From 25 to 29 March 2013, two instructors from Hotzone Solutions (HZS) provided assistance to the Centre d’expertise Sécurité Nucléaire – Nucléaire, radiologique, biologique et chimique (CE-SN-NRBC) during a training course conducted at Airbase 120, Cazaux, France.
 
The training course, which was attended by some 13 fire fighters, consisted of theoretical modules and a series of practical exercises, two of which included scenarios dealing with chemical and biological threats.
 
Hotzone Solutions’ new generation of chemical warfare agent simulants were used during the training. Hotzone Solutions instructors provided training on how to use HZS simulants, prepared or contributed to the preparation of indoor and outdoor practical exercises, and tested the proposed scenarios together with the instructors of the CE-SN-NRBC.
 
The management team of the CE-SN-NRBC and the trainees expressed their full satisfaction with the professionalism of the two HZS instructors and with the realism of the exercises when using the new generation of chemical warfare agent simulants.

The northern winter this year presented many challenges to outdoor live agent training as the Dutch Military found when starting their first of their series of trainings for 2013, in March. This training was a continuation of the CBRN company deployment exercises of 2012 to develop their individual and collective skills in detection and decontamination operations.

The combination of cold conditions and heavy snow tested not only the participants but also the adaptability and experience of the Hotzone Solutions Staff, to find solutions to enable the training to continue.

Hotzone Solutions Staff supported this training for the 101 (NLD) CBRN defense company with staff and a decontamination platoon; CBRN Response Unit (Detection, Identification and Monitoring) with 4 squads within safety and supervisory roles.

It could have been the case that no training was conducted at all but for the ability of the facility, HZS and the Dutch Military commanders to work together to overcome these wintry obstacles.

In the end the training was conducted successfully and provided the Dutch personnel valuable experience in adverse working conditions.

As a follow-up to the introduction of the international CBRNE master’s course being conducted by the university of Tor Vergata, Rome/Italy, in collaboration with Hotzone Solutions, the Netherlands, the University has published their most recent Newsletter outlining the Live Agent "Pilot Module" being conducted by Hotzone Solutions.

The Newsletter can be downloaded here: Master CBRNe Newsletter No.8

The new International CBRNE Master’s Course will be launched during the academic year 2013-2014, and will include, among other innovations,  live agent training. It will comprise:

A two-year International CBRNE Master’s Course (120 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) points).

A one-year Executive Master’s Programme (60 ECTS points).

The master’s course, supported by international partners from four countries, is planned to start in autumn 2013. It will apply ECTS, a central tool in the Bologna Process aimed at ensuring comparability of national systems. It is designed to produce well-trained, highly-skilled and knowledgeable professionals, capable of coping effectively with any CBRNE threat-related scenario. Various organisations and universities from all over the world have already shown a marked interest in the master’s course.

Registration at the university of Tor Vergata/Rome/Italy will be open as of July 2013.

More information can be found at www.mastercbrn.com or you can mail Questo indirizzo e-mail è protetto dallo spam bot. Abilita Javascript per vederlo. Questo indirizzo e-mail è protetto dallo spam bot. Abilita Javascript per vederlo. Questo indirizzo e-mail è protetto dallo spam bot. Abilita Javascript per vederlo.

Hotzone Solutions recently started a series of field testing; why?

First Responders, according to NATO Civil Emergency Planning‘s International CBRN Training Curriculum are defined as “individuals and teams that are involved in activities that address the immediate and short-term effects of a CBRN emergency”.

The result of our on-going testing program will help these groups of responders to better understand detection, protection and decontamination requirements in relation to CBRN incidents.  They will attempt to answer the questions that are of concern to all first responders.

Our test projects in 2013 will focus on the decontamination of personal protective equipment (PPE).

We have developed our own test protocols to evaluate current decontamination procedures for their effectiveness and limitations.  In these decontamination tests we use real Chemical Warfare Agents, in a field environment, and contaminate according to expected concentration levels that may be found at a CW related incident and apply common methods of decontamination.

The results will be made available to interested governmental agencies and organisations as well as the CBRN related industry (i.e. manufacturers of protective clothing).

Hotzone Solutions’ first project was

•    THE DECONTAMINATION OF PROTECTIVE BUTYL RUBBER GLOVES.

A summary of this project can be downloaded here:

HZS Summary on Decontamination Butyl Rubber Gloves

Should you be interested in the full test result then please contact

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