The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the Nuclear Incident Response Team (NIRT) program will be sponsoring an Aerial Measuring System (AMS) WINGS exercise July 20 – 24, 2015 in conjunction with the national level exercise Southern Exposure to be held in Florence, SC.
Local, state and federal agencies will participate in an interoperability exercise using aerial radiation detection and measuring systems in a real-life, controlled radiological contaminated environment during the week of July 20th. Agencies will exercise the deployment and capabilities of their assets in the midst of a radiological emergency and to test their knowledge and expertise to achieve a seamless integration of all assets available into a unified response.
NNSA’s Aerial Measuring System, and other participating assets, characterizes ground-deposited radiation from aerial platforms. These platforms include fixed wing and rotary wing aircrafts with radiological measuring equipment, computer analysis of aerial measurements, and equipment to locate lost radioactive sources, conduct aerial surveys, and map large areas of contamination. More than 9 aircraft will be participating in this exercise and will be flying low and slow in areas throughout South Carolina as well as North Carolina.
