Event Notification Report for November 17, 2014

EMERGENCY SIREN MALFUNCTION

"On November 17, 2014, Miami Dade County notified the site of an alarming single Emergency Plan siren. Following this notification from the County, a courtesy ENS Notification was made to the NRC Operations Center and the State of Florida State Warning Point. The siren has been repaired and returned to service. At no time was there an emergency requiring the siren activation. FPL [Florida Power and Light] did not issue a news release.

"This notification is made in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(xi) for notification to 'other government agencies.'

"The NRC Senior Resident has been notified."

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGED MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

The following report was received via e-mail:

"On November 17, 2014, the Agency [Texas Department of State Health] was notified by the licensee that a Troxler Model 3430, Gauge Serial No. 26893 containing a cesium-137 source, serial No. 750-92, activity - 0.30 GBq (8 mCi), and an americium-241 source, serial No. 47-23385, activity - 1.48 GBq (40 mCi), was damaged at a field site. The technician had placed the device at a sample location and extended the cesium source into the inspection hole. The technician then noticed a road grader driving directly at him so he ran out of the way and when he turned around the grader had run over the moisture density gauge. The licensee's RSO [Radiation Safety Officer] responded to the scene to inspect and recover the gauge. The device case was severely damaged, but the licensee was able to return the cesium source to the shielded position and secure it in position. The RSO verified the americium source was still in the device. The RSO took the damaged device to their facility for disposal. No individual received any significant additional exposure due to this event."

Texas Event #I-9254

MISSING TRITIUM EXIT SIGNS

The Federal Bureau of Prisons in Duluth, Minnesota reported the loss of generally licensed devices (self-illuminating tritium exit signs) as required by 10 CFR 31.5(a)(10) and 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1). Four (4) tritium exit signs are assumed to be missing. A thorough search was conducted but failed to locate the missing signs.

The serial numbers are known for 3 of the 4 missing signs; 309482 - 11.47 Ci, 309489 - 11.47 Ci, C601373 - 20 Ci.

The licensee has notified R3 (Piskura).

THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf