, the crops will return to safe levels as they grow. If special harvesting procedures are required, your Cooperative Extension Service agent will give you instructions. Government officials may restrict the movement of crops and agricultural products and withhold them from the marketplace if they are suspected to be contaminated, until they are assessed to be safe.


• Roots and tubers - Potatoes, carrots and plants that mature under the ground generally are safe to eat. Make sure to thoroughly wash and peel these products to remove soil particles and contaminants.


• Fruits and vegetables in the field - Unprotected plants may have particles of radioactive contamination on their surfaces. Before eating them, wash thoroughly. Then brush, scrub or peel the outer layers. Some leafy vegetables may be eaten after you remove the outer layers.
  
  If your crops do not need to be harvested immediately, leave them in the field or on the trees. They should be able to be harvested once your area is declared safe again.
  
  You may lose some ripe fruits and vegetables to spoilage. Contamination levels in your area may be too high for field workers to harvest your crop in a timely manner. You will be reimbursed for crop losses. Government officials may restrict the movement of crops and agricultural products and withhold them from the marketplace if they are suspected to be contaminated, until they are assessed to be safe.


• Honey and apiary products - Following a nuclear emergency, State of Michigan emergency workers will need to take samples and analyze honey and beehives in the Protective Action Areas. Contact your Cooperative Extension Service agent for guidance.


• Farm products - If radioactive particles or material are present in large amounts, you may be advised not to use, eat or sell garden produce or animal products until samples are taken and analyzed. State of Michigan emergency workers will conduct the sample tests and analysis. Please follow their orders to protect the publics’ and your safety.


• Milk - Milk contaminated at low levels of iodine-131 may be converted to powdered milk or cheese. Then it will be stored until the iodine’s radioactivity diminishes to safe levels. It may also be used in animal feed.


• Wildlife and plants - After a nuclear emergency, wild game such as deer, rabbit, squirrel, pheasant and partridge may eat food and water contaminated with radioactive particles. State of Michigan emergency workers may advise you not to eat wild game until it has been sampled and assessed to be safe. Wild edible plants, such as native herbs, mushrooms, dandelion greens, spearmint, peppermint or wintergreen may have particles of contamination on their surfaces, too. Before eating, be sure to wash, brush, scrub or peel to minimize contamination.

How soon will the radioactivity reach safe levels?
The speed that radioactivity diminishes depends on several things. Inert gases released from a nuclear power plant lose their radioactivity within minutes. Wind or heavy rain tend to remove radioactive material from plants very quickly. In some cases, however, a hard rain after a nuclear emergency may splash contaminated soil onto plant surfaces. This will increase the amount of radioactive material on low-standing plants.

What steps can be taken to restore contaminated soils?
There are several steps that can be taken to restore soils contaminated in a nuclear emergency. One is not to use the soil for a period of time. In a worst-case situation, heavily contaminated soil may need to be removed and sent to an approved radioactive waste disposal facility. Such drastic action may not be possible for large fields, but may be used for small plots or areas such as walkways near buildings where people come in close contact with it.

In less severe situations, fiber crops may be planted instead of fruits and vegetables. Deep plowing may be used to keep the radioactive contaminants below the root zone until the radioactivity decays to safe levels over time. Liming may also be used to limit the absorption of specific radioactive elements by crops.

Farmers will receive guidance from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service on how to restore valuable soils to productive use.

What should food processors and distributors do in a nuclear emergency?
After a nuclear emergency, government officials may restrict the movement of contaminated food products or withhold them from the marketplace. These products should not be released until they are considered safe for consumption or a decision is made to dispose of them. State of Michigan emergency workers will instruct you on how to safely handle and dispose of contaminated food products.

The environmental damage caused by a nuclear reaction may be short-lived. Steps can be taken to make a full recovery.

For more information, contact:
MSU-BERRIEN COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
269-944-4126
1737 Hillandale Road
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
www.canr.msu.edu/berrien/

If you have questions about a real or potential emergency, you may also contact:

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
800-292-3939
www.michigan.gov/mdard

How to protect your water supply in a nuclear emergency
Store as much water as you can for your livestock. Cover open wells, tanks and other storage containers. Close off the intakes from contaminated ponds, streams or cisterns.

In general, water from wells and water heaters should be safe to use. Radioactive contaminants deposited on the ground usually will travel very slowly into the soil. If contaminants fall onto the surface of lakes and rivers, the radioactive materials may get into the ground water supplies. It takes just a few hours for streams and lakes to carry the contaminants many miles.

How to protect your livestock or poultry in a nuclear emergency
The first priority is to protect dairy animals because radioactive materials can quickly enter the food chain through milk and other dairy products. If sheltering is required, shelter your dairy animals first.

Shelter livestock in covered barns or sheds unless the weather is extremely hot or other factors make sheltering impossible. Provide your animals with stored feed such as hay, silage and bagged grain. Whenever possible, draw water for your animals from a well. Avoid using water from ponds, rivers and creeks. This will help to minimize the amount of radioactive material ingested by your animals.

Poultry are more resistant to radioactive contamination than other farm animals. Keep them in your enclosed facility and continue to give them stored feed and well water. If your poultry are normally kept outdoors, bring them inside if possible.

IMPORTANT: Do not destroy any animals, crops, milk or feed supplies unless directed by authorities to do so.

DO NOT DESTROY YOUR ANIMALS
Destroy your animals only if you get orders from state or federal authorities. Do not slaughter any animals except for immediate food needs. Generally, animals that are exposed to radioactive contaminants and radioactive rainwater will survive. Many will be marketable and safe for humans to eat. However, do not allow animals to graze in open fields unless the State of Michigan, your Cooperative Extension Service agent or another government official gives you permission.

What you should do if feed is radioactively contaminated
Only in extreme emergencies may you feed your livestock contaminated grain or hay. If you must use the contaminated feed, you may be able to reduce the level of contamination. For example, if the feed is stored outside, the contamination may be greater at or near the surface of the feed pile. You may be able to reduce the contamination level significantly by removing the top portion. Government officials may restrict the movement of feed products and withhold them from the marketplace if they are suspected to be contaminated, until they are assessed to be safe.

Do not dispose of contaminated feed or hay unless spoilage has made it inedible. Generally, contaminated products may be salvageable after adequate time passes and they are properly processed. Please keep contaminated feed supplies separate from other feed so the contamination does not spread. Your Cooperative Extension Service agent can provide you with specific information.