Emergency drill held at University of Missouri nuclear reactor

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The University of Missouri simulated what would happen in an emergency at the campus nuclear reactor in a drill Monday.

The drill included a simulation of a fire outside of the reactor in one of the small labs.

"As a responsible organization, we run periodic drills to ensure that the emergency response, in case there's an emergency, that it can happen quickly, and that we can limit any damage to the facilities that we can prevent, protect life, and that we can ensure that we are working with our community partners," said University of Missouri spokesperson Uriah Orland.

The drill happened at the MU Research Reactor, which the university refers to as the MURR.

The Columbia Fire Department, the Boone County Office of Emergency Management, the MU Police Department, MU Health Care, MU Environmental Health and Safety, MURR and MU staff participated in the simulation.

The drill Monday is MURR's one large drill per year required by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, however, workers are regularly exercising safety on a smaller scale, Orland said.

"This is a great opportunity for us to link up with our community partners, those emergency responders to ensure that we have good lines of communication," Orland said.

MURR is the most powerful university research reactor in the United States, according to its website. MURR does various types of research, including medical and archaeological.

The university said just last week that the MURR will start making two more medical isotopes that are in short supply in the United States.