I was an 8th grade student in Central York School District when the accident took place. I remember thinking how there seemed to be more fuss than necessary about the whole thing. I felt safe during this time, and the many months that followed, because my father worked as a contracted engineer at the island. He knew what the risks were (or at least as much as anyone could know at the time) and he did not feel compelled to send us out of the area. The worst part of this incident, for me, as a fourteen year old, was not seeing my father for the better part of 6 months or more. He practically lived on site during the aftermath.
The worst part of this incident, for me… was not seeing my father for the better part of 6 months
Many years later, when the Chernobyl incident occurred, I felt lucky that we had not suffered the same fate. With the claims, that Central Pennsylvanians have suffered increased sicknesses due to the TMI incident, I wonder what health effects on Russian citizens have been directly attributed to the Chernobyl catastrophe, and if we can use what was learned from that incident to study any possible community health issues occurring in Central Pa due to TMI. I don’t see any direct impact on my own family, or any of my acquaintances, but I believe there may be people who were predisposed to certain illnesses or diseases that may have been impacted. That’s not to say that they wouldn’t have acquired these illnesses or diseases even if nothing had occurred in Middletown, PA.
Maryellen