Re: 'Dirty Bomb' Was Major New Year's Worry

["Jim Hardeman" <Jim_Hardeman@dnr.state.ga.us>]

Kim et al. 



My staff and I participated in training with these folks a few years back ... they have both gamma and neutron detection capability ... pretty good on both counts, in my opinion. Can't remember if they capture spectral analysis info from hand-carried detectors or not. They had NO problem at all seeing a shielded Cs-137 box calibrator inside a "butler building" from well outside that building, on the state defense dept. reservation where we conducted the training. Plus, the folks carrying these instruments are savvy enough, IMHO, to understand that you don't necessarily need a neutron signature.



Oh ... the detectors they show on TV aren't the "good stuff" <grin>



Jim Hardeman

Jim_Hardeman@dnr.state.ga.us 



>>> "Kim D. Merritt" <k.merritt@larc.nasa.gov> 1/8/2004 8:14:03 >>>

Do not underestimate their instrumentation.  They are designed to look for 

weapons not radiographers, and I would not expect radiographers to be 

congregating in public areas with their sources.  In any event, if they 

detected a radiography source it would (hopefully) be accompanied by a 

person authorized to be in possession of it so it would not show up as an 

anomalous event.



At 11:06 PM 1/7/04, you wrote:

>I saw some of the detectors on the TV and they didn't appear very 

>sophisticated.

>

>If they were really digging for radioactivity hot spots, how did they miss 

>all the radiographers who carry large cobalt and Iridium sources to and 

>from pipeline and refinery sites in the Houston area.



Kim Merritt

Radiation/Laser Safety Officer

HazMed, Inc.

NASA Langley Research Center

Hampton, VA

(757)864-3210

<mailto:k.merritt@larc.nasa.gov>



Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are my own and do not 

necessarily state or reflect those of NASA or the United States Government, 

nor do they represent the official position of NASA.



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