Page 26 - Security Today, September 2017

A Dirty Bomb
How to protect citizens while participating at large events
ABy Scott Masiella
mericans love large events—the bigger, the better. Stadiums in the United States can be packed with as many as 100,000 or more cheering football fans. Political events, from rallies and protests to primaries and inaugurations, also can draw huge crowds.
Sometimes, participants and spectators at large events are con- tained in a single venue. But just as often, in cities and towns nation- wide, crowds are spread out in less controlled environments for pa- rades, races, July Fourth celebrations and similar community events. And for law enforcement tasked with monitoring crowds in these set- tings and proactively identifying illicit behavior, detecting radioactive material is both critical and challenging.
In big cities and even in smaller communities, the threat of radiation is real. The consequences of a “dirty bomb” explosion could be sig- nificant, for the crowd at the venue and for communities miles beyond.
Big Cities are Tempting Targets
Terrorists often target large cities, and especially popular events that attract large crowds, where an attack can do significant damage. The Boston Fire Department’s (BFD) special operations unit knows how vulnerable a city can be to such an attack. It is one of the agencies overseeing public protection for all major Boston events, from the In- dependence Day fireworks to Harborfest, The Boston Wine Festival and the St. Patrick’s Day parade, the second-largest in the country. The unit is also on call for impromptu events, such as this year’s pa- rade celebrating the New England Patriots’ championship, and pop-up
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protests, such as the Boston Women’s March that drew 175,000 people. The annual Boston Marathon, which draws hundreds of thou- sands of spectators to watch 30,000 runners race from Hopkinton to Boston, is particularly challenging for special operations, who need to secure large, uncontained crowds along a route that spans more than 26 miles. The tragic 2013 Boston Marathon bombings are a stark reminder of this challenge. If these had been dirty bombs, many spectators would have been unaware that they were exposed to radio-
active materials, which could have resulted in long-term health risks. The head of the BFD’s special operations unit, Chief Dennis Cos- tin, understands better than most the importance of having a com- prehensive plan in place that includes sweeping the area—looking inside trash cans and flower planters, peeking into windows of cars and stores, etc.—in search of suspicious packages or materials and screening the area for radiation, both before and during the event. His unit has invested in new radiation detection instruments to help its members protect both the public and themselves at large events. The unit now owns more than 75 devices, including handheld person- al radiation detectors (PRDs), multi-purpose digital survey meters and radiation detection backpacks. The unit’s vehicles are equipped with these instruments and backpacks so they can be quickly de- ployed during an emergency. Costin said his unit is purchasing an ad- ditional 200 handheld PRDs funded by grants, an important source
of supplemental funding for emergency response equipment.
For Costin, one of the most important benefits of these instru- ments is the speed with which his officers can determine whether a
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