PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Base officials deemed the east gate safe after following precautionary measures when a radiological detector properly activated on a commercial vehicle near Marksheffel Road at approximately 1 p.m. today.
Base emergency responders determined the commercial vehicle causing the activation was appropriate for entry onto the installation and the restricted zone was lifted shortly after. There was no threat to personnel in the surrounding area, however all protocols were followed. Secondary confirmation measures were taken to ensure a clear definition of the detector activation. Base officials stress this was a precautionary measure in accordance with established response protocols and there was no threat to the community.
The initial restriction zone affected several buildings on the east side of the installation, as well as Marksheffel Road. In concert with local authorities, alternate routes were prescribed temporarily until the area was confirmed safe. Several facilities were in the restricted area and took immediate precautionary measures. There was minimal off-installation impact due to the rural nature of Marksheffel Road, however Colorado Springs Police and El Paso County Sheriff did well in containing the protected area off base.
"This is what we train for, and the base responders and our civilian partners performed well to give us the precautionary safety zone necessary to ensure this potential situation was contained," Col. Jeffrey Flewelling, 21st Space Wing vice commander said. "Our protocols were followed to the letter, and I'm confident we took the proper safety precautions while we investigated this alarm activation."
The base regularly trains for these types of scenarios to ensure maximum readiness in the event of an actual event.