Providence port grants for chemical detectors

Providence port grants for chemical detectors    The Port of Providence, R.I., will install a chemical detection system and a video monitoring system to provide better response to an accidental or intentional chemical release in the environment and track vessel movements.
   Providence city officials said late last month they awarded a contract to Smiths Detection for its FirstView early warning system. The system is funded through a $593,000 grant from the Department of Homeland Security.
   It combines Smiths Detection's chemical detection capabilities, a system called Centurion II, and FirstView video and sensor management software with Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems' Athena command-and-control system to monitor traffic in Narragansett Bay. The Centurion II is a continuous air monitoring system designed to detect and identify a wide range of chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals. Up to 70 chemical sensors can be networked to a central data center, according to Smiths.
   The port area video surveillance system is expected to help the Providence Emergency Management Agency quickly respond to emergencies disasters involving vessels. Using radar, Geographic Information System (GIS) systems and long-range video cameras, vessels can be remotely identified and tracked from the entrance of the Bay at Newport to the loading docks at the Port of Providence. The agency will monitor system data and notify first responders about the identity of a particular chemical, concentrate and approximate location.
   Raytheon will integrate the sensors with the port surveillance technology and a regional communication network to provide maritime domain awareness.