What are the Emergency Action Levels for operating nuclear power plants, in order from low to high?

The Emergency Action Levels (EALs) for operating nuclear power plants are structured in a specific hierarchy to effectively respond to various levels of emergencies. The correct order, from low to high, starts with the "Notification of Unusual Event," which is a situation that indicates a potential problem but does not pose an immediate threat to public health and safety.

Following this is "Alert," which indicates a significant incident that could lead to a more serious emergency, warranting increased monitoring and preparations. Next in line is "Site Area Emergency," which suggests that off-site consequences are possible and more serious measures may be needed. Finally, a "General Emergency" represents a situation that poses an imminent threat to the health and safety of the public and demands full-scale emergency response protocols. This hierarchy reflects the increasing severity of potential nuclear incidents and organizes response procedures accordingly to ensure appropriate actions are taken as the situation escalates.