Written by Head of Projects, Paul Bulmer
As the UK CAA’s appointed provider of Certification and Quality Assurance of Free Running Explosive Detection Dogs (FREDDs) for cargo operations, Redline Assured Security has seen the use of specially trained dogs with high detection capabilities quadruple in the past four years.
There are multiple benefits to employing quality assured FREDDs in maintaining high-level security which are becoming more widely recognised, from consistency of outcomes and cost savings, to addressing the practical aspects of detecting explosives in out-sized cargo consignments.
Certified FREDDs deployed in quality assured working environments can be depended upon consistently to provide sharp, real-time detection capabilities for commodities in a cargo facility that cannot be achieved with an X-ray machine. Whilst X-ray machine technology is continuously developing across aviation, challenges remain for screening some types of cargo, cargo consignments or commodities. Cargo X-ray screeners may be presented with an image that is dense or overly cluttered, beyond the capabilities of X-ray detection capability, and are therefore unable to read images with precision, or they might be distracted during the screening process for a reason that is simply a part of human nature. There are also some packages that are simply too large or heavy to go through an X-ray machine without dismantling and unpacking them, which all add unwanted time to time-sensitive consignments, increased cost to an otherwise relatively cheap means of transportation, and complexity to seemingly straightforward items.
By contrast, the olfactory receptors in trained Explosive Detection Dogs (EDD) are not affected by distractions, rarely by consignment makeup, and by comparison provide a quick, reliable and cost-effective solution for cargo screening. If the environment is correctly prepared with trained personnel and there is explosive material to be detected, a dog will detect it due to a sense of smell that is so acute they are able to detect as little as a trillionth of a gram of explosive.
With the right dog handler, FREDDs work rapidly and efficiently. Far outweighing the cost and time it takes to install X-ray machines and train and deploy machine operators; a dog and their handler may only be required for an hour (depending on the volume of commodities to be screened) in a cargo facility to perform the necessary detection activity to reduce risk. In addition, the shape or size of consignments often requires time-consuming dismantling or stripping down to fit through the aperture of an X-ray machine, whereas a trained dog can be let to do its job, working expeditiously in or around a pallet.
As the sole provider of Certification and Quality Assurance of existing FREDD providers and others looking to enter the market, Redline also provides a mandatory training module for cargo supervisors and cargo managers who are present during the screening of cargo by FREDDs. Available as eLearning or as classroom-based, depending on the role, the course equips delegates with knowledge of the wider threat to aviation, prohibited articles and concealment, and detection dogs’ screening methods.
As the number of certified FREDD providers grow, Redline is committed to developing new ways to reinforce consistency, increase efficiency and achieve better outcomes in risk mitigation across nationwide cargo operations. We have invested in digital platforms to collate and analyse data from daily quality assurance testing, the monitoring of dog performance over periods of time, the availability of repeatedly trained personnel, and the needs and specifications of cargo facilities across the UK. This clear, real-time overview of capabilities and expectations, means the more effective deployment of FREDD providers to cargo facilities, resulting in more widespread, efficient risk reduction and better outcomes.
Such is the power of the irreplaceable high detection capabilities of trained dogs to mitigate risk, the first time, every time, Redline strongly supports the aviation industry’s ongoing exploration into how the FREDDs programme can evolve and expand across the aviation infrastructure. This would mean that certified FREDD providers could potentially be deployed across a broader portfolio of security measures, including the screening of passengers and cabin bags.
To find out more about FREDDs and how your organisation can benefit, speak to our industry experts at sales@trustredline.co.uk or visit our FREDDs page.