SubscribeThe containment of and rapid recovery from a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) incident is vital for the economic and psychological well being of the affected area and population, whether the incident is accidental or intentional.
Preparation is key, with the systems and solutions pre-positioned for as near-immediate remediation as possible. The positioning of equipment and solutions must be near enough to potential strategic targets as possible without being so close as to become damaged or rendered inaccessible or inoperable should an incident occur. Maintenance of the equipment, as well as on-going training, must also be considered.
So what does a 'comprehensive' solution look like? Intelagard offers the most comprehensive and effective response and recovery package available today. The Decontamination Optimization Response Management System (DORMS) software package, a GIS and enterprise database integrated software application, helps prepare in advance for planning response scenarios.
Upon the initial discovery of an incident, DORMS manages the analytical measurement data as it comes in from the field and begins to map the contamination, generate a decontamination plan, and assess human health risks for first responders, decontamination personnel, and civilians. The intelligent remediation plan provides data to determine the varying levels of personal protective gear and equipment necessary to protect those workers who are performing the actual decontamination.
Scaleable rugged deployment equipment, ranging in size from a small case-mounted handheld unit and a man-portable backpack unit to large-scale truck-trailer systems are important to successful response and recovery. The capability of these systems to effectively deploy different formulations for CB and RN decontamination is vital to implementing a cost effective solution.
The powerful and effective chemical/biological decontamination formula EasyDECON™ DF200 kills biological threats including anthrax, plague and other weaponized biological agents, Avian Flu, SARS, E Coli and blood borne pathogens to name a few. The same formula has been proven effective at neutralizing chemical agents, including Vx, GB (Sarin), GD (Soman), HD (mustard), as well as a broad range of Toxic Industrial Chemicals and Materials (TICS / TIMS).
The formula is also extremely adept at killing mold spores while at the same time neutralizing mycotoxins given off by the spores. Other formulations remove both smearable and fixed radiological contaminants from various surfaces and substrates. The formulation can also be used to 'tack down' loose or 'smear-able' radioactive contaminants, thereby arresting the spread of the contamination plume and limiting the amount of area requiring remediation.
Using the map generated by DORMS, it is possible to calculate the amount of decontamination formulation necessary to remediate the situation. Intelagard equipment and solutions may be used for both internal as well as external infrastructure decontamination. As decontamination is accomplished, previously 'hot' or contaminated areas of the map will be restored to a 'safe' status. The US Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have implemented and accepted DORMS-generated reports in an accelerated decommissioning of a former nuclear processing site.
Multi-Hazard Equipment
While pre-positioning equipment and solutions may initially seem expensive, the fact is that Intelagard equipment may be used for fire suppression and Hazmat remediation as well as CBRN decontamination. In a large scale CBRN incident, the availability of effective, multi-purpose equipment and solutions can save significant time and money by recovering infrastructure that may have otherwise required demolition and restoring functionality, thereby minimizing ancillary economic impact.
Behind the scenes at the 2004 Olympics, Republican and Democratic National Conventions, the G-8 Summit, and the Salt Lake City Olympics, teams were trained and prepared to respond to a wide variety of incidents, whether accidental or man-made. From decontamination to fire, the ability to act quickly and efficiently was in place. Intelagard equipment played an integral part in the response plans at these events.
From a training perspective, the more experience users have with the equipment, the faster the response will be should an incident occur. Response time in such situations may mean the difference between a manageable and an unmanageable event, and possibly even between life and death.
When scenario planning, it is important to avoid failure of imagination. A fire might be set to cover up a radiological material release. Or an apparent fuel spill could turn out to be an intentional toxic chemical discharge. With Intelagard equipment, you can decontaminate a lab, control toxic chemical vapors, and suppress fire using the same unit by simply changing the formulation as appropriate.
The ability to deploy this new generation of CBRN formulations as expanded foam provides a number of important benefits to the responder. Foaming solutions deployed through Intelagard systems have the unique ability to adhere to vertical and inverted surfaces, minimizing solution runoff and allowing the durable foam blanket to maintain required wet contact time between the detected agent and the formulation. The expanded foam blanket provides easy visual reference for responders in protective equipment, ensuring sufficient coverage and alleviating unnecessary re-applications and wasted materials.
The foam blanket functions to suppress escaping vapors, and has been found to be four to five times as effective as water at suppressing fire. The ability to expand solutions into foam also allows for maximum area coverage per liquid volume, again saving time and money. Intelagard systems are capable of applying compressed air foam, air aspirated foam and liquid formulas with simple control adjustments, in order to quickly and effectively switch operational modes to match specific needs.
The costs of not preparing for an incident are always going to be orders of magnitude greater than the cost of proper preparation. However, budgets are limited and available monies need to be allocated to provide the most effective and comprehensive response capabilities available. The ability to deploy multiple hazard response systems with broad spectrum, state of the art formulations in a comprehensive, integrated response package is a major step in maximizing the effectiveness gained with each budget dollar spent.
