Feds conduct aerial radiation measurements as part of Super Bowl preps

Southland residents may see a helicopter making low-level flights over the region Wednesday as the National Nuclear Security Administration completes background radiation measurements as part of safety preparations for the upcoming Super Bowl.

According to the agency, the flights — which began Tuesday — are being done in a twin-engine Bell 412 helicopter equipped with radiation-sensing technology. The pilot is flying in a “grid pattern” at an altitude of about 150 feet, and moving around 80 mph, measuring normal background radiation levels ahead of the Feb. 13 game and its associated events.

“These surveys are a normal part of security and emergency preparedness activities,” according to a statement from the agency, which is a division of the U.S. Department of Energy. “DOE/NNSA is making the public aware of the upcoming flights so citizens who see the low-flying aircraft are not alarmed.”

According to the agency, the measurements are “part of standard preparations to protect public health and safety on the day of an event.”