New anti-terrorism unit showcased locally
By Joann Groff joann@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers PROTECTION--L.A. County Sheriff's Department Deputy Mark Seibel adjusts a face mask amid other Hazmat equipment.

As threats of terrorism continue around the world, a group of Westlake residents are breathing easier after last week's presentation by a unit of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Chief William McSweeney, head of the sheriff's Office of Homeland Security, led the members of a Westlake service group through the workings of a highly specialized hazardous materials unit, offering a glimpse at the equipment, suits and vehicles that "detect and protect."

The unit, which displayed its wares at the North Ranch Country Club, deals solely with criminal and terrorism-related hazardous materials incidents, including chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear substances which can also be considered weapons of mass destruction.

The unit has been a part of the sheriff's department for only three years, but part of a broader anti-terrorism task force for many years.

"We are designed and trained for a 9/11 bad day when it all hits the fan," said Dep. Mark Seibel, who has worked in the area for eight years. Seibel said the average call concerns a suspicious substance in a letter or package and is handled differently than it may have been a few years ago.

"We don't evacuate half the city now," Seibel said. "It's usually handled in under an hour."

The team includes a number of sworn personnel and a group of chemists who help officers determine what substances they are dealing with. They often perform sweeps of venues before large events and search ships for the Coast Guard when they come into port.

The training is extensive for this highly specialized team. Aside from the hazardous materials state certification that's also standard for the fire department's team, there is training with the Office of Homeland Security and the FBI.

"The minimum is 800 hours for certification," Seibel said. "But everybody has more than that now. You're really useless until you get all trained up."

The unit carries a lot of baggage. There are suits designed for protection from various substances, such as airborne gas or flammable liquids. One suit prevents any outside exposure of the skin--even the air is filtered and delivered from a tank within the suit.

Tools such as a radiological detector can help determine the type of substance that's involved, but Seibel said that in his line of work, decisions have to be made quickly and effectively.

"If alQaida released something in the subway in Los Angeles, I'd probably want the self-contained breathing apparatus suit," Seibel said, referring to the fully protective suit, which looks like an astronaut's outfit.

"But if the bad guys are still down there, then I need to be a cop and take my police tactical gear. It's a little difficult to carry a gun while in that suit, though. So I'm taking my chances in a lesser suit, but that's the decision that needs to be made.

"So it's a lot of quick thinking--what do I bring? What's the best choice?"

McSweeney said it's important to talk about the skills of the unit, as homeland security capabilities are only vaguely known to the public.

"Equipment like this, personnel with these skills--they reassure the public that their safety in the area of homeland security is being intelligently looked after," McSweeney said. "To be able to bring these officers and equipment out and display the abilities they have to detect and respond to mysterious hazards make the public feel more confident."

The chief also emphasized that the L.A. County unit is unique.

"The abilities of this team and this equipment is pretty much one of a kind," McSweeney said. "It's being emulated all over."