DHS Graduates Second Advanced Radiation Detection Course

Release Date: October 12, 2007

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) announced today the graduation of the second class of the Advanced Radiation Detection (ARD) course in Suffolk County, N.Y. The 5-day course focuses on the preventive radiological and nuclear detection (PRND) mission and provides participants from state, local, and municipal jurisdictions with the skills needed to detect and investigate the potential malicious use of radioactive or nuclear material.

"The Advanced Radiation Detection course is the capstone course in the national preventive radiological and nuclear detection curriculum," said Vayl S. Oxford, DNDO director. "This graduating class will also assist in the capabilities of our regional partners that make up the Securing the Cities initiative that was jointly launched by DNDO and New York regional partners last July."

The Securing the Cities initiative is a cooperative federal, state, and local program, initially piloted in the New York City regional area. The program seeks to design and implement an architecture for coordinated and integrated detection and interdiction of illicit radiological materials that may be used as a weapon within the region.

ARD course graduates learned skills in detecting radioactive material, assessing detection instrument alarms, and adjudicating radiological or nuclear alarms. Each ARD course is developed in conjunction with appropriate stakeholders, with this particular course focused on Securing the Cities regional partners. The graduating class gathered in Suffolk County from around the country, including those from Securing the Cities partners, which emphasizes the regional approach to protecting the New York City region.

"Suffolk County is proud to be at the forefront in training local law enforcement agencies how better to cope with potential radiological attacks," said Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy. "We're proud to partner with the Department of Homeland Security on this important initiative."

In addition to the ARD course, the national PRND curriculum consists of an 8-hour Personal Radiation Detector course and a 16-hour Radioisotope Identification Device course. The courses are prerequisites for students attending the ARD course.

DNDO oversees and executes the national PRND training and exercise policy, which offers federal, state, and local law enforcement and emergency responders the opportunity to enhance local capabilities.

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This page was last reviewed/modified on October 12, 2007.