Comments on: Radiation detection on the DC metro http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/ News and analysis of critical issues in homeland security today. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:18:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: HARRY MCHUGH http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-14517 HARRY MCHUGH Sat, 02 Sep 2006 04:07:21 +0000 http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-14517 Comment to Mr. King: As a designer of the radiation detector mentioned, I'd like to say that the device is not necessarily faulty and is not overpriced. In fact, the profit margin on these devices is much lower than on most consumer products. Radiation detection is complex, as the previous comments noted. Please don't blame the instrument as the cause of a difficult situation. Thanks Comment to Mr. King: As a designer of the radiation detector mentioned, I’d like to say that the device is not necessarily faulty and is not overpriced. In fact, the profit margin on these devices is much lower than on most consumer products. Radiation detection is complex, as the previous comments noted.
Please don’t blame the instrument as the cause of a difficult situation. Thanks

]]> By: Scriven King http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-11935 Scriven King Thu, 17 Aug 2006 12:07:42 +0000 http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-11935 As a cop, I try to never second-guess another cop. I think the cop did the right thing from the very beginning. Obviously, this individual didn't arouse too much suspicion from the officer's original questions or else the officer would have detained him. The officer gave him an "out" at the beginning of his field interview. He asked if anything he had, would set it off. The subject could have easily have said he worked with radiation alot at his job (i.e. x-ray tech or nuclear studies at a university). Upon getting a call about a very real medical emergency, the officer dismissed the subject and assisted with his dispatch as he is sworn to do. By the way, street cops have no means of asking the FBI to drop in on a guy's house because his probably over-priced and very flawed issued equipment went off on a guy who didn't arouse any real suspicion to begin with. I admire what you do here with writing about broad homeland security issues, but I would probably leave the street cops alone if you're not "on the job". As a cop, I try to never second-guess another cop. I think the cop did the right thing from the very beginning. Obviously, this individual didn’t arouse too much suspicion from the officer’s original questions or else the officer would have detained him. The officer gave him an “out” at the beginning of his field interview. He asked if anything he had, would set it off. The subject could have easily have said he worked with radiation alot at his job (i.e. x-ray tech or nuclear studies at a university). Upon getting a call about a very real medical emergency, the officer dismissed the subject and assisted with his dispatch as he is sworn to do.

By the way, street cops have no means of asking the FBI to drop in on a guy’s house because his probably over-priced and very flawed issued equipment went off on a guy who didn’t arouse any real suspicion to begin with. I admire what you do here with writing about broad homeland security issues, but I would probably leave the street cops alone if you’re not “on the job”.

]]> By: DCBlogs » DC Blogs Noted http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-10436 DCBlogs » DC Blogs Noted Tue, 08 Aug 2006 23:43:43 +0000 http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-10436 [...] A man on the Metro sets off a radiation detection device for reasons that aren’t apparent, an eye witness report at Homeland Security Watch. Fire alarm sends Pirates of the Caribbean to Davy Jones’ Locker. Sour N Sweet Also featured on The Express. High praise for Cowgirl Creamery at Suburban Tasteland. Where To Eat When You are Nearly Broke: Arlington Edition III dcfud Cheap Eats Challenge – Al Crostino. A Capitol Life. If you were on 8th & E St., Thursday there was The Biggest Paella on Earth, reports Lonnie Bruner. Photo. [...] […] A man on the Metro sets off a radiation detection device for reasons that aren’t apparent, an eye witness report at Homeland Security Watch. Fire alarm sends Pirates of the Caribbean to Davy Jones’ Locker. Sour N Sweet Also featured on The Express. High praise for Cowgirl Creamery at Suburban Tasteland. Where To Eat When You are Nearly Broke: Arlington Edition III dcfud Cheap Eats Challenge – Al Crostino. A Capitol Life. If you were on 8th & E St., Thursday there was The Biggest Paella on Earth, reports Lonnie Bruner. Photo. […]

]]> By: Ken http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-9606 Ken Wed, 02 Aug 2006 11:57:15 +0000 http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-9606 Note that having an x-ray recently, a recent routine medical exam, or carrying something simple like batteries will not set off a radiation pager (an old radium dial watch would!). Having a medical procedure where a radioactive substance has been introduced into your body will certainly set of the alarm from many yards away (e.g. radioactive technetium is used for for heart stress tests). My guess is that someone else on the train was radioactive (most likely for the above reason) and this person was being mistakenly blamed; once this person and the officer got off of the train the mistake was clear. It's hard to argue that the officer was at fault; approx. 1 in every 5000 riders (average for US & Europe) has recently been treated with isotopes & is thus hot for a few days to a few weeks. Taking everyone's name would be fruitless. Note that having an x-ray recently, a recent routine medical exam, or carrying something simple like batteries will not set off a radiation pager (an old radium dial watch would!). Having a medical procedure where a radioactive substance has been introduced into your body will certainly set of the alarm from many yards away (e.g. radioactive technetium is used for for heart stress tests). My guess is that someone else on the train was radioactive (most likely for the above reason) and this person was being mistakenly blamed; once this person and the officer got off of the train the mistake was clear.

