Low-Flying Helicopters In Newton, Brookline Part Of Marathon Security

NEWTON, MA — Residents reported seeing low-flying helicopters patrolling Newton and Brookline Wednesday, which officials say are a normal part of security operations leading up to the Boston Marathon on Monday.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is conducting low-altitude helicopter flights over the Boston Marathon route Wednesday, April 13 through Monday, April 18 in preparation for the race and the events related to it.

The flights were originally scheduled to start on Thursday, April 14, but that was changed due to the weather forecast.

NNSA’s Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST) aircraft will measure expected background radiation as part of standard preparations to protect public health and safety on Marathon Monday. NEST is part of NNSA’s Counterterrorism and Counterproliferation Program.

The public may see NNSA’s twin-engine Bell 412 helicopter, which is equipped with radiation-sensing technology. The helicopter will fly in a grid pattern over the areas at 150 feet (or higher) above the ground at a speed of approximately 80 mph. Flyovers will occur only during daylight hours and are estimated to take approximately two hours to complete per area.

For more information and video footage of NNSA’s Aerial Measuring System, click here.