Since 2018, Intervir.Pt has been educating hazmat teams, first responders and anyone who may have to deal with a hazmat emergency.
The two-member team is prolific on both social media and education and training events in Portugal. In fact, this spring the group hit the 100,000 views milestone on its Facebook page. And a month prior to that, the team helped set up and run a large-scale hazmat training focused on railcar emergencies.
Here’s a quick take on a recent large-scale hazmat training the group participated in. And here’s a closer look at Intervir.Pt.
What agency led the training?
The Exercise was organized by the Portuguese Army, with the participation of elements of the Security and Civil Protection Forces.
Where was it held?
The exercise took place at the premises of the Regimento de Lanceiros n.º2 of the Portuguese Army, located in the municipality of Amadora, Portugal.
What was the set up time?
The exercise took place between October 9 and 18. It had different training phases and components, from command post exercises to the live exercise aspect.
How many were trained?
More than 100 participants
What hazmat levels were the trainees?
The exercise had a broad scope in terms of skills, being mainly aimed at the CBRN defense specialist level, there were participants with hazmat awareness, operations and technician level, and also EOD elements.
What were the training objectives?
CELULEX aims to develop national CBRN defense capabilities based on the complementarity of action and interoperability of forces. It also serves to test the provisions of National Operational Directive no. 3, issued by the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority, regarding response to CBRN incidents.
What evolutions did trainees do?
Participants had the opportunity to intervene in complex scenarios, involving the combined biological and chemical threat and also radiological training with real sources. The training was a chance for promoting their operational and technical improvement, and sharing experiences and technological innovations in the area of detection, identification and monitoring, sampling and identifying biological, chemical and radiological agents, and decontamination.
What technology was used?
Various types of technology were used, ranging from more classic equipment (such as AP4C) to the most recent developments in laboratory identification.
What were the biggest successes?
The greatest success was the multidisciplinary and multi-organizational response teams, under a single command that met the objectives for each of the scenarios.
What would you do differently next time?
There are always possibilities for improvement, and this type of exercise serves to refine small details, such as the need to review what is foreseen in National Operational Directive no. 3, the reinforcement of specific training for first responders, the compatibility of personal protective equipment and the harmonization of procedures for approaching contaminated areas for detection purposes.
