LEVEL 1 – CBRN Basic Awareness Program

Training • Exercise • Emergency Action Planning

Objective: To ensure that employees understand fundamental CBRN concepts, adopt essential personal safety behaviors, and correctly implement incident recognition and reporting procedures.

Duration: Half day (approximately 3–3.5 hours of training + tabletop scenario exercise)

Learning Objectives

  • Understanding CBRN: Recognizing the differences between chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear hazards, including typical signs and indicators.
  • Basic PPE Awareness:
    Understanding core Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) components (e.g., gloves, masks), when and how long they should be used, and their limitations. Introduction to the NIOSH-based principle of “the right mask for the right scenario.”
  • Notification & Command-Control:
    Identifying an incident, issuing the first alert, and activating the internal reporting chain. Introduction to command-and-control principles and role allocation.
  • Safe Behavior Practices:
    Avoiding unnecessary approach, restricting affected areas, applying basic isolation measures, and reducing risk in crowded environments — aligned with the fundamental safety objectives of Chemical Warfare Agent (CWA) awareness frameworks and CEN CWA 17974 principles.
  • Scenario Literacy:
    Being able to sequence correct response steps through a structured tabletop case study.

Program aligned with NATO training frameworks.

Program Structure

09:00–10:00 | Module M1 – Opening & Needs Assessment / CBRN Fundamentals

  • Introduction to the institution’s risk profile
  • Clarification of training objectives and expectations
  • What is CBRN? Threat categories, case examples, and common error sources
  • CBRN indicators: unusual odors, vapor/cloud formations, symptom clusters, radiological-specific signs

10:15–11:00 | Module M2 – Basic PPE Awareness

  • Types of PPE within the NIOSH framework
  • Equipment limitations
  • Selecting appropriate protection for specific scenarios

11:00–11:30 | Module M3 – Notification & Command-Control

  • Reporting chain: who reports to whom and how?
  • Core NATO NBG/MS command-and-control principles: single voice–single plan, clarity of roles

11:30–12:30 | Module M4 – Tabletop Scenario Exercise

  • Scenario development tailored to the operational environment
  • Group exercise: action list preparation (alert, area restriction, PPE use, evacuation, emergency call to 112/AFAD, internal communication)

Training Materials

  • Participant Handbook: Core CBRN concepts, behavioral guidelines, internal reporting flow
  • CBRN Scenario Cards: Role cards (security, facility management, first notifier), incident flow poster
  • PPE Awareness Posters: Basic PPE guidance (gloves/masks), NIOSH-compliant usage indications (when to use / when not to use)
  • Level 1 Participation Certificate

International Compliance References

  • CEN CWA 17974:2023 — Basic CBRN training curriculum for first responders
  • NATO – International CBRN Training Curriculum / NBG-MS
  • NIOSH CBRN Respiratory Protection Handbook

WHY IT IS NECESSARY

Rare But High-Impact Risks: CBRN events have a low probability; however, when they occur, they have a high impact on operational continuity and reputation.

Standard Emergency Plans Are Insufficient: CBRN scenarios require specialized knowledge, training, and rehearsals beyond classic fire and evacuation plans.

A Complementary Element of Corporate Resilience: Training, drills, and emergency action plans strengthen corporate reflexes by complementing existing risk and continuity structures.