As part of the national response to COVID-19, the Department of Defense (DOD), in coordination with the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), signed an agreement with BioFire Defense, LLC, a subsidiary of bioMérieux, to expand the production of the BioFire COVID-19 Test for the DOD. Government funding allocated was $3.1 million.

The current COVID-19 pandemic created a global demand for diagnostic tests for the virus, including a requirement to maintain operational readiness and the health of our armed forces.  The investment in BioFire Defense will enable the company to increase manufacturing capacity through expansion of its facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. By installing two new production lines, BioFire Defense will triple its manufacturing capacity of tests starting in September 2020, which are compatible for use with BioFire FilmArray instruments that are fielded across the DOD and Department of State. 

This effort has been led by the DOD’s Joint Acquisition Task Force (JATF), in coordination with the Department of the Air Force’s Acquisition COVID-19 Task Force (DAF ACT), and funded through the Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III program. This project is part of the interagency effort to ensure timely availability of medical resources essential for national defense.

Block MEMS, LLC (Block) has been awarded a contract by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) for on-the-move standoff detection of trace quantities of drugs such as fentanyl, explosives, chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and toxic chemicals on parcels shipped to and within the United States.

Under this newly awarded contract, Block MEMS will develop a fieldable prototype Trace Chemical Detector (TCD) to screen the outside surfaces of parcels for trace chemicals while they are being transported on a conveyor belt at operational speeds. The TCD will be able to detect the chemicals of interest including explosives, opioids, chemical agents, agent precursors, and pharmaceuticals at relevant concentration levels. This program will culminate with an operational system being performance tested at a government designated facility in an operational environment.

This effort will significantly leverage Block's current contract "Standoff Illuminator for Measuring Absorbance and Reflectance Infrared Light Signatures" (SILMARILS) program funded by the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity and managed by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Under previous Phases of SILMARILS, using its eye-safe proprietary quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) Block successfully demonstrated the ability of hyperspectral imaging to detect and map out the location of trace quantities of chemicals on a wide variety of surfaces at standoff distances of up to 25 meters. Furthermore, measurements could be made at high speeds, within a few seconds.

Dr. Bachir Kharraja, Block's SVP of Technology and Engineering commented, "This award is a great recognition for the innovation made by Block in the QCL-based technology and will help us improve it even further."

Mr. Al Weggeman, Block's President, added, "This is a great opportunity to partner with the DHS CWMD group to advance the creation of much needed solutions that address threats posed by mail-borne WMD's. We are humbled and excited to have been chosen for such an important and impactful project."

The U.S. Department of Defense has announced that Remotec, a business unit of Northrop Grumman, has won a $48 million for a contract for the reset, sustainment, maintenance and recap to support the overall sustainment actions of the Remotec family of robots.

Northrop Grumman Remotec was founded in 1980 to provide remote handling consultation to the nuclear industry, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Through experience gained by supporting the nuclear industry, Northrop Grumman Remotec identified the opportunity to expand and apply our core competencies to meet robotic requirements outside of the nuclear field. This led to the purchase of Andros™ technology in 1986.

Since acquiring the Andros technology, Northrop Grumman Remotec has remained the industry leader in hazardous duty robotics by continually improving this technology to meet the ever-changing challenges our customers must respond to. The result is the rugged, highly reliable, proven technology demonstrated by the current Andros line offering the best combination of performance and value in the market.

For first responders, particularly those in the chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives (CBRNE) fields, the ability to assess a scene quickly and take action to determine if harmful elements, such as radiation, are present is necessary to protecting people on-site and providing proper management of a situation.

To address this critical need, Thermo Fisher Scientific upgraded its Thermo Scientific RadEye PRD4/PRD-ER4 personal radiation detector. New capabilities significantly enhances the ability to detect harmful levels of radiation, providing first responders, CBRNE responders and military personnel with the ability to quickly and accurately make informed decisions regarding safety at the scene of operation. The combination of sensitive Cessium Iodide (CsI) detectors and Natural Background Rejection (NBR) in a single instrument reduces nuisance alarms, improves detection response times, increases reach back data quality and minimizes time spent on non-threat events.

“Public safety professionals are often the first ones on the scene of an emergency where potentially hazardous materials are present. The ability to quickly and accurately assess a situation is invaluable. It allows for more effective situational awareness, and prevents others from being put in harm’s way,” said Erica Hirsch, vice president and general manager of the Field and Safety Instruments business at Thermo Fisher Scientific. “The new RadEye PRD4/PRD-ER4 is an essential upgrade to the RadEye suite of personal radiation detectors. And its easy-to-use form factor makes it a go-to resource for professionals regardless of skill level.”

