[ RadSafe ] NYC permitting of detectors: NYPD proposes some changes.

[Philip L Smith]

 I believe the real intent of this proposed legislation is to deny
personal radiological knowledge and protection for the average citizen. 
You guys will all get to keep and carry your exotic and expensive
instrumentation.  But, woe to the poor civilian who wants a rate meter
for making informed decisions about his own safety.  The prevailing mind
set among "authorities" seems to be "we're here to protect you and you
better not try to protect yourself".  The sad truth is that a nuclear
detonation in NYC will have all of the "authorities" hunkered down for
days, probably unable to even communicate with those they are duty bound
to protect.  The fallout zone would most likely cover much of Manhattan
and substantial nearby populations.  Not only do they want to deny those
populations access to the most basic instrumentation for evaluating
shelter,  they also have strenuously avoided frank public discussion of
prudent nuclear civil defense measures.  I think they sincerely believe
that timely evacuation, directed by them, is the only reasonable response
to a nuclear detonation.  This is sheer madness!  With almost daily press
about nuclear terrorist threats it is high time we were allowed to use
the words civil and defense in the same sentence.  Civil defense must
involve civilians.  The more instrumentation of all types deployed the
better.  In a 50 R/hr field, nobody will be directing traffic - the most
desirable instrument will be the simplest, not the most accurate.  

Phil Smith
http://www.NukAlert.com 
 
------------------
 
Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:36:28 -0700
From: Steven Dapra <sjd at swcp.com>
Subject: RE: [ RadSafe ] NYC permitting of detectors: NYPD proposes some
changes.
To: <radsafe at radlab.nl>
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.1.20080204182711.009f5050 at mail.swcp.com>

Feb. 4

         Is anyone doing anything to identify and notify all the 
organizations and companies in NY state that will be affected by this
law, 
or that could be affected by it?  I wonder if the Health Physics Society 
has taken any action.  How about the ACGIH, as well as any companies that

test air, water, or soil; or who do air and water monitoring?  What is 
needed is a groundswell of opposition that will destroy this proposed
law, 
and that will serve as a warning to any municipality that might try to
pass 
a similar one within its jurisdiction.

         Detector manufacturers need to be notified too.  This thing
could 
easily cause a great deal of upheaval and expense for them when they have

to comply with new (and possibly unreasonable) technical 
specifications.  Some companies could even be forced out of business by
the 
additional costs to them of complying with this thing.  As is sometimes
the 
case in bidding specifications, manufacturing specifications could be 
written in a way that would favor certain manufacturers.

Steven Dapra