Overview
The course will be jointly organised by the Government of Colombia and the Technical Secretariat. The main purpose of the training is to provide expert knowledge and skills to 20 specialists from Member States in the Latin America and Caribbean region, who would be responsible for conducting sampling and analysis tasks in a highly contaminated environment following a chemical attack or incident involving toxic chemicals.
Requirements
Member States from the Latin America and Caribbean region that do not yet have sampling and analysis capabilities are especially encouraged to nominate participants. Given the objectives of the course and its technical nature, applicants should have a solid technical background in chemistry and the management of hazardous chemical substances. Participants must also be qualified and experienced in using and wearing individual protective suits, including a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Participants must, therefore, be physically fit and able to wear such equipment for extended periods. Previous practical experience in military or civil protection is desirable.
Applicants are expected to be familiar with the principles of first response, including sampling and chemical emergency management, and will be carefully selected in line with the objectives of the course and their stated area of expertise. Ideally, participants should have completed any of the full training cycles for the Latin America and Caribbean region held by the OPCW in previous years.