The RadEye PRD4/PRD-ER4 can be easily calibrated in the field, enabling users to optimize the instruments based on their current environment. This mitigates downtime and the requirement for extra stock to accommodate costly turn-in and replacement. The instrument features a simple user interface and large screen which enables reliable analysis regardless of user skill level and expertise.

For more information on Thermo Scientific’s RadEye PRD4/PRD-ER4, please visit www.thermofisher.com/radeyeprd4 

Because every second counts

The rugged, compact Gemini Analyzer meets the demanding requirements of elite military and public safety forces, helping operators execute their mission quickly, safely, and accurately.

For full information on the Gemini click here

The Defender-XT, with Ultra Fast analysis (~10 sec), true portability and increased sensitivity for BioTests compared to reading by eye.

The Defender XT BioDetect Test Strip Reader is the next-generation for field portable biological analysis. Completely compatible with current BioDetect Tests, the Defender XT offers added functionality as compared to our table-top Guardian Reader. The Defender XT software directs the user step-by-step and provides a full BioDetect Test menu. 

Connectivity is near-universal with WiFi capabilities and USB interface.  Secure data transmission capability for technical support and documentation. Includes Hand-held reader, rugged carrying case, calibration cartridge, charging cable, international power adapters, USB to microUSB adapter and USB sync cable)

SRI International has been awarded a contract of up to  from the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to support the research and development of radiation/nuclear medical countermeasures (MCMs). Under the contract, SRI Biosciences, a division of SRI International, will provide facilities, expertise, and capabilities to advance the development of MCMs for the mitigation or treatment of acute radiation syndromes as well as the treatment of delayed effects from acute radiation exposure (ARS/DEARE) and internal radionuclide contamination. SRI researchers will also support NIAID's ongoing biodosimetry efforts.

NIAID is a division of the NIH that conducts and supports research into the treatment, prevention, and understanding of various allergens, infectious diseases, immune diseases, and environmental or radiation-related injuries.

"SRI has extensive experience in basic radiation biology research, including completion of multiple, large projects to support NIAID," said , Ph.D., senior director of Molecular and Genetic Toxicology, SRI Biosciences, and principal investigator for the NIAID contract. "We are honored to have this opportunity to continue to work with our NIAID colleagues to further the development of MCMs that will help protect public health in the event of radiation exposure."

Under the seven-year contract, SRI Biosciences will provide supportive services to NIAID's Radiation and Nuclear Medical Countermeasures Program to advance the development of candidate MCMs including biodosimetric approaches to determine radiation exposure. SRI will perform research and development studies to advance candidate MCMs toward eventual FDA approval or licensure for ARS or DEARE, as well as provide the administrative foundation to facilitate and coordinate these activities in partnership with NIAID.

SRI's Biosciences division has a long history of working with the NIH and the NIAID, including a previous contract to develop treatments for the effects of radiation exposure that ends in . The newly awarded contract is an extension of this collaborative efforts with NIAID. SRI also works with a myriad of private sponsors.

This project has been funded in whole with Federal funds from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. 75N93020D00011, and has a value of up to .

The death toll from the explosion at a port in Beirut on Tuesday August 4th continues to rise as rescuers search through the rubble. The number of dead rose to  137 recently as the Lebanese army took control of the explosion site on the first day of a two-week state of emergency. It is estimated that around 5,000 were injured. 

In this day and age of social media, and live streaming, the explosion was witnessed around the world almost as instaneously as it happend. According to reports the explosion was caused by a vast amount of amonium nitrate, almsot 3,000 tons, which had been stored in a warehouse since it was confiscated 6 years ago.

Why it sat there, seemingly unchecked, has yet to be ascertained, and the port officials responsible for safety and security have been placed under house arrest whilst the investigation is undertaken. 

At this point there is not much we can say on this situation that hasn't already been covered by the world's media. This peice from the Guardian provides a visual guide to what occurred that is quite striking https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/05/visual-guide-how-explosion-caused-mass-casualties-and-devastation-across-beirut

Redline Assured Security, a leading provider of government-standard training and security solutions, has received continued endorsement as an International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Aviation Security Training Centre (ASTC). This marks the ninth year that Redline’s training centre, the UK’s ASTC, located at Doncaster Sheffield Airport has been endorsed by ICAO since being officially recognised in 2011.

Redline is part of the Safety & Security division of Air Partner Plc, a global aviation services group providing aircraft charter and aviation safety & security solutions to industry, commerce, governments and private individuals, across civil and military organisations.

ASTC Doncaster is one of only 35 ASTC’s worldwide, supporting ICAO’s efforts to deliver comprehensive Aviation Security Training Packages and Workshops to its member states. The evaluation noted the Centre’s active contribution to aviation security capacity building, through vigorous efforts in the provision of security courses, particularly through the European and North Atlantic region, and commended Redline on an outstanding evaluation result.

