OPCW

Technical Secretariat

 

International Cooperation and Assistance Division

 

S/113/99

 

19 May 1999

 

ENGLISH only

 

NOTE BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL

 

CW CIVIL DEFENCE TRAINING COURSE

LAZNE BOHDANEC, CZECH REPUBLIC, 9 - 13 AUGUST 1999

 

 

1. On behalf of the Government of the Czech Republic and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the Director-General wishes to invite Member States of the OPCW to nominate participants for a training course on CW protection, which will be held at the Institute of Civil Protection in Lazne Bohdanec,
Czech Republic, from 9 -13 August 1999.

 

2. The course is related to the offer made by the Czech Republic, under Article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), to provide assistance and protection against chemical weapons, and will be jointly organised by the Government of the
Czech Republic and the Technical Secretariat. The course will provide training in civil CW protection, detection and decontamination for up to 40 chief instructors from Member States of the OPCW.

 

3. The course will provide basic training for specialists and experts who are, or will be associated with CW protection training of civilians in their home countries. Its main purpose is to assist OPCW Member States in their efforts to establish a basic CW protection capability that will directly benefit the civilian population. The course draws on the extensive experience of the Czech Republic in the field of civilian CW protection. Due to the objective of the course and its technical nature, the candidates will be carefully selected. Applicants from Member States which do not yet have civilian CW protection capabilities will be particularly welcome. Participants should have a basic technical background, as well as good English language skills. They should also be physically fit and able to wear individual protective gear for several hours during some practical sessions of the course. Some practical experience with military or civil CW protection would be desirable.

 

4. It is anticipated that participants will arrive on Sunday 8 August and depart on Saturday 14 August 1999. Participants are requested to obtain any necessary visas before travelling to the Czech Republic. The Technical Secretariat expects to be able to sponsor a limited number of candidates nominated by the Member States of the OPCW, to cover their travel costs. When proposing candidates for the course, Member States should specify whether such sponsorship is a precondition for their participation. The course materials, as well as accommodation and all meals during the course, will be provided. Further details regarding accommodation, the course venue and transportation will be issued to participants at a later date.

 

  1. Interested Member States are invited to complete the nomination form shown in annex 1 to this Note, giving the full name and address (including fax and telephone numbers, and e-mail address, if available) of each nominee, together with his or her affiliation and area(s) of expertise. The completed nomination form, together with a brief biography of each nominee, should be submitted to the Assistance Branch, International Cooperation and Assistance Division (ICA). Nominations should be submitted as soon as possible, but no later than 9 June 1999, to allow sufficient time for the OPCW Secretariat and the Czech authorities to make the necessary arrangements. In the meantime, Member States are requested to inform the ICA of any administrative or other problems that may arise in relation to the attendance of any nominee.

 

  1. A tentative schedule for the training course is attached as annex 2 to this Note. Further details of the arrangements will be issued as soon as the ICA receives confirmation from the participants that they will be attending the course. Any questions in this regard maybe addressed to the Assistance Branch, ICA:

 

Tel.: +31 (0)70 416 3555; 416 3823

Fax: +31 (0)70 306 3535

E-mail: EmergAssistBr@opcw.org

 

 

 

 

Annexes (English only):

Annex 1: Nomination form

Annex 2: Tentative programme schedule

 

 

 

 

Annex 1

 

CW CIVIL DEFENCE TRAINING COURSE

Lazne Bohdanec, Czech Republic, 9 -13 August 1999

 

NOMINATION FORM    

To be completed by Member States to propose participants. Please use BLOCK LETTERS.

 

Details of nominee

 

  1. Family name ………………………………………………………………

 

  1. First name(s) ………………………………………………………………

 

  1. Present address ………………………………………………

 

 

  1. Telephone ……………………………………………………………….
  2.  

  3. Fax ……………………………………………………………….
  4.  

  5. E-mail ……………………………………………………………….
  6.  

  7. Nationality ……………………………………………………………….

 

  1. Passport No. ………………………………………………………………
  1. Date of issue ………………………………………………………………

 

  1. Date of expiry .……..……………………………………………………….

 

  1. Place of issue ………………………………………………………………

 

  1. Affiliation …………………………………………………………..…..

 

  1. Area(s) of expertise …………………………………………………… 

 

14. Nominated by: .…………………………………

 

………………………………………………….

 

15. Signed: ………………………………. Date: …………………...

Annex 2

CW Civil DEFENCE Training course

Lazne Bohdanec, Czech Republic, 9 - 13 August 1999

 

TENTATIVE PROGRAMME SCHEDULE

 

 

Monday, 9 August 1999

Institute of Civil Protection of the Czech Republic

08.00 - 08.50 The Chemical Weapons Convention

08.50 - 09.30 Introduction to civil protection in the Czech Republic

09.30 - 10.00 Coffee break

10.00 - 12.00 Chemical weapons - types and their effects

12.00 - 13.30 Lunch

13.30 - 15.30 Chemical weapons - types and their effects

15.30 - 16.00 Coffee break

16.00 - 17.30 Protection against CW - a general approach

 

Tuesday, 10 August 1999

08.00 - 09.30 Standard individual protection equipment in Czech civil protection

09.30 - 10.00 Coffee break

10.00 - 12.00 Practical work with respiratory protective equipment

12.00 - 13.30 Lunch

13.30 - 15.30 Practical work with skin protective equipment

15.30 - 16.00 Coffee break

16.00 - 17.30 Practical work with IPE

 

Wednesday, 11 August 1999

08.00 - 09.30 Detection of chemical warfare agents

09.30 - 10.00 Coffee break

10.00 - 12.00 Practical work with detection equipment

12.00 - 13.30 Lunch

13.30 - 15.30 Practical work with detection equipment

15.30 - 16.00 Coffee break

16.00 - 17.30 Medical protection against chemical weapons

 

Thursday, 12 August 1999

08.00 - 09.30 Chemical weapons decontamination

09.30 - 10.00 Coffee break

10.00 - 12.00 Practical work with decontamination equipment

12.00 - 13.30 Lunch

13.30 - 1530 Warning systems, domestic alert systems

15.30 - 16.00 Coffee break

16.00 - 17.30 Geographical information systems

 

Friday, 13 August 1999

Demonstrations at the Institute for Testing and Disaster Medicine, Pribram

10.00 Arrival in Pribram

10.00 - 16.00 Demonstrations

Working lunch

18.00 Return to Lazne Bohdanec

 

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