Smiths Detection2008-08-12 13:12:57
Smiths Detection Appoints Renowned National Lab Scientist to Lead Protect Solutions Team
Dr. Anthony J. Policastro Brings 37 Years of Critical Infrastructure Security and Protection Experience with Argonne National Laboratory
Smiths Detection, part of the global technology business Smiths Group, today announces the appointment of Dr. Anthony J. Policastro as Chief Scientist of its PROTECT Solutions team. Since 1997, Dr. Policastro has worked on critical infrastructure security and protection for transportation systems as director of the Program for Response Options and Technology Enhancements for Chemical/ Biological Terrorism (PROTECT) with the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory.
PROTECT was developed by Argonne initially as a response to the 1995 Sarin gas attacks in the Tokyo subway. Today, PROTECT is the leading early warning crisis management solution for chemical attacks in high-threat infrastructures such as subways, transportation terminals, buildings and airports. It has received funding grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to create and advance the critical infrastructure solution and Smiths Detection has worked closely with Argonne on this program since 2002.
Cherif Rizkalla, President of Smiths Detection, Americas, said: "We are delighted to have Dr. Policastro, with his vast experience, join our team as he adds a wealth of knowledge and senior-level expertise. As the founder of PROTECT, Dr. Policastro will help Smiths Detection expand our unique security and sensor management platform. He will also be instrumental in our efforts to fully leverage our commercial license of the world's largest commercially deployed early warning detection and response solution for mass transit applications."
PROTECT was designed to save lives in the event of terrorist attacks and has been in operation for over three years in Washington DC, New York City, and Boston and is being installed in other major U.S. cities. Recently, the Argonne technology was licensed exclusively to Smiths Detection which is now expanding the PROTECT platform to include biological, radiological and explosives detection capabilities.
Smiths Detection's PROTECT Solutions provides:
• Command, Control & Communications (C3) software integrating CBRNE detectors
• Digital video cameras for verification of detector activations
• Real-time modeling of hazard zones in the facility and outside
• Firemen jacks for outside responders to view the threats before they enter the facility
• Concept of Operations (ConOps) plans and training programs
Dr. Policastro's Background
• 37 years at Argonne National Laboratories
• 5 years senior experience working on the dispersion modeling of chemical and biological agents in subway systems
• Co-authored FTA guidance document on the response to chemical incidents in transit systems
• Managed smart video systems evaluation for threat identification
Dr. Anthony J. Policastro Brings 37 Years of Critical Infrastructure Security and Protection Experience with Argonne National Laboratory
Smiths Detection, part of the global technology business Smiths Group, today announces the appointment of Dr. Anthony J. Policastro as Chief Scientist of its PROTECT Solutions team. Since 1997, Dr. Policastro has worked on critical infrastructure security and protection for transportation systems as director of the Program for Response Options and Technology Enhancements for Chemical/ Biological Terrorism (PROTECT) with the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory.
PROTECT was developed by Argonne initially as a response to the 1995 Sarin gas attacks in the Tokyo subway. Today, PROTECT is the leading early warning crisis management solution for chemical attacks in high-threat infrastructures such as subways, transportation terminals, buildings and airports. It has received funding grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to create and advance the critical infrastructure solution and Smiths Detection has worked closely with Argonne on this program since 2002.
Cherif Rizkalla, President of Smiths Detection, Americas, said: "We are delighted to have Dr. Policastro, with his vast experience, join our team as he adds a wealth of knowledge and senior-level expertise. As the founder of PROTECT, Dr. Policastro will help Smiths Detection expand our unique security and sensor management platform. He will also be instrumental in our efforts to fully leverage our commercial license of the world's largest commercially deployed early warning detection and response solution for mass transit applications."
PROTECT was designed to save lives in the event of terrorist attacks and has been in operation for over three years in Washington DC, New York City, and Boston and is being installed in other major U.S. cities. Recently, the Argonne technology was licensed exclusively to Smiths Detection which is now expanding the PROTECT platform to include biological, radiological and explosives detection capabilities.
Smiths Detection's PROTECT Solutions provides:
• Command, Control & Communications (C3) software integrating CBRNE detectors
• Digital video cameras for verification of detector activations
• Real-time modeling of hazard zones in the facility and outside
• Firemen jacks for outside responders to view the threats before they enter the facility
• Concept of Operations (ConOps) plans and training programs
Dr. Policastro's Background
• 37 years at Argonne National Laboratories
• 5 years senior experience working on the dispersion modeling of chemical and biological agents in subway systems
• Co-authored FTA guidance document on the response to chemical incidents in transit systems
• Managed smart video systems evaluation for threat identification
For more information contact:
Watford
Hertfordshire
WD17 1DW
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 1923 696555
Fax: +44 1923 696559
