Utah National Guard helps with Super Bowl LVIII security

LAS VEGAS — Thousands of people are heading to Las Vegas as the San Francisco 49ers face off against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII. As a result, security in the city is at an all-time high, and if there are any biological or chemical threats, a specialized team from Utah is there to help.

The team is the 85th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team from the Utah National Guard. Lt. Colonel Rob Dent is the team’s commander.

“There’s a lot of moving pieces on our end. There’s a lot of traffic and a lot of crowds to get through, so it can be a challenge, but it’s a challenge we are up to,” Dent said to KSL TV.

Dent said team members go through 650 hours of training and use high-tech equipment to detect anything out of the ordinary.

“Any toxic material that is released that is a threat to public safety. So that could be a chemical, it could be a biological agent or a radiological agent,” he said.

The team arrived a week before the game. They sweep all the venues before any member of the public is allowed inside. Once venues open, the team is there in case of an attack.

“Huge privilege. It’s not a responsibility we take lightly. We are very vigilant, and we are just grateful to be able to provide for public safety and serve the residents of Nevada,” Dent said.

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