NYPD, Brookhaven Releasing Harmless Gases in Subway for Chemical Weapon Study

[BlueStateSaint]

What could possibly go wrong with this?




NYPD, Brookhaven Releasing Harmless Gases in Subway for Chemical Weapon Study

The NYPD and Brookhaven National Laboratory will begin studying air flow in the subway system

Tuesday, Jul 9, 2013  |  Updated 9:29 AM EDT

The NYPD is releasing harmless gases into the subway system during the morning rush beginning Tuesday to study how chemical weapons could be dispersed through the air.

Police, working with Long Island's Brookhaven National Laboratory, were spotted placing air-sampling devices in specific areas on the street and within the subway system across the five boroughs. Several researchers spent Tuesday morning outfitting the Columbus Circle subway station with the devices.

Researchers will track the movement of harmless tracer gases called perfluorocarbons.


There's three more paragraphs to the story, which can be found here:

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/NYPD-Brookhaven-Gas-Subways-Chemical-Weapon-Study-Equipment-Installation-214692501.html?dr

I like the idea, because one can countless simulations in a lab and not find all of the nuances of the actual system.  but, what if someone decides that this is a perfect time to release some harmful gas and 'piggyback' on this drill?  Or am I needing this emoticon:

[zeitgeist]

I have to agree, what could possibly go wrong with this plan, and will it?  Listen to Buffalo Springfield's <paranoia strikes deep> while ruminating on that for a minute.  

It's not paranoia if people are out to get ya.

[obumazombie]

vesta has a thread about escaping sewer gases. Maybe this story overlaps hers.

[zeitgeist]

vesta has a thread about escaping sewer gases. Maybe this story overlaps hers.

I probably released a bit of gas in the NY subway myself now that I think about it.  I haven't been subterranean for many years but when last I was, it was a quite the blend of smells on a warm day.  A good fragrant release might just be a blessing.  I am thinking cinnamon or vanilla.   Mmmmmm  

Bread or apple pie would work too.

[BlueStateSaint]

I probably released a bit of gas in the NY subway myself now that I think about it.  I haven't been subterranean for many years but when last I was, it was a quite the blend of smells on a warm day.  A good fragrant release might just be a blessing.  I am thinking cinnamon or vanilla.   Mmmmmm  

Bread or apple pie would work too.

Deviled eggs . . .

[NHSparky]

I think you're being a bit paranoid.  We also use a similar process when doing respirator fit tests.

It's no big deal, and no "piggyback" tests would mask it.

[zeitgeist]

I think you're being a bit paranoid.  We also use a similar process when doing respirator fit tests.

It's no big deal, and no "piggyback" tests would mask it.

I always heard radiation smelled like hydrogen.

(FWIW we used banana oil and a tent [which looked much like the Cone of Silence from Get Smart] to check respirator fit before the current fit test machines were available).

This is not the first time they have used the NY subway to test vectors.

{snip}Scientists tested biological pathogens, including Bacillus globigii, which were thought to be harmless, at public places such as subways. A light bulb containing Bacillus globigii was dropped on New York City's subway system; the result was strong enough to affect people prone to illness (also known as Subway Experiment).[56] Based on the circulation measurements, thousands of people would have been killed if a dangerous microbe was released in the same manner.[55]{snip}


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_biological_weapons_program

Biological testing was ended by none other than the arch nemesis of liberals everywhere, Richard Millhouse Nixon, not Landslide Lyndon Johnson, liberal heart throb and progenitor of the Vietnam war.