NDMA conducts training programme for CBRN emergencies at Mumbai airport

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is conducting a basic training programme at the Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. The six-day training programme, starting  from  today, aimed at enhancing the preparedness of Airport Emergency Handlers (AEHs) to respond to CBRN emergencies at the airports. CBRN emergencies pertain to threats emanating due to Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear material. The training programme is being conducted in collaboration with the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS).          

Handling CBRN emergencies need specialised skills and efforts. In fact, even a small CBRN related event can cause panic among people at the airports. This training programme will improve the CBRN safety at our airports by enabling the AEHs to handle any CBRN emergency.

The programme consists of lectures as well as field training, including live demonstrations of detection and decontamination including use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Besides equipping the AEHs to handle CBRN emergencies, the training programme will also enable them to provide medical first aid and initial psycho-social support.

Experts from stakeholder departments such as Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), INMAS, National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) will train the participants.

A total of 200 personnel will be trained on various aspects of CBRN emergencies. This includes sensitization of 150 working level staff in a half day module.

Earlier, similar programmes were successfully completed at Chennai and Kolkata airports. NDMA is conducting a series of such programmes at airports across the country to enable AEHs to respond suitably till the arrival of specialised response teams.