CBRN-E exercise, attacker… a simulation of a large-scale chemical attack in a school in Montpellier

Exercice NRBC-E dans un établissement scolaire à Montpellier. Midi Libre – Jean Michel Mart

Ce mercredi après-midi, les forces de l’ordre et de sécurité de Montpellier ont participé à un exercice NRBC-E, une attaque chimique. Lycéens et personnels étaient confinés, nous y étions.

This Wednesday afternoon, while most of the students at the Pierre-Mendès-France establishment in Montpellier are resting, a funny exercise takes place in the high school courtyard . Funny? Maybe not. Because if the plastic suits make you smile, they are now released as part of an NRBC-E exercise, understanding nuclear, radiological, biological, chemical and explosive risks. "In the current situation, our law enforcement agencies are mobilized today in the face of a potential chemical attack in a school establishment", explains Christophe Hernandez, major in the departmental training service of the national police. And this Wednesday, no less than 70 professionals, from firefighters to police officers to Samu, who took turns to save the false victims.

NRBC-E exercise in a school in Montpellier. Midi Libre – Jean Michel Mart

15 h 50, the attacker infiltrates, the alert is given

15 h 50, an assailant infiltrates the establishment. Very quickly, the intrusion alert is triggered. "Students are confined to their rooms until the end of the alert. In the event of a chemical attack, doors and windows must remain closed", we can hear over the loudspeakers. Some twenty minutes later, around ten police officers in airtight suits infiltrated the building. "We must regularly test our dressing techniques, review safety precautions", says the major. Sensitive point here: recognizing the NRBC-E theme. What caused the explosion ? What gas ? What caused the first symptoms ? The police are not informed of the scenario, they must diagnose, s  ;rsquo;adapt. "It’only then do we set up the appropriate protocol. Once the chemical agent is detected, the victims are transported to the triage area. To facilitate treatment, we classify the victims into three categories." Meanwhile, the firefighters unload the trucks and hurriedly set up the tents. In the refectory, the attack zone, the extras shout and complain. A lady from the educational staff can no longer see. A student cannot walk alone.

NRBC-E exercise in a school in Montpellier. Midi Libre – Jean Michel Mart

"We try to remain as credible as possible"

After more than two hours of interventions, the police and civil security forces take stock. "We try to remain the as credible as possible to maintain maximum realism. Several protocols cannot be described but the training that we have put in place for quite some time has allowed us to deploy quickly in order to let the rescue forces intervene in complete safety."

NRBC-E exercise in a school in Montpellier. Midi Libre – Jean Michel Mart

Questions to Gilbert Arnam, Lieutenant-Colonel of the firefighters

What is the role of firefighters in this operation?

Today, we are deployed to rescue victims contaminated by a chemical agent. The objective for us is to be perfectly coordinated with the police to intervene without risk for the firefighters who will approach the victims .

What procedure in the event of a chemical attack?

We are setting up an extraction procedure which consists of: decontaminate victims before bringing them to a hospital environment.
The first action consists of: send teams with anti-contamination equipment to extract the victims then we will do an initial decontamination in a very specific area. Finally we proceed to wet decontamination in a cell provided for this effect.

Have you seen any avenues for improving intervention?

These exercises are not new. This has a particular dimension given the area of ​​intervention so there will be feedback with the prefect.

If today the attack is fictitious, the strengthening of the attack warning system is in the minds of many high school students. "There are safety reflexes that are not necessarily the right ones. Today, we know how to react", explains one of the high school students present.