NBC Training

[Rez]

Have any of you heard of, or taken courses which focus specifically on NBC safety, use of NBC equipment, MOPP4 scenarios, or operations in biologically or chemically hazardous environments?
When humanitarian missions like the DART, etc. are required to enter into an environment with biological hazards (such as a disease outbreak) or chemical hazards (areas where chemical weapons are used, or where radiation is a potential hazard), what courses or certifications would be necessary before deploying?

I'm looking to use my military experience to gain some competence around chemical or biological hazards, as I'm likely going to work in a lab once I'm done my degree and want some lab safety experience to throw on the old resume. If anybody has any other ideas regarding how I could get some relevant experience through the military, that'd be appreciated as well. Thanks

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Have any of you heard of, or taken courses which focus specifically on NBC safety, use of NBC equipment, MOPP4 scenarios, or operations in biologically or chemically hazardous environments?

You haven't heard of CBRN trg?  There is the basic CBRN trg you would do during Basic Trg and everything in between that and the high speed stuff CBRN Ops would be trained up to. 

Some units maintain their currency at a higher state / lvl but that isn't something you should find on the Internet.

When peacekeeping efforts such as the DART, the Red Cross, etc. are required to enter into an environment with biological hazards (such as a disease outbreak) or chemical hazards (areas where chemical weapons are used, or where radiation is a potential hazard), what courses or certifications would be necessary before deploying?

DART = humanitarian missions. 

Red Cross questions are likely better answered by the Red Cross ???

I'm looking to use my military experience to gain some competence around chemical or biological hazards, as I'm likely going to work in a lab once I'm done my degree and want some lab safety experience to throw on the old resume. If anybody has any other ideas regarding how I could get some relevant experience through the military, that'd be appreciated as well. Thanks

I'm not sure the CF CBRN trg is there for the reason you are looking for (padding the resume).  Why not join a local EMS oufit and try to get onto their HAZMAT team or something. 

 

[MikeL]

Are you Reserve or Regular Force? This may affect what options may or may not be available.

Outside of the NBCD Course that MCpl and above(?) can attend, I'm not sure what other courses would be available. It probably isn't what you would consider "lab time" though.

During the year as part of IBTS, and pre deployment the only NBC stuff that I remember is the gas mask fitting/testing, and the gas hut.  In basic we had a class on NBC threats and what they do to you, etc. Deploying into a theatre with a known/likely NBC threat would probably have some more added in. 


DART probably isn't what you want, if you want to be around NBC stuff; the only option I can think of that may be relevant to what you want is the Canadian Joint Incident Response Unit, and trying to be a CBRN Operator - you need to do a minimum amount of time in the CF before you can apply for this though.
http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/operations-special-forces/cjiru.page


If you just want exposure to NBC stuff, I'm sure there are civilian careers, etc that may be a better choice for you - and may be better at padding your resume, for a civilian career.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

What trade are you looking at joining as, also Reserve or Regular Force?

Profile indicates OP is a Pte at a Fd AMb which lead to my "you've never heard of CBRN trg?" question.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Borden runs various NCB ("CBRN") courses but they can be a real bitch to get on, one big issue I found is a disconnect between securing one of the ever shriking spots on course against course slots not being published on the national  calendar.
What I mean by that is that you can call Borden and have them tell you there is a spot open on X course but when you ask your chain of command to attend X course they come back to you and say it's too early to nominate you- by the time it comes for your chain of command/unit to see possible nominations in their magical little system all the spots are already taken.


By the sounds of it you're talking about the CBRN Defense NCO course which deals with equipment, training soldiers in a CBRN environment, using the equipment, back briefing your CO on CBRN attacks and training, it's a pretty interesting and enlightening course.

 

[mariomike]

Why not join a local EMS oufit and try to get onto their HAZMAT team or something.

If applying for the Toronto team, s/he would have to be hired as a City of Toronto Paramedic. 

Once on the job, selection to Special Operations ( such as the CBRN team ) is by the Senior Qualified Process. ie: Departmental seniority.

 

[Towards_the_gap]

  Why not join a local EMS oufit and try to get onto their HAZMAT team or something.

EMS do patient care in CBRN environments. Cops do Ident/EOD/and anything tactical....Everything else (analysis, rescue, decon, mitigation) is, or should be, Fire Department.

Ottawa Fire Services runs a pretty extensive Haz-mat program, with access to the Canadian Police College, Suffield, and a whole whack of international courses available to willing tech's.

 

[MedCorps]

As a Med A / Med Tech if your unit is tasked to run a Patient Decontamination Centre you can also get loaded (even as a Pte) on the Casualty Decontamination Course. The course is currently in development and should running as a pilot soon in a field unit near you. 

You will also get some CBRN medical training on your Med Tech QL3 and QL5A.  Res F gets some basic CBRN medical training on your RQL3 (or RQL4) Course.  Nothing like doing prehospital care all bundled up in your bunny suit in the summer!  Fun Fun. 

MC