CBRN / HazMat Training Blog

The deliberate release of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) or toxic materials in civilian settings represents a serious threat - not only to the individuals within those communities, but to the personnel charged with the initial response, specialist incident management and medical care.

The discovery of the use of the 'novichok' nerve agent in Salisbury UK in March 2018, for example, was a stark reminder of how vulnerable the wider civilian population can be to the effects of targeted and pernicious CBRNe activities.

Preparing civilian first responders and military teams for the threat of possible chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive (CBRNe) attacks is a top priority for countries around the world.

The very nature of CBRNe threat detection, however, all too frequently relies on the ability to monitor and manage the 'invisible' - which can present unique challenges for both trainees and their trainers.

The rising prevalence of terrorist and CBRNe threats around the world is forcing fire services, and their personnel, to undergo some dramatic changes.

The traditional role of the firefighter is steadily evolving as they are increasingly being called upon to expand their core competencies and to hone their disaster preparedness skills.

Fires, accidents and rescues are now just part of the remit - with the increasing need to be able to respond to CBRNe events and to manage the command and control of major incidents.

Electronic radiation simulators provide trainees with realistic first-hand experience of handling detector equipment that is identical to that which they will use in the field.

But while the use of simulator detectors can offer significant advantages for both student and instructor, as with any form of training method there may be some compromises.

In this blog post we explore some of the pros and the cons of radiation safety training using simulator detectors.

CBRNe and HazMat incidents have the potential to contaminate large numbers of the general public.

Emergency response teams are constantly looking for ways to improve their operations.

Simulated exercises, training classes and seminars can all provide valuable insight into tactics and technologies that can be applied in real life HazMat incidents.

However unless feedback on incident response and command is recorded (and can be easily shared with personnel), a valuable learning opportunity can risk being lost.

The latest product developments and innovations in HazMat training and safety will be on show at the International Hazmat Response Teams Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, June 13th to 16th 2019.

This highly-regarded annual event is organized by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and typically attracts a wide range of HazMat professionals working in the fields of first response, emergency planning, regulatory compliance, counter-terrorism, federal facilities and law enforcement.

The 13th CBRNe Protection Symposium (formerly the CBW Protection Symposium) will take place at the MalmöMassän Exhibition and Congress Center in Malmö, Sweden this September 24th to 26th 2019.

The ever-evolving character of modern-day CBRNe threats has relevance that reaches far beyond military defence circles, with an increasing number of biological, chemical and explosive terrorist acts taking place in civilian settings throughout the world.

In April 2019 Birmingham played host to the largest gathering of CBRNe officials in Europe at CBRNe Summit Europe 2019.

For those who attended, the three-day event offered the opportunity to hear analysis on the CBRNe threats currently facing the UK, to get an overview of European military CBRNe capabilities and to gain better understanding of first responder techniques in the event of a terrorist attack.

Chemical warfare agents (CWAs) are highly toxic chemicals that have been used in modern military conflicts dating back to the First World War.

In the last couple of decades however, particularly close attention has been paid to the acute and chronic health effects associated with exposure to these agents.

In this blog post we define five of the most common forms of CWA, their methods of dispersal, their modes of action and their effects on the human body.