6 November 2009

[US] Radiation Detectors Fully Deployed

The following was reported on in today's edition of "The Journal of Commerce".

The Department of Homeland Security completed deployment of non-intrusive scanning equipment to detect radiation emanating from materials used in nuclear devices at all Northern border land ports of entry, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano announced Thursday.

With the final installation Oct. 29 at the Trout River, N.Y., port of entry, DHS passed a major security milestone two months ahead of schedule Secretary Napolitano said.

“Securing our Northern border while facilitating legitimate travel and trade requires a strategic combination of technology, personnel and infrastructure,” said Secretary Napolitano....

Radiation portal monitors (RPMs)—installed by the DHS Domestic Nuclear Detection Office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)—are capable of detecting radiation emanating from nuclear devices, dirty bombs, special nuclear materials, natural sources and isotopes commonly used in medicine and industry. The technology offers CBP a non-intrusive means to scan 100 percent of vehicles and cargo containers for radiation entering the country while facilitating the flow of legitimate travel and trade.