CBRN / HazMat Training Blog

Radioactive Sources: What They Do and the Need for Caution

Written by Steven Pike on 06 March 2024

Argon’s Steven Pike considers what radiation sources are and why despite their application in everyday life, the existence of radiation sources should not be taken for granted.

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The Dangerous Legacy of the Soviet Union’s Use of Nuclear Technology

Written by Steven Pike on 21 February 2024

Argon’s Steven Pike considers the history and legacy of the Soviet Union’s search for remote energy supply. 

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Why Commercial UAVs Could Change Our Thinking on the Chemical Terrorism Threat

Written by Steven Pike on 14 February 2024

In September 2023, a UK court convicted Mohammad Al-Bared from Coventry of committing acts of terrorism. In December of that year, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years. His crime? Using 3D printer technology to produce an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); he prepared the single-use weapon in a bedroom and planned to export the UAV for use by the Islamic State terror group (ISIL). Chillingly, he hoped that the weapon would be used to deliver a chemical weapon payload.

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Using Orthogonal Detection During CBRNe and HazMat Training Exercises

Written by Steven Pike on 03 August 2023

For many incidents involving specialist CBRNe or HazMat teams, standard protocol may dictate the practice of orthogonal detection, or the use of multiple pieces of equipment to rule out potential false positives. 

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Army hazmat training: An overview of safety certifications

Written by Steven Pike on 17 May 2023

Army hazmat training plays an important role in preparing key personnel for the safe transport of hazardous materials. 

As part of its national defense mission, the US military makes use of a wide range of hazardous substances. These can include petroleum products, chemicals, explosives and solvents - all of which can pose a physical risk if handled improperly.

In this blog post we explore the process by which substances are classified as hazardous and ways in which hands-on army hazmat training scenarios can enhance theoretical understanding of safe handling.

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Argon to Exhibit and Present at the CBRNe Summit Europe 2023

Written by Steven Pike on 15 February 2023

Argon is looking forward to attending the CBRNe Summit Europe in Lisbon, Portugal this March. We plan to exhibit a wide range of CBRN training systems to support training in contamination avoidance,  monitoring and control, reconnaissance, search, and survey and additionally present a conference paper outlining the latest developments enabling you to implement “Real Experience” CBRN training.

Also importantly, we’re going to demonstrate how versatile our devices are by running “real experience training”  scenarios on board a railway train.  

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How to Use Nuclear Training Equipment to Its Full Potential

Written by Steven Pike on 07 February 2023

Correctly utilising nuclear training equipment can be a challenge, especially when navigating things like safety considerations, budget, and instrument calibration. 

Whether you’re looking to improve your team’s ability to assess alarms and their threat statuses or to effectively prevent the release of a radiological dispersal device (RDD), knowing how to use the equipment safely and correctly can make a significant difference in the ability to identify and prevent a radiological incident before it becomes a public hazard. 

In this article, we will take a look at some best practices to consider when using nuclear training equipment, including planning, details on equipment currently in use, and how to solve common issues that arise during training.

Download Free Ebook: Wide Area CBRNe and HazMat Training Using PlumeSIM

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Create engaging first responder radiation training scenarios

Written by Steven Pike on 13 December 2022

"Nothing can compare with realistic training in the fire and rescue service."

- Ross Smallcombe, Firefighter

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Transportation emergency preparedness with radiation simulators

Written by Bryan W Sommers - SGM U.S. Army, Ret. on 28 November 2022

Emergency preparedness starts with building confidence and familiarity with key radiological terminology and instrumentation. This is especially the case when training for transportation emergencies.

While there’s a minimal chance of responders being exposed to harmful quantities of ionizing radiation during daily duties, there is still the very real risk of encountering radioactive material when attending the scene of a transportation accident.

This is why emergency personnel need access to key training and technical assistance to safely and effectively mitigate the effects of radiation incidents.

In this article, we’ll look at:

  • How the Transportation Emergency Preparedness Program (TEPP) can teach responders how to react to radiation accidents
  • The importance of real-experience training to support emergency preparedness
  • A new training tool which can elevate responder radiation training

Related: Running a Safe, Cost-Effective, and Efficient Radiation Training Simulation

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A Guide to the Five Levels of HazMat Response

Written by Bryan W Sommers - SGM U.S. Army, Ret. on 28 October 2022

HazMat training is essential when responding to hazardous materials which have been mishandled, incorrectly transported, or used with malicious intent, as they can pose a substantial risk to human health and the environment.

How effectively these incidents are managed and resolved hinges on the knowledge, training, and skill of those charged with the response.

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