Page 28 - Security Today, September 2017

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“hit” on a device indicates natural radiation, usually not a concern unless there is a sig- nificant change in amount, or artificial radia- tion, which requires further investigation.
“The peace of mind these instruments provide us and, by extension, the public, is immeasurable,” Costin said. “Keeping the public safe is our first and foremost prior- ity. And at large public events, we need to do that with as little fanfare as possible. We have a multi-layered approach that allows us to mitigate something quickly without disrupt- ing the event. We can only accomplish that if we have sophisticated equipment, especially small or handheld devices that allow us to make quick and confident decisions.”
Smaller Cities Can Be Attractive Targets
A city doesn’t have to be large or host an iconic marathon to be at risk. National po- litical conventions—such as those hosted in Philadelphia and Cleveland in 2016 or Charlotte and Tampa in 2012—are just one example of events with sufficient scale and visibility to create massive challenges for law enforcement. Police and fire departments in these cities take threats as seriously as any city here or internationally, and they, too, must budget and prepare as if a significant event could threaten them in the future.
There are also concerns about football stadiums as soft targets. Security at cham- pionship football games is famously tight, with an extra law enforcement presence and state-of-the-art technologies. In the United States, there are more than 100. stadiums that hold more than 50,000 people, and eight of them can accommodate more than 100,000 spectators.
Wherever large crowds gather, regard- less of event type or location, police and fire departments confront the specter of a dirty bomb, and they need to have planned and prepared for that possibility. But planning is about more than having the right radiation detection instruments: The best-prepared teams will also have identified all possible sce- narios and practiced how to respond to each.
The Right Radiation De- tection Technology is Key
Handheld PRDs and backpacks are the most widely used technologies for dirty bomb de- tection. For many responders, however, the more important question is whether there are enough instruments to deploy around or nearby an event to protect effectively against attack. The ideal formula includes the right instruments, in sufficient numbers, with well- trained staff.
For example, a response unit may pur- chase a state-of-the-art handheld radioiso- tope identifier. It can be a valuable invest- ment, but it’s only part of the equation. This
technology can identify and quantify radia- tion to inform next-step decisions, perhaps moving a crowd beyond a perimeter. But it is not a preventive tool.
Detecting and pinpointing the location of radiation in an undetonated device, where it is contained in a small space and possibly shielded, requires more sophisticated tech- nology. This technology, featured in personal radiation detectors (PRDs) and backpacks, enables dirty bomb detection before detona- tion. Field personnel benefit from handheld instruments that allow calm, inconspicuous, real-time scanning of crowds for radiation. On these agents’ belts is a device that can quickly and easily inform them of whether a radioactive material is potentially dangerous or from a natural or non-threatening source, such as radiation from industrial X-ray man- ufacturing facilities, hospitals, nuclear medi- cine labs or cardiac pacemakers.
The latest innovations in handheld PRD technology include highly sensitive and accurate instruments that combine both gamma and neutron detection and include advanced capability to eliminate problem- atic nuisance alarms from natural sources and people with recent medical treatments. This technology continuously analyzes the radiation field and immediately differenti- ates between artificial or natural radiation, reducing or eliminating nuisance alarms from building materials such as granite, tile or sand, or cargo containing salt, bananas or even kitty litter. A device that is capa- ble of also identifying medical radiation, quickly and automatically, further reduces the burden on security personnel who have multiple tasks to secure the area as well as responsibility to investigate every alarm. These features provide protection without compromising security or adding complex- ity to crowd control.
Dirty bombs can cause significant dam- age, and it’s nearly impossible to predict when and where an incident could oc- cur. The best defense is to be prepared and proactive. Beyond radiation detection equipment it’s important to think through what-if scenarios; develop strategic, disci- plined response and communication plans; and train agents with regular practice run- throughs until the planned response be- comes second nature.
A coordinated approach, along with the right technology, will place law enforce- ment agencies in the best position to pro- tect citizens and commu-
nities from the threat of
radiation.
Scott Masiella is the glob- al safety and security mar- ket manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific.
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