First response technologyRoundup of spring, summer 2016 First Responders Group technology

The Department Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) regularly posts a roundup of key updates from projects currently in the development stages in S&T’s First Responders Group (FRG). S&T offered this outline of FRG’s accomplishments in April, May, and June.

Hill Day Tech Demo
On 15 June, S&T ventured to Capitol Hill for a First Responder Technology Hill Day in which congressional representatives had the opportunity to see how FRG is helping first responders. Two members of Congress stopped by to see S&T’s tech first hand: Representative Dan Donovan (R-New York) Representative Michael McCaul (R-Teaxas), chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security, also attended and tested out several FRG and S&T technologies.

DHS S&T Under Secretary Dr. Reginald Brothers and Deputy Under Secretary Dr. Robert Griffin attended and spoke on how the event was a prime opportunity for S&T’s scientists and engineers and industry partners to illustrate how S&T is addressing the challenges responders face in an effort to keep America safe.

X-Ray Scanning Rover Operational Field Assessment
On 10 May, FRG and the National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) conducted an operational field assessment (OFA) of the X-ray Scanning Rover (XSR), technology that quickly and accurately scans packages real-time for explosive devices, while keeping responders out of harm’s way. The field tests were conducted in Arlington, Virginia, with members of the Michigan State Police, the New York City Police Department, Montgomery County (Maryland) Fire Rescue Service, and federal partner agencies. The goal: gather feedback on the XSR’s overall usability from the responders who may one day use this technology in a real emergency situation.

At the OFA, responders were briefed on operating the technology and answered questions throughout the testing. Moving forward, the company plans to make necessary enhancements to the technology based on input from the operators. NUSTL will compile results from the OFA, are published here.

Response and Defeat Operations Support
FRG’s Response and Defeat Operations Support (REDOPS) program helps the bomb squad community develop and evaluate technologies for rendering improvised explosive devices (IED) safe. The program achieved a major milestone during the first week in April, when Las Vegas law enforcement officers discovered an unusually configured IED. The officers turned to the FBI Las Vegas Field Office for assistance, and the field office subsequently contacted the FBI Counter-IED Unit. The unit recommended disarming the device using a method based on testing funded by the REDOPS program.