ALTHOUGH PENNSYLVANIA HAS AN EXTENSIVE SYSTEM TO DEAL WITH NATURAL DISASTERS, IT PROVED TO BE INEFFECTIVE IN RESPONDING TO THE 1979 RADIATION ACCIDENT. COMMUNICATIONS WERE A MAJOR PROBLEM, AND LACK OF INFORMATION HINDERED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EVACUATION PLANS. LINES OF AUTHORITY BECAME CONFUSED AND RESPONSIBILITY ULTIMATELY CAME TO REST WITH THE LOCAL OFFICIALS. MANY TOWNS AROUND THE NUCLEAR PLANT AND EMERGENCY PLANS, BUT NONE WAS PREPARED FOR THE LARGE-SCALE EVACUATION THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN NECESSARY IF THE HYDROGEN BUBBLE HAD CONTINUED GROWING. AS THE SITUATION PROGRESSED AND THE NEED FOR SOME EVACUATION BECAME APPARENT, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WERE LEFT TO IMPROVISE PROCEDURES USING THEIR OWN POLICE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES. ALTHOUGH MASS EVACUATION WAS NEVER REQUIRED, POLICE DEPARTMENTS INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL EXPENSES WHICH THEY HOPE WILL BE PAID BY THE POWER PLANTS' INSURANCE. NEW EMERGENCY PLANS ARE NOW BEING DRAFTED BY LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AND METROPOLITAN EDISON OFFICIALS. A UTILITY SEEKING A LICENSE FROM THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC) MUST SUBMIT PLANS FOR DEALING WITH RADIATION EMERGENCIES. THE NRC AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PROVIDE BROAD GUIDELINES FOR EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, BUT STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FORMULATING DETAILED PLANS AND IMPLEMENTING THEM. THE EVACUATION PLANS OF THREE COMMUNITIES OF VARYING POPULATION DENSITIES ARE DESCRIBED WITH COMMENTS FROM INVOLVED OFFICIALS. A MAP OF NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS IN THE U.S. IS INCLUDED. (MJM)