How do you train your response teams to tackle a CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) attack on London without endangering public safety or causing a panic? Moreover, how do you create a realistic scenario where the trainees don’t know what to expect, reflecting the truth that responders don’t always know what they’re looking for in a real life situation?
The answer for the London Fire Brigade was to use Argon’s simulators, which the service has now been using for almost ten years.
“Argon Electronics simulators enable us to stage effective exercises that are challenging for the participants but don’t cause a threat to safety,” said Dave Topping, Watch Manager, Hazardous Materials and Environmental Protection Team, London Fire Brigade. “For example, the LCD3.2e-SIM detects a wide range of agents by responding to electronic simulation sources that represent chemical vapours, toxic industrial substances or false positives.”
The Argon Electronics LCD 3.2e-SIM is a high fidelity simulator for the Smiths Detection LCD3.2e, as a simulated chemical warfare agent and toxic industrial substance detector. Training exercises can be set up swiftly and safely, with no need to use simulants that are harmful to the environment or the personnel involved. Because they pose no risk to health, the electronic simulation sources can be set anywhere, including within public buildings, in less than ten minutes.
The Brigade also uses the RDS-200-SIM, an extremely realistic training simulator for the Mirion RDS200, which responds to safe ultrasound simulation Gamma sources. There’s also the EPD-MK2-SIM, a training simulator for the Thermo Scientific EPD-Mk2 dosimeter, which totally replicates the user interface of the real Thermo EPD-Mk2.
The package enables the London Fire Brigade to stage extremely powerful radiological, CBRN and HazMat training exercises and scenarios.
As Dave Topping explained, “The equipment has proven to be extremely successful and it is easy for our crews to use.”
