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Those Scary Subway Gas Tests Started Today


July 9, 2013 | Andy Cush

In April, we told you about a test the NYPD would be running that involved releasing harmless gases throughout the subway system during rush hour to simulate a chemical attack. The gases would be non-toxic, and authorities could track their movements and draw conclusions about how an actual attack might travel. Then, in May, we spotted a subway street art campaign that cleverly raised awareness about the tests (among other things) by imitating the aesthetic of an MTA service change posting.

Those tests began today, and, so far as we know, went off without a hitch. “This field study with [Brookhaven National Laboratory]’s outstanding expertise will help prepare and safeguard the city’s population in the event of an actual attack,” Police Commissioner said in a statement.

(Photo: MTA/Wikimedia Commons)