[FedCom] NEST Article

[ken windyka]

The May 2002 editon of "Reader's Digest" has a 9 pate article "The Nuclear
Bomb Squad -- Could they halt an attack in time?"

The article discusses briefly about the Nuclear Emergency Support Team and
than takes the reader  through a ficitional scenario (based upon what the
author states is extensive interviews with present & former NEST officials)
involving a "dirty" nuclear bomb in the Chicago area.

Interesting to note that the article portraits the team as have 1,000
personnel with not only a NM/NV presence BUT also with team members on the
east as well as west coasts.  Very little is mentioned about communications
Other than search teams appear to have the capability to be in constant
contact with a command post set up in the city & also the initial alert of
team members was done by pagers.  It also mentions about the sensitivity of
the equipment and the capability to record readings and than map out the
readings for further investigations.  Interesting also the small "stealth"
detection devices that are also carried with a verbal warning indication
(via a earpiece) if radiation is detected as well as having larger ground &
air mobile detection equipment.   

The article basically also states that these searches would be accomplished
in secrecy without ANYONE knowing that the teams were looking for a nuclear
device since it could possibly be moved if the terrorists were tipped off.

I think to a certain extent we had somewhat of a discussion on this before.
 I think that some folks thought that communications systems were already
in place in certain high risk areas while others felt that the complete
communications packages were placed on aircraft/deployed and than set up in
the respective risk area.

Personally I think initially that simple digital telephones and specific
purpose digitial services (e.g. NEXTEL) might be utilized, although NEXTEL
presently doesn't offer US wide talkgroup/direct connect capabilities to
industry BUT is planning in the future to offer this.

Also I wonder how NEST interfaces with those National Guard teams thoughout
the country that also respond to potential NBC/weapons of mass destruction
type events..

As always public or private comment as your comfort level dictates.

Ken Windyka
Springfield MA Monitoring ARea