JWA will test for bomb resistance

Deepa Bharath

The airport’s buildings and roadways will undergo tests to see what

kind of damage bomb blasts could cause, airport officials said.

The engineering report will not only look at the damage that

certain types of explosives could cause, but also how such

catastrophic structural damage can be kept to a minimum, said Justin

McCusker, an airport spokesman. “It’ll look at what steps the airport

can take to bring down the risks,” he said. “That includes checking

the condition of the roof, the walls, the floor and glass.”

The $2.8-million study, to be completed in four to six months,

will be based on information made available by federal authorities

about what kind of explosives are being used in attacks across the

globe, McCusker said. The work will begin in April. About 80% of the

cost for this study will be funded by grants from the Federal

Aviation Administration.

This is the second time in 10 years that John Wayne Airport has

undertaken such a study, McCusker said.

“The first time we did it was in 1995,” he said. “Earlier, it was

based on directives from the FAA. Now, those directives come from the

Transportation Security Administration.”

The security administration was set up by President Bush shortly

after the Sept. 11 attacks to ensure airport safety. McCusker said

airports all around the country will conduct the blast damage

analyses.

On Thursday, the Bush administration lowered the weeks-long

“orange” terrorism alert to “yellow.” The orange alert is the second

highest on a five-rung scale. The yellow alert still means there is a

significant chance of an attack.

Engineers will perform three separate blast damage analyses for

all of the airport’s parking structures, roadways, terminals,

buildings and public areas.

“These analyses will be done from time to time,” McCusker said.

“We don’t know when and how often, but will follow directives issued

by the Transportation Security Administration.”

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.