It’s hard to argue that the officer was at fault; approx. 1 in every 5000 riders (average for US & Europe) has recently been treated with isotopes & is thus hot for a few days to a few weeks. Taking everyone’s name would be fruitless.

]]> By: Christian Beckner http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-7852 Christian Beckner Tue, 18 Jul 2006 04:25:07 +0000 http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-7852 Barzelay: I don't think I'm "fear-mongering" here, as you said. I said in my post that there was a +99% chance that this incident was in fact nothing. But I think that it's the responsibility of law enforcement officials to follow up in a case like this, when they can't immediately determine the cause of the radiation reading. That means continuing to ask questions until a source can be determined, and it means getting a person's name. It perhaps means some of the further measures that I suggested, if these steps don't resolve the case - for the public health reason as much as anything. p.s. Note that this wasn't due to an x-ray or other medical exam - the guy who was being questioned ruled this out. Barzelay:

I don’t think I’m “fear-mongering” here, as you said. I said in my post that there was a +99% chance that this incident was in fact nothing. But I think that it’s the responsibility of law enforcement officials to follow up in a case like this, when they can’t immediately determine the cause of the radiation reading. That means continuing to ask questions until a source can be determined, and it means getting a person’s name. It perhaps means some of the further measures that I suggested, if these steps don’t resolve the case - for the public health reason as much as anything.

p.s. Note that this wasn’t due to an x-ray or other medical exam - the guy who was being questioned ruled this out.

]]> By: Barzelay http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-7702 Barzelay Mon, 17 Jul 2006 05:55:28 +0000 http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-7702 Frankly, it\'s absurd to try to correlate an officer\'s radiation pager\'s reading with terrorist activity. You\'re right to be concerned, but only because something in that individual\'s life might be causing danger to him, and possibly to others who encounter the same radiation hazard. The man should at least be made aware of what in his life, if anything, is causing the radiation. But to suggest that an FBI agent should be sent to follow up on something that could be caused merely by having an x-ray, or carrying a battery, something so mundane, is to succumb to the worst of the media\'s fear-mongering and alarmist drivel. Can\'t you see it on the evening news: \"Metro radiation out of control. Will it kill you and your children? Find out at 11:00 on Channel 6!\" Or \"Possible radiation attack on capitol\'s subway! Dangerous levels of radiation carried by terrorist suspect! Is it safe to travel? Find out at 9:00 on Channel 10.\" Frankly, it\’s absurd to try to correlate an officer\’s radiation pager\’s reading with terrorist activity. You\’re right to be concerned, but only because something in that individual\’s life might be causing danger to him, and possibly to others who encounter the same radiation hazard. The man should at least be made aware of what in his life, if anything, is causing the radiation.

But to suggest that an FBI agent should be sent to follow up on something that could be caused merely by having an x-ray, or carrying a battery, something so mundane, is to succumb to the worst of the media\’s fear-mongering and alarmist drivel. Can\’t you see it on the evening news: \”Metro radiation out of control. Will it kill you and your children? Find out at 11:00 on Channel 6!\” Or \”Possible radiation attack on capitol\’s subway! Dangerous levels of radiation carried by terrorist suspect! Is it safe to travel? Find out at 9:00 on Channel 10.\”

]]> By: Ballstonian http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-7544 Ballstonian Fri, 14 Jul 2006 20:52:37 +0000 http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-7544 I like this local coverage of the DC metro. This is a big homeland security issue in our own backyard, and your coverage of the local metro system thus far has been spotty. Please keep covering the metro system in DC. It is a big homeland security problem! I like this local coverage of the DC metro. This is a big homeland security issue in our own backyard, and your coverage of the local metro system thus far has been spotty. Please keep covering the metro system in DC. It is a big homeland security problem!

]]> By: kob http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-7471 kob Fri, 14 Jul 2006 02:03:30 +0000 http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/07/13/radiation-detection-on-the-dc-metro/#comment-7471 This is the first I\'ve heard or read about anything like this. Interesting. Nice report. This is the first I\’ve heard or read about anything like this. Interesting. Nice report.

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