The JCBRN Defence COE held the NATO CEP – JCBRN Defence COE Coordination meeting on 8 – 9 February 2010 in Vyskov, Czech Republic. The JCBRN Defence COE Director, Col Zdenek Čížek, welcomed participants from Civil Emergency Planning (represented by Mr. Boe, Mrs. Ionete, Mr. Ahlberg, Mr. Øysteir), the General Directorate of Fire Rescue Service (represented by Mr. Chalupa, Mr. Matějka, Mr. Dittrich, Mrs. Braunová), the Technical University of Ostrava (represented Mr. Kvarčák, Mr. Danihelka), the University of Defence (represented by LTC Florus) and the JCBRN Defence COE (represented COL Kubart, Mr. Hýbl, LTC Križka).       

        This coordination meeting was another step in a conducting the “First Responders Train the Trainers Course” which the COE commited to organize this year (2010). The plan of the JCBRN Defence COE is to hold this course from 8 to 12 November 2010 in Vyškov, Czech Republic. 

        The aim of this meeting was to finalize the specifications of the “Train the Trainers Course of the International CBRN Training Curriculum for First Responders” and to clarify possible modifications of the “Pilot Course for First Responders to CBRN Incidents” which was held in Kuopio, Finland in 2009. 

        All the representatives agreed on close cooperation during the preparation phase of the course and declared the aim of their organizations to participate.  The successful outcome of the meeting was a decision, that international trainers should be used during the course. The Crisis Management Centre (CMC) Finland offered their experienced instructors and, together with JCBRN Defence COE, will achieve the required international environment and shared experiences

      During the meeting participants discussed the intention to established a Steering Committee (SC) group consisting of directors (deputies) of the “First Responders Trainers Course” and representatives from the NBG Working Group. JCBRN Defence COE welcomed the offer to take part in this SC, which should be used as the “backbone” for the Non-Binding Guidelines Working Group. 

Author: CPT Ilona Bain

Photos: Mrs. Olga Karaffová