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Danger is Their Business
In the post-9/11 world, Connecticut companies make names for themselves in the homeland-security industry
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Business New Haven
4/14/2003
By: Barbara deSouza MacMath
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Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Jeff Chapman saw an opportunity to contribute his expertise in nuclear measurements for safeguarded special nuclear material through the homeland-security program at Canberra Industries in Meriden.
"I left a fantastic laboratory to chase an adventure with private industry coupled with a huge need [homeland security], hoping to make a difference in a much more rapid time frame," explains Chapman of his decision to leave his position as director at Oak Ridge (Tenn.) National Laboratories. Now a senior scientist at Canberra, Chapman explains that private concerns such as his new employers can move rapidly to meet the needs of homeland security.
Following the terrorist attacks of 18 months ago, Americans have become more accustomed to living in a state of heightened alert - more so now with war raging in Iraq. As the increased potential for terrorist attacks makes a better system of vigilance and defense imperative, Connecticut companies such as Canberra - already in the business of offering products and services for domestic preparedness needs involving emergencies such as fire, explosions, and hazardous materials - have responded to the demand for tools and systems to counter chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological threats.
A member of a privately owned group of companies spread across France, England, Benelux, Canada and the U.S., Canberra has been in the business of supplying radiation-measurement instruments for over 35 years. With 340 employees in Meriden, Canberra offers anti-terror tools from instruments to systems for combating attacks that involve nuclear devices or nuclear material. These can range from diversion of a complete nuclear warhead on the extreme end to a radiological dispersion device, or 'dirty bomb.' Canberra works with U.S. and international nuclear safeguard agencies to develop such instruments and systems.
According to Chapman, the U.S. Army is now using Canberra products in safeguard operations in Iraq. Among the radiation detection products are monitors that offer sensitive and rapid screening for pedestrians, vehicles and items. Also offered are hand-held survey meters, and other portable instruments for monitoring radioactive sources.
Vehicles can also be outfitted for real-time radiation detection to assess contamination location. For first responders, Canberra offers an array of equipment including personal dosimeters and emergency-response kits. For more technical second-wave responders, Canberra offers in-situ gamma spectroscopy (GS) and laboratory equipment for all kinds of radiation measurements, portable portal monitors, whole body contamination monitors and counters.
In addition, the surveillance, seals and secure communication technologies along with training and planning services constitute important components of Canberra's emergency response arsenal.
Canberra devices also have immediate applications in detecting and deterring nuclear smuggling through airports and shipping ports, and in national and international nuclear materials safeguards operations. The company has been involved with federal agencies and the U.S. Department of Energy's nuclear programs for 15 years.
When Battalion Chief Robin Tummins of the Milford Fire Department started his firefighting career in 1974, air-packs were not "encouraged," and there were only about two per truck. Now all firefighters in the department have their own personal mask, made by a Branford company called Interspiro Inc.
Interspiro is the American division of Interspiro AB, a privately owned Swedish supplier of breathing equipment and related products formed in 1983. The Branford company has 30 employees and a nationwide network of independent distributors and sales agents.
Its products range from self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBAs) for emergency workers, re-useable HazMat suits, full-face diving masks, chemical warfare kits, and easy-to-use breathing equipment for non-firefighting individuals.
The SCBAs, so called because they are self-sustaining supplying oxygen from their own source, were the first in the U.S. to get National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) newly established CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear) certification for first-responder protection, according to Interspiro marketing manager John Tully.
CBRN tests involve exposing SCBAs to mustard gas and sarin terror agents to determine the ability of the SCBA to withstand that exposure without allowing dangerous levels of agent to pass through the mask to the face and lungs.
An SCBA with a 45-minute air bottle can be counted on to supply air for at least 30-35 minutes, depending on the conditions. Automatic flashing warning lights along with a siren signal when the supply is getting low. The flashing lights help to determine which one it is when more than one siren goes off.
The Milford F.D. switched to Interspiro products 18 years ago, after weighing quality, cost and service. The ability to obtain replacement parts from a local company made it easier for the department to do its own repairs. "The tech support has been invaluable," Tummins acknowledges.
Milford firefighters also use Interspiro self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA). Other major Interspiro customers include fire departments in Branford and Meriden. Connecticut state police use Interspiro's AGA diving masks, as they are commonly referred to in the industry.
Interspiro's lightweight breathing apparatus also offer ease of use and reliability over time. They now qualify as "all-hazards" SCBAs for use in fire, substances with threshold values determined to be immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH), as well as weapons of mass destruction (WMD) environments.
The products are made from some components manufactured by Swedish parent Interspiro AB, and combined with American-made parts to conform to U.S. performance standards. Interspiro also supplies the U.S. Air Force and Navy.
General Physics Corp.'s homeland-security services are focused on helping government entities and corporations assess their vulnerability and risks, prevent and deter attacks, plan for incidents, respond adequately to emergencies and mitigate the short- and long-term consequences of an attack by benchmarking existing programs against best practices to minimize risk. GP also screens personnel and helps in selection to minimize future risk.
The Mystic company, a subsidiary of the NYSE-listed (GPX) GP Strategies Corp., has been a workforce development company for more than 35 years, with a worldwide presence. Some 50 employees work at the Mystic location.
According to Executive Vice President Tom Davis, GP has been involved in homeland security - previously referred to as "domestic preparedness" - and various aspects of it for 20 years.
GP has a longstanding involvement with the U.S. Army's Chemical Weapons Stockpile Disposal Program. Other initiatives include emergency plans support for hospitals in New York state, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) counterterrorism program, government and private sector HazMat training, anthrax decontamination support to federal agencies in the Washington, D.C area, and the bioterrorism efforts of several states.
For hospitals, GP has developed online survey questionnaires that hospitals can complete to assess their bioterror preparedness, according to Carol Elford, GP's director of business solutions.
GP also manages the operation, which includes training staff and volunteers in counter terrorism measures, at the American Red Cross' recently completed Clara Barton Center for Domestic Preparedness in Arkansas.
In a scenario that involves fire, an explosion or a natural disaster such as a flood, when minutes and even seconds count, what would you take along to safety? Are all your important documents and papers handy?
Now, thanks to the ingenuity of Nadia Chudzik, a mother who had to deal with some real-life situations, resuming the business of your life after an emergency may be made easier.
Docukeeper, a New Britain company started by Chudzik, supplies a lightweight, fire retardant and water-resistant standard-sized document case that can easily be grabbed in a hurry without jeopardizing your life or the safety of your documents.
The Doc-U-Keeper is designed to organize, store and preserve vital documents and information, which can be recorded, on the acid-free printed-paper supplied in a removable three-ring binder. The paper is guaranteed to last a lifetime.
To simplify the process, the Doc-U-Keeper has no lock, as the metal might melt under extreme temperatures, as well as the added burden of remembering a combination number.
Docukeeper also supplies emergency-response kits. BNH
For more information on preparing for emergencies, visit the state's Department of Homeland Security Web site at www.ct.gov/hls/site/default.asp.
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