Title: Strengthening first
responders and medical emergency services in case of
chemical incidents
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Target area: Middle East
Total estimated cost: euro
Project Duration: 36 months
Starting date: 1/1/2014
Domain: Chemical |
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Project Implementer: Military Institute of
Hygiene and Epidemiology (MIHE), Poland |
Objectives:
The project aims to elaborate a
series of improvements in CBRN risk Mitigation in
partner countries in the Middle East (Iraq, Jordan and
Lebanon). The work packages are as follows:
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Knowledge development and transfer of best practice
on inter-agency response.
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Awareness, risk
assessment, import/export monitoring and management
of dangerous chemical agents.
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Capacity building
of national HAZMAT (abbreviation from HAZardous
MATerials) intervention teams in emergency
preparedness and response to incidents.
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Strengthening
capacities of the emergency medical service (EMS) in
preparedness and response to incidents involving
dangerous materials.
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Enhancing on-site
detection, sampling, sample handling and analysis
capabilities for dangerous chemicals.
Main Activities:
The project basically covers two
categories of actors: the first responders and the
emergency medical services.
The first responders will receive an advanced training
in management and risk assessment of dangerous
chemicals, including chemical weapons or their
precursors.
One important work package includes the delivery of a
large set of equipment necessary for protection and
decontamination of the first responder teams, as well as
detection and identification of the dangerous materials
(including chemical, biological or radiological
materials). The equipment covers a team of 20 people in
each country. A training programme dedicated to
emergency response is foreseen, based on the same “train
the trainers” approach.
The training programme for the first responders is not
limited only to intervention on the event site, but will
also cover detection, identification and material
sampling techniques. This programme will be tailored
made for each country. On one side this will allow them
to better plan their intervention, and one the other
side they will be aware for instance of forensic aspects
that might be relevant later during an eventual legal
action.
The second category of actors involved is the medical
emergency services. The approach is the same as for the
first responders: the state of the art international
knowledge on this matter will be compiled, and the
national practitioners from the countries will be
identified during the preparatory phase. An advanced
training programme will be developed and delivered in
each country, focused on medical intervention in case of
an incident involving dangerous chemical, biological and
radiological materials. In addition some simulations
will be carried out, and the personal will receive
training on using personal protective equipment for
themselves, decontamination of the patients.
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