The DHS/TSA Jack Rabbit Field Trials and the Relevance to Modeling and Simulation

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Chemical Security Analysis Center (CSAC) has successfully completed a field testing effort called Project Jack Rabbit for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), where 2 tons of chlorine and ammonia gas was released in multiple outdoor trials. It is critical for DHS and TSA to understand the nature of such releases because these and other toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) are transported in great quantities in the U.S., and there is concern that these materials in transport could be attractive targets to terrorists. The test program was conducted at Dugway Proving Ground (DPG), a U.S. Army testing installation in Utah , with test execution provided by the Meteorology Division of DPG. The testing teams consisted of a collaborative partnership led by DHS CSAC between multiple government, industrial, academic and international organizations. Ten field trials were successfully conducted at DPG and vast amounts of data from a wide range of detection and analysis equipment was collected. The data and analyses will be used to improve understanding of large-scale releases, enhance modeling methodologies, refine emergency response procedures, and potentially reveal more effective hazard mitigation strategies. A description of the test grid setup and execution, along with video examples of trial releases will be presented. An overview of data collected during the trials will be provided, and the database and website to access the data will also be discussed. Improvements in the modeling and simulation of TICs will aid both the war fighter and civilian responders to terrorist attacks with TICs in both foreign and domestic locales.