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DHS Works to Ensure Communities have Technologies for Disaster Response

DHS Works to Ensure Communities have Technologies for Disaster Response Homeland Security TodayRadiological incidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima illustrate the need for firefighters to have a decontaminating foam to spray in coordination of federal, state, and local agencies in response efforts.

To that end and s part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T) National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), earlier this year they demonstrated new technology developments at the Columbus, Ohio, Battelle Memorial Institute facility that “will enable more effective radiological decontamination.”

This demonstration was made possible through a partnership between NUSTL and EPA to research methods, best practices and technologies for containing contamination and mitigating the hazard of radiation.

“It is vital for first responder agencies to understand the cleanup options available for events of all sizes,” explained NUSTL Radiological/Nuclear Response and Recovery (RNRR) Division Director Ben Stevenson. “When supporting local agencies and first responders for radiological response and recovery, it is important that S&T provide them with good scientific guidance and technology, but equally important that we connect them to experts and specialized federal assets that can support their operations and decision-making during an emergency.”

“The Radiological Gross Decontaminationand Waste Management First Responder Application project with the EPA is part of a NUSTL-managed research and development portfolio for S&T’s First Responders Group,” DHS said in announcement, noting, “It is focused on increasing local capabilities to respond to and recover from radiological incidents.

“Our partnership with DHS provided us with great opportunities to interface directly with local responders, providing them with tools for a more effective response that are not an additional burden to them—especially since they will be the first boots on the ground after an incident and will be primarily focused on saving lives and property,” said EPA environmental scientist Sang Don Lee.

“These tools,” Lee said, “will also integrate into their activities as seamlessly as DHS Works to Ensure Communities have Technologies for Disaster Response Homeland Security Todaypossible and into the activities of other responders who arrive later. This may dramatically speed up and lower the cost of the response and recovery, and help assure the public that their community will be able to bounce back after one of these incidents.”

The demonstration — which included state, local and federal responders; subject matter expert scientists from national laboratories; and industry representatives — demonstrated how to apply these technologies on a city-wide scale using equipment already on hand, while minimizing the effects of radiological contaminants, DHS stated.

“While any radiological incident will have specific response and recovery operations, understanding the available technology in the toolbox is important in advance of an incident to ensure an effective and efficient response and recovery,” Stevenson said.

DHS said, “Responders gave positive feedback to EPA and DHS S&T about the structure of the event and information provided, and that will likely lead to future similar events to highlight available technology through field demonstrations.”

In addition, DHS emphasized, “lessons learned are being compiled and will be available in the near future in a report that will be posted to the firstresponder.gov Website.

“We’ve strived for a long time to extend our cleanup work to all phases of radiological response and all levels of responders— federal, State, local, and tribal,” said Matthew Magnuson, EPA research chemist. “Collaborating with DHS allowed us a unique opportunity to turn this goal into reality and our research in this area into practice.”

DHS Works to Ensure Communities have Technologies for Disaster Response Homeland Security Today
Homeland Security Today
The Government Technology & Services Coalition's Homeland Security Today (HSToday) is the premier news and information resource for the homeland security community, dedicated to elevating the discussions and insights that can support a safe and secure nation. A non-profit magazine and media platform, HSToday provides readers with the whole story, placing facts and comments in context to inform debate and drive realistic solutions to some of the nation’s most vexing security challenges.
Homeland Security Today
Homeland Security Todayhttp://www.hstoday.us
The Government Technology & Services Coalition's Homeland Security Today (HSToday) is the premier news and information resource for the homeland security community, dedicated to elevating the discussions and insights that can support a safe and secure nation. A non-profit magazine and media platform, HSToday provides readers with the whole story, placing facts and comments in context to inform debate and drive realistic solutions to some of the nation’s most vexing security challenges.

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