Security enhanced to prevent theft of radioactive materials

A few months before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference in Honolulu, government officials have improved security measures in Hawaii to prevent thieves from stealing radiological materials and making a "dirty bomb."

The National Nuclear Security Administration said Monday the state and city have completed installing security measures to prevent theft of radioactive materials — the first to be implemented by any state.

"This momentous achievement has helped make our country more secure from the threat of weapons of mass destruction. Securing vulnerable radiological material is a vital part of implementing President Obama’s nuclear security agenda," agency Administrator Thomas D’Agostino said.

"I want to thank the state of Hawaii and local officials for their continued support in making our country a safer place for all who live and visit here."

City Department of Emergency Management Deputy Director Peter Hirai said prior to the installation, security measures at various Hawaii sites might not have been as consistent.

"There was not a single standard on how we needed to secure radioactive sources," Hirai said.

He said the installation included putting in place alarm systems at various major medical centers that use radiological material to treat cancer patients and agricultural sites treating irradiated produce.

The agency also instructed government and private security people on how to respond to the discovery of stolen or missing radioactive materials.

Hirai said that in 2007 the state volunteered to become the "test program" working with the agency’s Global Threat Reduction Initiative on how to secure civilian radiological materials.

He said as part of the program, city and state officials along with others in the private sector participated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other partners in an alarm response training exercise in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The city Department of Emergency Management said a separate exercise is scheduled for next spring in Honolulu.

"The completion of the security enhancements coincides with the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that will be held in Hawaii in November," department Director Melvin Kaku said.

"President Obama and leaders and representatives from 20 other countries will participate in this event. It was important to have the radiological sources in Hawaii secured under tight enhancement measures."

The agency said it is continuing to install voluntary security upgrades at civilian sites in the United States to reduce the potential for theft or misuse of radiological materials that could be used in a dirty bomb.

The agency said it is working with more than 100 countries to strengthen security at nuclear and radiological facilities.

The security measures apply to civilian areas and not military bases, including Pearl Harbor, where nuclear reactors in submarines are protected by the Navy.