Human biological monitoring for exposure assessment in response to an incident involving hazardous materials.

Biological monitoring in humans (HBM) is widely used in the field of occupational and environmental health. In the situation of an unexpected release of hazardous materials HBM may contribute to the medical support and treatment of exposed individuals from the general population or of emergency responders. Such exposure information may also be used to respond to individual concerns such as questions about a possible relationship between the chemicals released during the incident and health effects.

TAP CBRN preparedness: knowledge, training and networks.

The main goal of this targeted agenda program (TAP) was the establishment of an international network that would be able to advise on how to improve education and training for chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN)) responders. By combining the members of the TAP group, the CBRN Task Force of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM) and the European network of the Hesculaep Group, an enthusiastic and determined group has been established to achieve the defined goal. It was acknowledged that the bottlenecks for education and training for CBRN responders are mainly awareness and preparedness.