Topics in this issue include stolen explosives in North Dakota, EMS analytics systems, public safety engagement, and nuclear weapon reductions.
In This Article
FirstNet Moves Forward into Eval Phase, Continues Public Safety Engagement
The deadline for submitting proposals for the deployment of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) closed earlier today. With that phase of the procurement now complete, and moving into the remaining phases of the evaluation process and achieving the goal of establishing a unique public-private partnership to deploy the best possible network. FirstNet.gov >>
NRC Asked to Shut Down Indian Point Nuclear Plant
Located twenty-six miles from New York City, in the right weather conditions a radiation release at Indian Point nuclear power plant could reach Times Square in as little as ninety minutes, making evacuation of New York City impossible and rendering the area uninhabitable for a long time. Critics of the agiing plant say that the disappearance and disintegration of more than 1 in 4 critical bolts holding the Indian Point nuclear reactor cooling system together is far more serious than owner, Entergy, admits. HSNW >>
Battelle Fills Central Role in Military’s Medical Countermeasure Enterprise
The U.S. Army’s Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense (JPEO-CBD) has again chosen Battelle to perform critical medical countermeasures research to protect servicemembers against dangerous infectious disease and chemical threats. The new award is part of an OASIS contract mechanism that is worth up to $59 million, including all options, over the next five years. Global Biodefense >>
South Sudan: New Team of Explosive Detection Dogs Arrives at UN Mission
The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in South Sudan said today it will receive 37 new explosive detection dogs as part of an increase in the presence of such dogs throughout the country. UNMAS said the explosive detection dogs regularly support UN Police (UNPOL) to conduct searches of protection of civilians sites, cargo and entry points, to detect prohibited or hazardous items, all of which are swiftly removed by UNPOL so that internally displaced people and others under the protection of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) remain safe from harm. United Nations >>
To Protect Soldiers from Bombs, Military Scientists Build a Better Dummy
For years now, military scientists have been looking for ways to defend soldiers in armored vehicles from explosives like R.P.G.s and, more recently, improvised explosive devices, or I.E.D.s. The work is extraordinarily difficult — an alchemy of physics and medicine that has begun to yield insights into the human body under the great duress of battle. NY Times >>
A Look at World’s Nuclear Reality, 70 Years After Hiroshima
President Obama used his unprecedented visit to Hiroshima to call attention to the grave threat nuclear weapons still pose to the world. Judy Woodruff talks to former Assistant Secretary of State Stephen Rademaker and Rachel Bronson of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists about that threat — and the president’s own nuclear legacy. PBS Newshour >>
Chile Continues to Remove Landmines from its Borders
During the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990) tensions rose between Peru, Argentina and Bolivia and fear of invasion led to the Chilean dictatorship planting thousands of landmines at its borders. However, the Ottawa Treaty which was signed by 133 countries including Chile in 1997 meant that those countries could no longer use or stockpile of landmines. Chile from then on has been working on removing landmine from it borders. Peru This Week >>
Bombs and Buses 600 Meters Deep
German forces in Norway have surrendered, and after five long years of occupation, the country is finally free. Suddenly, 30,000 Allied troops had to disarm 350,000 German soldiers, and deal with huge stockpiles of German bombs, guns and ammunition along Norway’s 2500-km-long coast. It was a nightmare assignment, especially the bombs. So the Norwegians did what they often did in times of crisis: they turned to the sea. Phys.org >>
The Development of Asymmetric RN Threats Worldwide
The full scope of nuclear threat encompasses not merely nuclear proliferation. The transnational nature of nuclear and radiological terrorism threat is a matter of great concern. Although the acquisition of weapon-grade uranium is a challenging task for a terrorist organization and the probability that a terrorist group could make an improvised nuclear device or crude nuclear bomb is very small, a real threat includes that a terrorist group, either acting independently or acting as part of a bigger organization, could explode a radiological dispersion device or dirty bomb. CBRNe Portal >>
It is Past Time for the World to Get Serious About North Korea’s Nuclear Ambitions
Obama has made progress on nuclear-arms reduction and non-proliferation, notably the New START treaty in 2010, as well as the Iran deal. However, on Obama’s watch the nuclear-weapons and missile program of North Korea has become steadily more alarming. Mr. Obama put North Korea on the back burner, but whoever becomes America’s next president will not have that luxury. The Economist >>
Explosion at Chemical Factory in India Kills 2, Injures 120
An explosion at a chemical factory in western India on Thursday killed at least two people and injured more than 120, officials said. The powerful explosion, caused by a malfunction in the factory’s boiler, shattered windows in buildings near the factory in Dombivli in Maharashtra state. Chem.info >>
DHS Awards SBIR Contract ElanTech for EMS Analytics Solution
The efforts under this contract will include a study defining a common set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that high performance EMS agencies use to manage performance. The defined KPIs will provide the data elements necessary to support real-time monitoring, analysis, and notification of performance and quality of care issues. The effort will also include database research in optimizing the extraction of the data elements from varied EMS databases. Government Security News >>
Nuclear Weapons Research Holds Benefits for Tech Industry
Research work performed at NNSA’s national laboratories generates fervor among scientists worldwide because it produces new technologies that are already proven and applied within the nuclear weapons program. By publishing their research findings, NNSA’s scientists encourage what can be called “passive tech transfer.” NNSA >>
Man Accused of Stealing Explosives in North Dakota Oil Patch
A Williston man accused of stealing explosives from companies operating in the western North Dakota oil patch and stashing them in his home also allegedly had books on preparing explosives. Thirty-five-year-old Tyler Porter is charged in federal court with stealing and possessing explosives and two weapons counts. The Associated Press requested comment from the federal public defender’s office. Chem.info >>