With Slovakia’s only hazmat and CBRN protection coming from the military, a small group of volunteers formed last year to train civilian and fire responders.

Since its inception in 2020, Brigada RCHBO has launched more than 15 hazmat and CBRN training courses that are both theoretical and hands-on. They have nine training modules to teach their members about hazmat/CBRN safety, protective equipment, first aid, detection and more.

Headquartered in Trnava, a city on the banks of the Trnavka River in the northeast portion of the country, the volunteer brigada covers 67 square miles. The team says it has created a comprehensive educational system to train its members to handle hazmat responses. Training is held monthly and can include members of local fire departments and other volunteers.

The brigada’s volunteers are called in from other duties, who in their free time learn all about important areas of CBRN protection, which includes simulation training for chemical, radiation and biological protection.

The group also collaborates with many historians to learn about and promote the history of hazmat and CBRN response. For example, one recent social media post covered the brigada’s acquisition of a 1968 handbook for army chemists used by the former Czechoslovakian Army chemical units.

And, the group’s greatest accomplishment is also its greatest challenge. Acquiring the resources to organize many of their simulation training remains an ongoing battle. For a start-up team charting new emergency response waters, keeping the momentum going early will be critical to their long-term success.