Topics in this issue of CBRNE Particles include military Ebola diagnostic systems, lone actor terrorism, hashtag standardization for emergencies, and M41 CBRN mask fittings.
The Military’s Ebola Screening Machine Just Got Approved for US Hospitals
Rapidly screening for Ebola at U.S. hospitals has just gotten easier thanks, in part, to military-funded research. Salt Lake City-based BioFire announced over the weekend that they had received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for hospital workers to use the Bio-Threat E array (a special kit) on the company’s polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine, the FilmArray, to screen for Ebola. Defense One >>
Army Sustainment Command Assists in Combating Ebola in West Africa
The U.S. Army Sustainment Command is providing direct support to Operation United Assistance to combat Ebola in West Africa. The Command’s Prepositioned Stocks program was tasked to assist in Operation United Assistance to provide 25 Force Provider Modules from assets stored in Livorno, Italy. U.S. Army >>
U.S. Army EOD Soldier Pulls Grenade from Man’s Leg
Staff Sgt. David Mensink from the Fort Benning, Georgia-based 789th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company received a call from the Birmingham Police Department Bomb Squad around 1 a.m. The police sought Mensink’s advice to determine what kind of explosive item was stuck in the man’s leg. 20th CBRNE Command >>
Bertin to Acquire Saphymo in 2015
The two companies will both maintain their current workforce and operating sites. Together Bertin Technologies and Saphymo will be able to develop both technological and commercial synergy in their product ranges in the nuclear and CBRN sectors. CBRNe World >>
Company Licenses Purdue Innovation That Could Detect Radiation & Thwart Nuclear Terrorism
A Purdue innovation that could help thwart terrorist attacks from radiological “dirty bombs” and nuclear weapons by tracking potential attacks through smartphones and other devices has been licensed to a Marrero, Louisiana-based startup. Domestic Preparedness >>
Creativity, Attention to Detail Essential in Continuing Soldier Support for M41 Mask Fit Validation
The M41 PATS is designed to check the readiness of protective masks and to verify that a mask is capable of providing the required fit factor. The electro-optical instrument that counts particles in the surrounding air and inside a Soldier’s mask using a technique called condensation nucleus counting. ECBC >>
US To Check Troops for Chemical Exposure in Iraq
The US military will launch new medical examinations for troops and veterans exposed to chemical weapons in Iraq, and review claims they were ordered to stay silent about such contact, officials said Thursday. Defense News >>
US Marines, Spanish Soldiers Train in Chemical Warfare Defense
The main focus of the exercise was disarming chemical weapons, testing and sampling chemical agents, protecting and decontaminating personnel and equipment from potential exposure to hazardous materials, and evidence collection in contaminated environments. USMC >>
Hashtag Standards for Emergencies
The public is using Twitter for real-time information exchange and for expressing emotional support during a variety of crises, such as wildfires, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, political protests, mass shootings, and communicable-disease tracking. By encouraging proactive standardization of hashtags, emergency responders may be able to reduce a big-data challenge and better leverage crowd-sourced information for operational planning and response. ReliefWeb >>
CBRN School Welcomes Senior Enlisted Advisor
The U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School welcomed Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Kraus Jr. as their newest regimental command sergeant major, during an assumption of responsibility ceremony held Oct. 22 in Nutter Field House. MyGuidon.com >>
Patterns of Lone Actor Terrorism in the U.S.
START researchers examined the differences in geospatial and temporal patterns between lone actor and group-based terrorists using data from the American Terrorism Study (ATS). Housed at the University of Arkansas Terrorism Research Center, ATS includes information on federal criminal cases resulting from FBI investigations for terrorism or terrorism-related activities. UMD START >>
From Epidemic to Bioterrorism: Mitigating Contractor Risks in a Worst-Case Scenario
While the current Ebola outbreak is a natural epidemic, the idea that the virus could be used as a bioterrorist threat has been considered. Accordingly, the potential for obtaining Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act of 2002 (SAFETY Act) protection for products or services related to fighting the Ebola virus is not completely far-fetched. Above the Law >>
