Gap analysis of CBRN threat detection and organization of a cross-border exercise

The project is split into four phases:

• Phase 1 : Gap analysis of detection equipment for C, B, R, N and E threats
• Phase 2 : Setting up of 74 realistic terrorist attack scenarios
• Phase 3 : Multi-country cross-border exercise involving six member countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Belgium and France)
• Phase 4 : Development of a good practice manual for setting up cross-border exercises and establishing international cooperation.

In Noyelles-sur-Selle on 22 March 2019 almost 200 gendarmes, fire-fighters, paramedics, and Sécurité Civile bomb-disposal experts participated in a European exercise on the CBRN terrorist threat.This was the final phase of the QUINTETO+ exercise which crossed six countries: Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany and Belgium, finishing in France.

All of the Gendarmerie and Sécurité Civile forces likely to be involved in the event of a CBRN crisis were mobilised during the four phases:

• tailing a lead from Belgium first by vehicle then on foot;
• confirmation of the vehicle abandoned by the terrorists followed by observations about it;
• response to a chemical attack on a bus causing a dozen casualties;
• storming of a hostile laboratory.

Global: test international communications for proven and imminent threats, and operational decision-making in terms of the technical/tactical response of the forces confronted with a chemical and radiological terrorist threat.

Country level: test communication and coordination abilities of the different French responders involved in the event of a chemical and radiological attack.

DGGN – National Gendarmerie Directorate (Direction Générale de la Gendarmerie Nationale):

• GGD59: Departmental Gendarmerie for Nord
• EGM: Mobile Gendarmerie Squadron (Escadron de Gendarmerie Mobile)
• GOS: Intervention and Surveillance Group (Groupe d'Intervention et de Surveillance)
• IRCGN / GRID: Forensic Research Institute of the French Gendarmerie (Institut de Recherche Criminelle de la Gendarmerie Nationale) / CBRN Forensic Response team (Groupe d'Intervention en milieu Dégradé)
• C2NRBC: National Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Unit (Cellule Nationale Nucléaire, Radiologique, Biologique et Chimique)
• GIGN: Intervention Group of the Gendarmerie Nationale (Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale)

Civil protection:

• Arras bomb-disposal experts
• Firefighters for Nord (SDIS 59)
• Paramedics for Nord (SAMU 59)

http://nct-magazine.com/nct-magazine-june-2019/quintetoplus-counter-cbrn-terrorism-cross-border-exercise/