<\/p>\n
On 14\u201315 September 2022, the 4th annual scientific conference Hazmat Protect 2022 on protection against CBRN agents was held at the State Institute of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Protection, v. v. i. in Kamenn\u00e1, Czech Republic (S\u00daJCHBO, v. v. i., CZ). The conference was held in cooperation with the Military Faculty of Medicine of the University of Defence in Hradec Kr\u00e1lov\u00e9, CZ. <\/p>\n
The conference was attended by more than 90 experts from research institutes, universities, the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic, the Czech Armed Forces, the Emergency Medical Service, the Police of the Czech Republic and a number of other institutions and commercial companies. The conference presented 41 expert contributions – lectures and posters – from various areas related to the handling of highly hazardous chemical, biological or radioactive substances, the possibilities of protection against these substances and their decontamination. The conference was opened by the Director of S\u00daJCHBO, v. v. i. Ing. Tom\u00e1\u0161 Dropa, MBA and the Deputy Director General of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic for Integrated Rescue System and Operational Management Col. Ing. Petr O\u0161lej\u0161ek, Ph.D. In their presentations, these speakers evaluated the current situation in the Czech Republic in terms of incidents involving hazardous substances or biological hazards. Both presentations included information on the readiness of both institutions to deal with these threats and their mutual cooperation. <\/p>\n
The professional part of the conference was introduced by presentations by members of the Fire Rescue Service of the South Moravian Region about real interventions in an apartment with an illegal laboratory and an improvised explosive device and in a family house with an illegal storage of dangerous chemicals. This was followed the next day by a presentation on complications during an intervention with the presence of toxic substances in a hazardous waste disposal plant in the Liberec Region. Other presentations focused on new directions in the detection and identification of hazardous substances, including new possibilities for field detection of novichok or fentanyl derivatives, non-contact detection using Raman spectrometry and the use of the CBRNe IBEX robotic system for remote sensing, miniaturization of analytical instruments and\/or the development of new explosives detection instruments. Several lectures were devoted to the testing of respirators and other protective equipment widely used during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the decontamination section, the experience of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic with various decontamination procedures against SARS-CoV-2 and new methods of decontamination using plasma were presented; participants had the opportunity to see a newly developed unit for decontamination of injured persons. Presentations on new approaches for monitoring radiation damage to the body also attracted interest. Some of the contributions concerned the properties of protective equipment and monitoring of its effect on the heat load of humans when working in contaminated environments. The conference was supported by 7 exhibitors who presented new analytical instruments, monitoring and control systems, decontamination means or protective equipment.<\/p>\n
With its broad focus, the conference sought to arouse the participants’ interest in various areas related to hazardous CBRN agents and protection against them. Many experiences were exchanged during informal meetings and many potential collaborations were concluded. The conference highlighted the need for such meetings of experts as well as the necessity of cooperation in commissioning and solving CBRN protection projects, both domestically and internationally.<\/p>\n
For the successful conference we should thank not only the main organizers – S\u00daJCHBO, v. v. i. Military Faculty of Medicine of University of Hradec Kr\u00e1lov\u00e9, CZ, but also the general partners Metrohm Czech Republic and Oritest, s. r. o. and other partners, especially all the speakers and poster authors for their interesting contributions. Sincere thanks to all participants for actively completing the two-day marathon, as well as to all the less visible ones who took care of the organization and background of the conference. The next edition of the conference is planned for autumn 2024.<\/p>\n
Ing. Kamila Lunerov\u00e1, Ph.D.<\/p>\n
On behalf of Organization Committee of Hazmat Protect 2022<\/p>\n
Programme of the conference can be downloaded here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Book of Abstracts can be downloaded here<\/a>.<\/p>\nBook of Abstracts<\/h1>\n
<\/h1>\n