Every week, personnel from the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division’s (NSWC PCD) Chemical Biological Defense (CBD) and Ballistic Personal Protection (BPP) team deploy world-wide to provide Readiness Improvement Program (RIP) support for the Fleet.
The CBD and BPP Project is part of NSWC PCD’s Extreme Environment Life Support Branch. The Government team and a contractor workforce support the Fleet and act as the Navy’s designated Engineering Agent for CBD Individual Protective Equipment (IPE) and BPP. During typical support missions RIP team members assist sailors by providing mask fit-tests, sizing chemical biological protective ensembles and on-load/off-load assistance.
During the period of June 19 to July 2, 2016, the CBD and BPP team fit-tested 5,342 Sailors from the USS George W. Bush, USS Warrior, USS Pioneer, USS Makin Island, USS Patriot, USS Chief and USS Germantown as well as deploying detachments from Naval Mobile Construction Battalions, explosive ordinance disposal groups, Coastal Riverine groups and Naval Air Systems Command squadrons.
An appropriate mask size is selected after a series of facial measurements. The mask fit-testing then required that each Sailor don a protective gas mask and be placed under a plastic shroud that is connected to a mask leakage tester. The test determines whether the size of mask selected provides the appropriate protection level. The tester pumps an edible oil aerosol into the shroud. Sensors sample the concentration of the aerosol inside the shroud vice inside the mask. Measurements are taken while the Sailor proceeds through a protocol of head movements.
Sailors are next measured to determine the appropriate size for CBD IPE gear. The ensemble consists of a CBD protective coat, trousers, glove inserts, gloves and boots. The appropriate size is confirmed to be correct by asking each Sailor to don the entire ensemble along with the mask.
The custom-fit protective gear is an essential element to provide eye and respiratory protection for sailors in the event of a chemical, biological and radiological threat. The mask is designed to protect from blister, nerve, choking and blood agents to include mustard gas, chlorine, sarin and other airborne contaminants.
According to a U.S. Navy instruction, the goal of conducting these services is to “provide forward deployed and deploying warfighters with properly sized and maintained Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defense IPE –ready for immediate retrieval in response to changing Mission Oriented Protective Posture conditions and a fully serviceable, properly fitted and maintained protective mask.”
During the same period, the CBD and BPP team provided CBD on-load/off-load assistance to the USS McFaul, USS Kearsage, USS San Antonio, USS Theodore Roosevelt, and USS George W. Bush. This assistance ensures that the CBD IPE gear that deploys is fully serviceable and within the appropriate shelf-life. Leveraging the Fleet support network of the CBD and BPP team, NSWC PCD’s Damage Control Personnel Protective (DC-PPE) Project used the team to provide new gear to the USS Bainbridge as well.
CBD and BPP Project Manager Bill Bradley describes NSWC PCD’s life cycle management role as extending from cradle to grave. The team has been assigned engineering roles from Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) including Technical Design Agent, Acquisition Engineering Agent and In-Service Engineering Agent. The team supports the development of new CBD IPE systems in a multi-service environment. The team ensures that the unique requirements of the maritime environment are included in the design of all CBD IPE and mask systems. Systems are supported through development and initial fielding then are sustained until ultimate disposal.
Whether the Sailor is serving within the Surface Warfare Enterprise, Undersea Enterprise, Naval Aviation Enterprise, Naval Expeditionary Combat Enterprise, or at a Navy Installation, the NSWC PCD CBD and BPP team provides support that increases the readiness levels for deploying and forward deployed forces.
NSWC Panama City Division: Technical Center of Excellence for Littoral Warfare and Coastal Defense.
| Date Taken: | 07.08.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 07.15.2016 12:06 |
| Story ID: | 203619 |
| Location: | PANAMA CITY, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 108 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NSWC PCD Supports Protection of Sailors through Readiness Improvement, by Katherine Mapp, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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