Katmal Limited

27/07/2026

I’ve been reading about the emergency response efforts taking place in Europe during the unprecedented wildfires.
In both France and Spain, all levels of government, and the military are involved in the coordination of the firefighting and public protection aspects, with help from the EU.
Reports suggest that more than 320,000 people have now been evacuated from their homes. This is far more people than we would expect to evacuate following a design basis radiation accident at a UK nuclear licensed site.
Rest centres have been set up with several thousand lodged at the Bordeaux Exhibition Centre (Bordeaux reception centre video) where the mayor has said that 2500 people would be offered space in hotels and other facilities (Ref). Given the numbers quoted it is likely that most evacuees are staying with friends and family.
One to follow to learn about mass evacuation and the rebuilding of lives in the aftermath of destroyed homes.

26/06/2026

I was an accidental attendee at the 12th Met Office NAME Users Workshop this week (I’d intended to do the training course then stay on for the workshop but failed to gain a place on the training course but went to the workshop anyway).
So, I spent two enjoyable days in the company of Met. Office, university and some industry users of NAME.
The talks about the use of NAME to backtrack and determine the source of detected spikes in emissions of random chemicals and to explain airborne levels resulting from widespread sources such as farming were interesting as was the work with understanding the plumes from volcanoes and understanding how windborne pests can invade (UK and New Zealand examples).
I was, of course, particularly interested in the use of NAME in an emergency. Two issues were discussed (1) NAME produces such a wealth of information that choosing what to provide to the decision makers is not straight forward and (2) the colours, tones and shapes you use to present the data pictorially can influence the decisions made.
I found it very interesting, useful and thought provoking. This work deserves a wider audience.
My thanks to the organisers for letting me attend despite my limited claims to be a user (I run NAME as part of the PACE Probabilistic Accident Consequence Evaluation Software but no more).

04/06/2026

I'm really impressed with this book that Mike Thorne has pulled together after about five years of determined effort. It has contributions from about a dozen people, most very well known and respected and all experts in their field.

I'm also immensely proud not only to have been invited to contribute a section on emergency preparedness but also, by chance, to have the last word.

02/06/2026

Interesting

The UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation has signed a memorandum of understanding with Singapore's National Environment Agency, formalising new cooperation on the regulation of civil nuclear energy.  ;

28/05/2026

That is a thought provoking statement "Workers are as likely to have an accident in their first 6 months at work as during the whole of the rest of their working life."

LOOK AFTER THE NEWBE.

16/03/2026

Interesting: A revision of REPPIR-19 in the pipeline according to the government response to the Nuclear Regulatory Review 2025

Recommendation 34
Proportionate Outline Planning Zones and Detailed Emergency Planning Zones under Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information Regulations) 2019 (REPPIR19)

We agree with this recommendation and policy delivery is already underway. Experts commissioned by DESNZ have identified alternative arrangements for determining outline planning zones (OPZs). We will discuss with relevant stakeholders, and are already preparing options, each designed to ensure our approach is robust, evidence-based and appropriate for both Gigawatt Reactors (GW) and SMR/AMRs and work with MoD for their assets.

We will also amend REPPIR19 and its associated guidance. This work is already underway as part of a broader programme of improvements. Doing this, as well as introducing an appeals process, will require amendments to legislation. Changes to
guidance to encourage site operators to take advantage of existing regulatory options to propose site-specific OPZs can be delivered in parallel, assisting operators while amended legislation is delivered.

12/03/2026

In a bit of a change of direction I've invested in the PACE code from UKHSA to explore the options of adding high quality atmospheric dispersion calculations to the offering I make to customers.

Back to my roots as a mathematical modeller and off-site dose assessment expert with any luck.

It also means that I have ArcGIS which is an amazing program with staggering amounts of data freely available. I'm going to enjoy learning how to use it.

09/01/2026

Good to see the Government Alert System being put to good use although it didn't stop the storm damaging my daughter's garden. Interesting feedback in the local news. I hope there is a post-use washup and picks up any learning.

Some people have said they "jumped out of their skins"

13/12/2025

This is an interesting article. I'm not at all sure that I've extracted as much learning from the Fukushima experience as I should have done.

There is a lot we can learn from from about post-accident situations; how people react, what tools and skills you need to understand the situation and its consequences and to communicate that to the public and decision makers, how the radionuclides settle in the environment with all its variability and so on.

This can help us prepare. We should be taking notes.

In Fukushima Prefecture, the region which experienced a nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in 2011, emergency response specialists from Ukraine, Southeast Asia and Australia converged for a week-long IAEA technical training on radiological emergency monitoring.