As was announced
earlier this year and started in August, the Massachusetts Bay
Transportation Authority (MBTA) is continuing to assist the Department
of Homeland Security Science and Technology
Directorate (DHS S&T) in testing safety sensors in MBTA stations in
Cambridge
DHS S&T has developed a series of sensors
that can rapidly detect biological material, and has installed these
sensors in three MBTA stations (Davis, Harvard, and Porter). In order to
be sure that these safety systems are performing effectively,
several tests will be conducted using a harmless killed bacterium that
is non-infectious and is approved as a food supplement.
These tests began in August and the next round of tests will begin in the early morning hours of October 24, 2012,
with additional tests occurring periodically over the next year. Tests
will be performed after hours when the MBTA stations are closed to the
public. Signs will be posted in the MBTA stations one day before each
scheduled test.
While these systems are being evaluated,
Massachusetts public health officials will be working closely with DHS
and the MBTA to monitor the results. The MBTA and DHS are coordinating
all of these efforts with the Massachusetts Department
of Public Health, the Cambridge Public Health Department, and the
Somerville Health Department, with support from the Massachusetts
Emergency Management Agency.
The results from the testing will provide the
necessary confidence to authorities that the sensor network will detect
an incident. Questions regarding testing should be submitted to: MBTATest@hq.dhs.gov.
tpdnews.