Biological and Chemical Agents and HAZMAT - Research Paper Example

Biological and Chemical Agents and HAZMAT Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Materials (CBRN) CBRN is defined as the non-weaponized or the weaponized biological, nuclear, radiological, and chemical materials that can lead to significant harm; this is the definition according to the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Strategy (CBRN Strategy) of the Government of Canada (Public Safety Canada, 2009). These non-weaponized materials have been previously referred to as the Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) or Dangerous Goods (DG). The following things are also included in the non-weaponized materials; contaminated crops, livestock, and food. The term CBRN is used to refer to the HAZMAT or DG (Public Safety Canada, 2009). The CBRN Strategy indicates that these materials pose a significant threat when in the hands of the terrorist. The CBRN strategy does not significantly emphasize explosive threats such as improvised explosive materials (like fuel oil-fertilizer mixture), new threats like blast weapons (an example dirty bombs), and conventional terrorists bombs (pipe bomb); instead it recognizes that these weapons (explosives) can be utilized to deliver the CBRN materials and cause considerable harm (an example is a radiation dispersion device) (Public Safety Canada, 2009). Response to HAZMAT The response to HAZMAT is quite varied among the nations that feel they are threatened by the use of CBRN by the terrorists. Three key nations will be discussed in regard to the response to HAZMAT; these nations include Canada, Australia and United States. Canada The Canadian Emergency Preparedness Management College in collaboration with Federal Government agencies and departments developed a detailed Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) Training Program for the first responders such as the fire paramedics, the police, and medical personnel (Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 2008). The program is intended to deliver training activities to the first responders at four different levels; level 3 and 4 are of great significance to this study. Level 1 involves the introductory awareness training and Level 2 involves the basic training. Level 3 involves the intermediate training and it is offered to the individuals who are capable of intervening to neutralize and mitigate the incident and take an express action to save the lives. These people are the bomb technicians, the forensics identification specialists, the HazMat teams and the emergency medical services. Level 4 involves advanced training and it is offered to the specialized individuals who are vital in resolving the CBRN incident. These people are the emergency medical services and HazMat personnel, bomb technicians and the forensics specialists. Australia Weapons of mass destruction (WMD) are real and their growth is very significant. A number of states are creating WMD in infringement of the multilateral treaties. Within the Australia, the probability of using the WMD in the terrorist style has been determined by the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) and other relevant agencies (Howell, 2005). Most of these weapons expected from the State programs are not the traditional based style weapons; they are improvised devices that have harmful biological toxins or organisms, toxic industrial chemicals or hazardous chemicals, or radioactive materials. Although they are not possible events, the government and other relevant groups have undertaken significant incident and preventive response work. A good example is a terrorist that happened in 1995; the terrorist attack group (Aum Sect of Tokyo) used sarin (a nerve agent) to perform the terrorist attack. However, before the incident happened, the sect had acquired property in Western Australia and the group was believed to have tried to continue with WMD aims in that place but the attempt was unsuccessful (Howell, 2005). United States The State of New Jersey In the United States, the State of New Jersey has a Hazardous Material Response Unit (HRMU) has a multi-function mission in the response, force protection, and support in the State Police as a law enforcement, interdiction, and prevention agency (Special Operations Section, n.d.). HRMU offers planning and response support for the biological, nuclear, chemical, explosive, and radiological incidents to include, detection, sampling, agent surveillance, and the identification of the Hazardous Materials/CBRNE materials. HMRU also offers direct support in environmental monitoring, resource acquisition, scene management and decontamination (Special Operations Section, n.d.). NJSP HRMU (New Jersey State Police Hazardous Materials Response Unit) offers nonstop response abilities to the clandestine laboratories, CBRNE incidents and hazardous materials to the state of New Jersey. The mission of the unit is to help the local, other federal and state agencies in the recognition of the intensity of the incident and if necessary, collect, record, and make analysis to the materials or the hazardous evidence. Of great importance is the task offered by HRMU; HRMU is mandated to offer CBRNE/HazMat training (Special Operations Section, n.d.). The training is composed of the following things; (a) HazMat First Responder Awareness, (b) Operations and Technician level training programs, and (c) the training programs for the custom designed responder. It is important to note that there are different levels of response that are required in the different levels of training. The training programs offered by the NJSP HRMU address the necessities for the individuals who will respond to the hazardous materials incident (Special Operations Section, n.d.). The State of California In the state of California, the California Emergency Management Agency has developed a Hazardous Materials Tool Kit which contains the response to the hazardous materials and other activities related to the hazardous materials, that is, the emergency management phases (preparedness, mitigation, and preparedness). The response to the hazardous materials incidents entails measures such as the activation of emergency operation centers, the implementation of the emergency plans, the issuance of safety and health directions and warnings, the mobilization of resources, the provision of the social and medical services help, the declaration of the emergencies as directed by the proper legislation, and the enforcement of regulations and laws (California Emergency Management Agency, 2011). The response phase is designed to control or eliminate the acute immediate threat to the environment and the public health. An effective response is capable of partially or completely get rid of the threat to the environment and the human health (California Emergency Management Agency, 2011). References California Emergency Management Agency. (2011). Hazardous materials tool kit. State of California: Author. Howell, J. (2005). AVCC’s Occupational Health and Safety Officer’s Conference. Adelaide University. Public Safety Canada. (2009). The chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear strategy of the government of Canada. Canada: Author. Royal Canadian Mounted Police. (2008). Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) training. Canada: Author. Special Operations Section. (n.d.). Hazardous Materials Response Unit. Available from http://www.state.nj.us/njsp/divorg/homelandsec/hrmu.html Read More