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Secretary Napolitano Announces Full Deployment of Radiation Scanning Technology...
DHS.gov - News Release ^ | November 5, 2009 | n/a

Posted on 11/05/2009 2:59:27 PM PST by Cindy

Note: The following text is a quote:

Secretary Napolitano Announces Full Deployment of Radiation Scanning Technology to the Northern Border Ahead of Schedule

Release Date: November 5, 2009 For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced the final deployment of non-intrusive scanning equipment to detect radiation emanating from materials used in nuclear devices at all Northern border land ports of entry—a major security milestone completed two months ahead of schedule that reflects Secretary Napolitano’s ongoing commitment to strong, layered security at the U.S.-Canada border.

“Securing our Northern border while facilitating legitimate travel and trade requires a strategic combination of technology, personnel and infrastructure,” said Secretary Napolitano. “This technology enhances our capability to guard against terrorism and criminal threats while expediting border crossings for lawful trade and travel.”

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.

Completing this project ahead of schedule—the final installation of RPMs finished on Oct. 29 at the Trout River, N.Y., port of entry—represents another critical step in the Department’s efforts to strengthen the interconnected U.S. border security network by installing new technology, deploying personnel to key locations along borders and upgrading aging port infrastructure to meet modern-day security needs.

Using a system that operates without emitting radiation—much like a radio receiver—RPMs respond to certain types of energy and indicate the strength of the received energy to the trained operator. In the case of any alert by a portal monitor, CBP follows strict protocols to quickly determine whether the source of radiation is a potential terrorist threat, a natural source or a legitimate medical/industrial source of radiation RPM technology currently allows CBP to scan 100 percent of all mail and express consignment mail/parcels, truck cargo and personally-owned vehicles arriving from Mexico for illicit radiological/nuclear materials as well as 100 percent of all truck cargo and personally-owned vehicles entering from Canada. Approximately 98 percent of all arriving sea-borne containerized cargo is also scanned—for a combined total of 99 percent scanning of all cargo entering into the country by these means. To strengthen security along the Northern border, DHS has adopted a multi-layered, integrated detection strategy at ports of entry utilizing highly trained CBP officers equipped with stationary, mobile and handheld radiation detectors; radiation isotope identifier devices; nonintrusive inspection technologies such as radiography; information technology infrastructure; and physical searches.

For more information, visit www.dhs.gov.

### This page was last reviewed/modified on November 5, 2009.


TOPICS: Canada; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bhodhs; bordersecurity; canada; nuclear; radiationdetection; usborder

1 posted on 11/05/2009 2:59:27 PM PST by Cindy
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To: fanfan

ping


2 posted on 11/05/2009 3:00:41 PM PST by Cindy
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To: Cindy

And the Southern border?


3 posted on 11/05/2009 3:13:43 PM PST by La Lydia
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To: La Lydia
And the Southern border?

What southern border?

4 posted on 11/05/2009 3:26:53 PM PST by houeto (The war gets only 20 hours of attention out of 9 months?!? Pray for our troops. They NEED it!)
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To: houeto
...today announced the final deployment of non-intrusive scanning equipment to detect radiation emanating from materials used in nuclear devices at all Northern border land ports of entry...
5 posted on 11/05/2009 3:38:12 PM PST by La Lydia
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To: Cindy

All of these radiation detecters will work great as long as the material is brought in through the manned checkpoints. They installed the one at Eastport,Me. down on the beach.

It’s there so that the people coming off the seasonal ferry to Canada can go through it.


6 posted on 11/05/2009 3:55:07 PM PST by brooklin
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To: brooklin

“All of these radiation detecters will work great as long as the material is brought in through the manned checkpoints.”

I understand.


7 posted on 11/05/2009 4:00:30 PM PST by Cindy
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To: Cindy; Clive; exg; kanawa; backhoe; -YYZ-; Squawk 8888; headsonpikes; AntiKev; Snowyman; ...
Thanks for the ping, Cindy.


8 posted on 11/05/2009 4:16:37 PM PST by fanfan (Why did they bury Barry's past?)
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To: houeto

Eggzactly what we conservatives in Arizona were saying when we were the victims of this braindead beotch play acting as governor of the state.

She sent National Guard troops to the Mechican border for show, but they had no bullets, and stories were they were sitting around with nothing to do, working on computers. Of course, the local Stalinist news rag reported none of the real truth, so the sheeple bought the show of things.


9 posted on 11/05/2009 4:24:01 PM PST by webschooner
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To: fanfan

Does anybody else get these cold chills whenever one of these “experts” holds yet another presser to announce their latest reincarnation of the Maginot Line?

I always thought that the most effective weapon was the one the bad guys didn’t know about until they started seeing muzzle flash....

....just another Obama CHARLEY FOXTROT....


10 posted on 11/06/2009 4:34:46 AM PST by Unrepentant VN Vet (The so-called Healthcare Bill is no more than legislated Grand Theft and Genocide.)
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To: Unrepentant VN Vet

You’ve got that right.


11 posted on 11/06/2009 8:21:22 AM PST by fanfan (Why did they bury Barry's past?)
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