LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — As the Super Bowl gets closer, national, state, and local officials are getting ready for the thousands of visitors coming to the Las Vegas valley.
Starting on Monday, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration will do low-altitude helicopter flights across the valley to measure expected background radiation. Federal officials said this is part of standard preparations to protect public health and safety on the day of an event.
You can see an example of what those radiation readings look like below, which is an example of a scan over the Washington D.C. area.
You may see the agency's twin-engine Bell 412 helicopter flying in grid patterns about 150 feet high and going about 80 miles per hour. Flyovers will only happen during the day and will take about two hours to complete each area.
The flyovers are scheduled to run through Thursday, Feb. 8.
These types of tests aren't unusual in Las Vegas and typically happen around New Year's Eve celebrations as well.
