The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday said it will expand its urban area radiation and nuclear threat detection program to the greater Washington, D.C., region, making it the third area to become part of the Securing the Cities program since the launch in 2006.
The program, which is managed by the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), will provide up to $30 million in grant funding over five years for the National Capital Region, beginning with $6 million in 2014. The direct grants will go to the District of Columbia’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA).
The Securing the Cities program launched in the New York City region in 2006 as a pilot before transitioning to a sustained program. The current program extends to a 150-mile radius around the city and includes thousands of pieces of radiation detection equipment. In 2012 DHS launched the program in the Los Angeles and Long Beach area of California.
The goal of the program is to mitigate the risk of a nuclear or radiological terrorist event in cities facing the highest risk.
“Expanding the Security the Cities program to the National Capital Region, New York City and Los Angeles and Long Beach, is another step in our efforts to raise the nation’s capabilities to protect against catastrophic threats,” Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a statement. “This program is a key part of the department’s efforts to enhance the capability of all our partners to detect and interdict dangerous radiological and nuclear weapons in major metropolitan areas.”
DHS said it plans to expand the Securing the Cities program to additional cities in the coming years. In addition to the District of Columbia, the National Capital Region encompasses counties and cities within the local Maryland suburbs and Northern Virginia.
Under the program, DNDO typically provides equipment and related funding for the purchase of radiological and nuclear detection and monitoring equipment, such as radiation portal monitors, mobile, portable and handheld detection equipment. In addition, DNDO provides equipment, training, and subject matter expertise to help participants with exercises, improve their detection capabilities and coordinate with federal authorities. DNDO also helps with alarm adjudication.
The federal grant funding will help HSEMA work with its regional partners to build a sustainable nuclear detection capability for the National Capital Region. DHS said that the initial efforts will focus on analyzing current capabilities in the area and planning for post-program sustainment activities.
Congress appropriated $22 million for Securing the Cities in FY ’14. House and Senate appropriators have agreed to provide $19 million for the program in FY ’15, $7 million more than requested, to support ongoing efforts and expand it to new cities.
When DHS announced the inclusion of L.A. and Long Beach as part of Securing the Cities in 2012, the area initially received a $1 million direct grant and another $500,000 in training support.