Oct. 7—A new gunshot detection system and additional security cameras are among safety enhancements to be installed at Charleston's Yeager Airport, thanks to a $195,000 grant from the state Division of Emergency Management's Department of Homeland Security.
The gunshot detection system, to be installed in both the main passenger building and general aviation terminal, uses a system of sensors to detect both the acoustic signatures and visual muzzle flashes of firearms being discharged.
The system, designed to enable a rapid response to an active shooter incident, will be the first of its kind to operate in a West Virginia airport.
The additional security cameras will be installed in the main passenger terminal, the Transportation Security Administration's passenger screening checkpoint, and at points along the airport's perimeter.
The grant also allows the airport to install a Mindshare dispatch console at its Response Coordination Center to enhance emergency communication capabilities.
"With the assistance provided by this grant, integrated with systems already in place, the level of safety at Yeager Airport will move to a whole new level," said Eric Johnson, the airport's chief of police.
— Staff reports
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