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3.8
EVACUATION, RECOVERY, AND RE-ENTRY PLANNING
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factor to the accomplishment of the above is to ensure that each project
which contemplates an off-atol! station completes its major support planning
at least six months prior to the operational phase.
—_
The results of the
__pet on Castle, and the locations and pre~dicted yields of the proposed: Bikini Redwing detonations made it clear that
it would probably be necessary to evacuate that atoll for each Bikini shot,
aud that the capability of continuous operations from afloat would be neces-
gary once the shot schedule began.
Preliminary planning studies were there-
fore based on complete evacuation of Bikinl.
J-3 was responsible for prepuring detailed evacuation and re-entry
plans for each shot and for supervising the execution of those plans; for
envisaged nor attempted.
Plans included consolidation of vehicular equipment in a central area
for each Biklini shot. Fo
(which caused particular concern because
of predicted water wave effects),
~ fall vehicles
plus all heavy construction equipment were parked in a special area pro-
tected by a 10 ft high, rip-rapped berm in the south-central part of Enyu.
Since the times of recovery and re-entry were critical, evacuation plans for
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supporting the evacuation, the recovery of data, and the re-entry of per-
sonnel and material; and, in coordination with J-1, for planning and cxecuting emergency evacuation of personnel.
A comprehensive study of the instrumentation requirements was made
in order to evaluate helicopter and smal! boat needs for operations afloat.
Careful analysis of monthly status reports provided a general guide for
evacuation, secovery, and re-entry planning, Detailed evacuation and reentry—recovery plans were issued for each shot. These plans were a consolidation of event participation cards prepared to cover items of operautional interest during the period covered by the check Hist. To ensure the
validity of completed plans based on status report and other requirements,
consultations were held with interested supporting agencies prior to the effective dates of the plans. This ws particularly valuabie in the case of
helicopter and boat support and prevented unrealistic planning.
Because of the extensive instrumentation on the first two Bikini detonations and the complexity of the evacuation and re-entry problems, a chronological check Hst covering the period from D~5 to D+3 was used for
each of those shots. Thereafter, the check lists covered the period from
D--3 to D-Day. The evacuation planning check lists were, from the first,
considered flexible guides; rigid adherence to predicted schedules was neither