The South Suburban Emergency Response Team in Matteson, IL, hosted an emergency response training course January 20 – 31. This course, Tactical Operations for CBRNE Incidents (PER-221), provides tactical team personnel and emergency responders with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely and effectively respond to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) incidents.
Participants learned to apply principles from this course to plans and procedures in their workplaces. The scenarios for this course included a combination of classroom sessions and comprehensive practical exercises. Participants gained knowledge and experience in decontamination procedures; selection and use of PPE; tactical operations involving an IED; identification and characteristics of chemical and biological agents; identification and characteristics of radiological isotopes; use of detection equipment; and planning and performing tactical operations in a CBRNE environment.
The DHS/ FEMA course is designed to help train law enforcement tactical team personnel, and hazardous materials personnel, or other emergency responders who may have a role in CBRNE response.
James Hibbs of the Chicago Heights Police Department / South Suburban Emergency Response Team said the training was a vital part of the ongoing work his agency performs.
“We are a multi-jurisdictional SWAT Team,” Hibbs said. “We have an obligation to be an asset to the communities in which we serve. The TAC OPS training is a necessity which aids in our overall capabilities as a team.”
LSU’s National Center for Biomedical Research and Training/Academy of Counter-Terrorist Education has the ability to bring the Tactical Operations for CBRNE Incidents classes and similar training to locations at no cost to communities. This provides a valuable service to those communities.
“The nearest WMD equipped team has roughly a two-hour response time for a critical incident,” Hibbs added. “Having the capability and knowledge to isolate a threat and render the scene secure will aid in a swift and successful outcome. We have utilized LSU for prior training. The instructors are knowledgeable in all aspects and bring real world experiences to aid in their presentation of material.”
The South Suburban Emergency Response Team, along with other agencies nationwide, recognizes that in today’s environment, potential threats are more common. They are no longer considered remote possibilities. Hibbs said the impact of this type of training is that it becomes an important tool for learning both detailed technical information, and hands-on application of actions required for the safe and effective conduct of tactical operations in CBRNE environments.
“Our team has not experienced any incidents,” Hibbs said. “However, it’s part of our planning and contingency process should we encounter such an issue or call for service. The training now allows us to respond accordingly to crisis situations if required to do so. Following the training course, our team is now 95% CBRNE trained.”
To add to the importance of this type of training, the Democratic National Committee has announced Chicago will host the 2024 Democratic National Convention at the United Center from August 19 to 22. Hibbs said while his agency will not have an initial or active role in that, they may be supporting Chicago SWAT teams.
“Having the capabilities, gear, and relatively quick response time in comparison to other entities, we could be called upon,” Hibbs added. “Having the training, knowledge, and capabilities allows our team to be an asset within the South Suburbs of Chicago.”
The Tactical Operations for CBRNE Incidents course is DHS/FEMA certified and is designed to cover the basic principles of the response paradigm as it pertains to response in the event of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive (CBRNE) incident. More information on this course can be found here.
About LSU NCBRT/ACE:
LSU NCBRT/ACE is a nationally recognized center for emergency preparedness and response training located at Louisiana State University’s flagship campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We provide mobile training to both the national and international emergency response community. LSU NCBRT/ACE has expertise in research, development and delivery of training in the areas of specialized law enforcement operations; biological incident response; food and agriculture safety and security; school safety; and instructional design and technique. For more information on LSU NCBRT/ACE’s courses and resources, please visit ncbrt.lsu.edu.
