North Houston on High Alert

by Kim D.

In North Houston, we are on high alert.  In my subdivision helicopters have been circling and the border patrol has been highly visible on the roads.  Obviously, there is a manhunt underway, but due to recent terror attacks, there is a heightened alert for residents. Is this terrorist related?  A Google search hasn't provided any answers, so while we wait, we worry.

Right now, at my son's elementary school, a police patrol is on guard. Like I blogged yesterday, this is becoming the new normal.  While I am thankful that the Houston police have made it a priority to make its presence known at gun-free zones where innocents go about their day, still, there is a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach just knowing the threat is significant enough to station armed police as a deterrent on the premises.

I suspect that the heightened response is due to an armed robbery or assault that happened this morning. A mere break-in wouldn't command this kind of attention.  The border patrol presence indicates that the suspect(s) is Hispanic and presumed to be illegal.

What should be more of a concern to those in Houston are reports that our game wardens are currently engaged in training to thwart potential terrorist smuggling of radioactive material by way of the Port of Houston.

In an interview with local news, Tom Harvey, the Deputy Director for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Departments Communications Division, said Friday that “game wardens encounter all kinds of things on their patrols, including a lot of illegal fishing, and this [the threat of terrorists smuggling radioactive material] is a new threat we’re gearing up to be able to address.” 

Harvey said that the Port of Houston has for years had radiation detectors to scan cargo, but now “we’ve acquired about a hundred devices that allow game wardens to detect radiological or nuclear emissions. These are little devices that can be worn on someone’s belt.” 

The device Harvey referenced is about the size of a cellphone and has the ability to detect radiation signatures, whether it be from energy or medical cargo, or connected to a terrorist plot. 

When questioned  . . .  if there was an active radiological terrorist threat in his region, Harvey said that to his knowledge there was not, but Texas Wardens are currently training for the possibility of a terrorist organization attempting to smuggle radioactive material through the Port of Houston, noting that they had just completed a mock exercise in January resembling that scenario.

Scary stuff - scary times. Thanks Obama!