Abstract
Aim: The aim of the article is to present the essential parameters of personal protective measures against contamination, used by the Polish Armed Forces. Authors anticipate that exposed issues will improve the effective co-operation between services.
Introduction: In the last two decades there was a significant qualitative leap in the provision of personal protection equipment to individual soldiers of the Polish Armed Forces. This equipment, in the main, is intended to provide protection against contamination from Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), but the equipment can also be used in other hazardous environments. An illustration of alternative uses may be found with MP-5 and MP-6 respirators, which allow for the use of combined filters intended for use in the presence of all kinds of hazardous substances. For obvious reasons, military formations are trained and prepared to deal with consequential hazards associated with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) warfare, and to secure an appropriate level of protection for military personnel. Simultaneously, the State Fire Service (SFS) struggles on a daily basis with hazards caused by the release of dangerous toxic substances. At times, specifically during major incidents or emergencies, which exceed the capability of SFS, both the Armed Forces and SFS are expected to co-operate and mitigate the consequences of a CBRN release. One of the most important principles of inter service co-operation concerns the safety of rescue personnel, which, to a large extent, depends on mutual understanding of procedures, techniques and availability of suitable equipment to both formations. These factors impact on synergy if civilian and military rescue elements are viewed as components of a single, unified national rescue system.
Methodology: This study contains a critical review of literature and includes outcomes from observation. In the main, the study utilized manufacturers’ equipment instructions and information gained from user experience.
Conclusions: The article illustrates the latest equipment available to soldiers of the Polish Army who, in exceptional circumstances, support other formations involved with National Crisis Management System operations. The basis for such co-operation will be a mutual understanding of procedures, techniques, access to suitable equipment by both organisations and, in particular, the prospect of a successful discharge of responsibility in a hazardous environment by respective entities. From the aforementioned, it may be deduced that during joint rescue operations, the critical factor for safe and effective planning, management of operations and successful outcomes will be, inter alia, awareness of personal protective equipment potential, currently made available to personnel (soldiers) engaged in CBRN hazard operations.
Keywords: CBRN physical protection, CBRN personal protective equipment, CBRN defence, defence against CBRN hazards, force protection
Type of article: review article