Four years later [our] baby was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, Severe Aplastic Anaemia Stephen Fehr, USA

While the secretary of my governmental department evacuated to Pittsburgh, my vulnerable family was captive to fear of the unknown. We stayed. Four years later the baby was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, Severe Aplastic Anaemia.

The baby recovered after extensive, expensive, experimental treatments, but the doctors casually dismissed any TMI causality. I still have doubts.
Stephen Fehr, USA

I was 13 years old and I clearly recall the first hint of a problem at Three Mile Island was on a Wednesday. While at school, we were not allowed to go out of doors and all windows were ordered shut.

We were advised if a meltdown occurred we would never be able to return to our homes again Mary, USA

One by one, some parents sensed the danger and picked up their children from school and left the area. This continued until Friday, when all our fears were confirmed by the arrival of President Jimmy Carter to our small rural farming community.

Our town had no evacuation plans. We were advised if a meltdown occurred, we would never be able to return to our homes again. We didn't even know what a meltdown was! And the movie The China Syndrome [a film about the cover-up of safety hazards at a nuclear power plant] opened at theaters the very same week.
Mary, USA

I was in high school when this happened. It was a huge event. I don't recall me fearing for my safety.

But I do recall, when we were sent home from school, the school administrators would not allow bus windows to be open. It was a warm afternoon, and I remember thinking, "This is really stupid. The bus is not airtight, and I have to get off the bus to walk home!" They closed school for three days.

If it ever happened again, I wouldn't be so blas� about it - I would get as far away as possible! Lisa, USA

My mother was truly concerned. She had packed some things, and was discussing what we should take and where to evacuate. No panic, just concern.

Officials advised staying in your house with windows closed. Then US President, Jimmy Carter, came to Central Pennsylvania. The Governor of Pennsylvania and experts looked very sober during press conferences.

No one really sure how much radioactivity was released. There was concern about a meltdown.

People who lived next to the plant were evacuated to a local arena.

Looking back, if it ever happened again, I wouldn't be so blas� about it. I would get as far away as possible!
Lisa, USA

I was a high school senior and remember it vividly. Panicked parents coming to school and demanding that they be able to take their children and fleeing hundreds of miles. And men posing as nuclear employees telling people near the plant to evacuate their houses. Once the home owners were gone the men would break in and rob the homes.

That event definitely marked the beginning of the end of nuclear power in the United States. The industry was already under scrutiny because they were not able to deliver electricity as cheaply as they had promised. And this event proved that the industry could not be trusted to run the nuclear program safely.
Mark Snyder, USA

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