Center for Domestic Preparedness to Resume Live-Agent Training

ANNISTON, Ala. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) announced today that the Center will resume using nerve agents and biologicals in some of its hazardous materials training courses on Jan. 11.  In late 2016, the CDP suspended the use of the nerve agents GB and VX, and biologicals ricin and anthrax after it was discovered the Center’s Chemical, Ordnance, Biological, and Radiological training facility (COBRATF) had received, via third party vendor, and had been using a more toxic version of ricin in training than what CDP had ordered.  Since then, the CDP has continued to conduct hazardous material training at its COBRA facility, but without those agents and biologicals. To resume training with the materials, the CDP will purchase ricin A-chain from a different vendor in the CDC’s Select Agent Program.  CDP staff have visited and validated the reliability of the vendor’s processes. The vendor will also ship orders to a laboratory at DHS’s National Bioforensic Analysis Center for analysis before being shipped to the CDP for use in training. That third-party validation process will add to a number of recent enhancements – both physical and administrative – at the COBRA facility aimed at making it even safer for those training with the four types of materials. These improvements include: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved respirator masks for students and COBRATF sta...
Source: JEMS: Journal of Emergency Medical Services News - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Training Industry News Source Type: news