‘We take a great deal of pride and satisfaction from our association with and membership of the ICAO ASTC network, fulfilling our responsibilities as an ASTC by providing Certified Instructors to assist with capacity building projects and the development of Training Packages,” said Craig Harrison, Managing Director of Redline. “We’re an active training centre here in the UK and internationally, last year alone we trained more than 4,750 delegates via Instructor led tuition and 37,000 via e-learning. We are proud to continue to provide industry-leading training and consistent support to our partners in the aviation industry during the Covid-19 recovery period.”

Paul Mason, Managing Director of Air Partner's Safety & Security division, added: "The continued endorsement by ICAO is a confirmation of our commitment and hard work in our mission to help ensure aviation security. We have been supplying security solutions to the aviation sector for 14 years now, and we conduct auditing and quality assurance on behalf of both public and private sector organisations, as well as various government agencies. This unrivalled expertise has made it possible for us to extend and apply best practices from aviation security in other sectors too, such as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), rail, major events and corporate establishments, which are adopting these gold standards as security challenges around the world are becoming ever more complex.”

The TacticID-1064 ST from B&W Tek is a field-ready handheld spectral analysis instrument designed for indirect-contact forensic analysis of narcotics, explosives, hazardous and common chemicals, precursors, cutting agents, and much more.

• ST Adaptor for see-through capability to detect drugs and dangerous chemicals through opaque barriers
• Non-destructive testing of white or colored powders, solids, liquids and gels utilizing a 1064nm laser
• Over 13,000 spectra of narcotics, explosives, common chemicals, cutting agents, pharma pills and plastics

Applications

• Fast, Non-Destructive Narcotic, Drug, and Controlled Substance Identification through Transparent or Opaque Packaging such as envelopes, shipping bags and HDPE containers.
• Identification of Pharmaceutical Drugs
• Analysis of Unknown Powders, Liquids, and Gels
• Identification of Explosives and Toxic Solvents
• Counterfeit Drug Identification

For more info head to the B&W Tek website

The lockdown brought on by Covid has forced some social changes, and encouraged others. For some the lack of socialising has allowed them to live the life-long dream of growing a beard, moustache or other facial hair… and we want to celebrate it!

We have now had nearly a dozen entrants, and there are a fine body of individuals showing off their various cookie dusters and face furniture! Get those 'before and 'after' photos in and we'll get our experts from Environics and Dynamis to judge your lockdown locks for ‘Most Improved’ and ‘Most Outrageous’!

What you need to do: You, or your hirsute colleague, need to send us two photos, a ‘Before’ taken in February or March and an ‘After’ taken in July. We will then have these photos assessed for greatest amount of growth (Most Improved) and creativity (Most Outrageous) by a select panel. To take part you just need to be a member of the CBRN community and keen to show off your facial fluff, with artistic or voluminous!  

The deadline for all entrants is the 7^th of August, and all entrants need to send their photo and agreement for use to and we will be in touch!

Gentlemen! Start your grooming engines!

Milipol Qatar 2020, the Middle East’s leading international event for Homeland Security and Civil Defence which returns to Doha this October, will feature a powerful three-day seminar program in which decision makers and security experts will outline major strategies for a safer post-COVID 19 world amongst other main foresights.

The program will run alongside the 13th Milipol Qatar at the Doha International Exhibition and Convention Centre from October 26-28.

The two-hour seminars will open on the afternoon of Monday, October 26 with a session devoted to ‘Security by Design: Cybersecurity and new technology including biometrics and contactless technology.’ The morning of Tuesday, October 27 will be dedicated to ‘Mega Events Security’ while the afternoon session will focus on ‘Crisis Management and Health Security - Post-COVID feedback.’ The program rounds out on Wednesday, October 28^th with a session on ‘Firefighting Emergency and Security Systems.’

“The seminars have been curated so that the Homeland Security and Civil Defence industries can together plan strategies for a safer world in light of the lessons learnt from the COVID 19 pandemic. Much of the program’s outcomes will most probably impact very closely these sectors worldwide,” explained Préfet Yann Jounot, CEO of Civipol – the technical implementer of the French ministry of the Interior – and President of Milipol events. “As this will be the first major industry event of its type to be held following the pandemic’s outbreak, we anticipate some probing debate and recommendations for innovative processes and procedures to tackle future global emergencies.

“In the cast of the Mega Events Security session, this will have particular relevance to Qatar as it heads further down the road to the hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the much vaunted possibility of next year hosting a FIFA Pan Arab tournament.”

Milipol Qatar has attracted a strong exhibitor turnout from organisations across Scandinavia, Europe, the UK, USA, Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and Far East. The exhibitor line-up includes leading names from Homeland Security and Civil Defence sectors which span a wide breadth of equipment, systems, product, and consultancy offerings.

Confirmed exhibitors include: fire and protection infrastructure support product and engineering systems suppliers; services and safety training consultants; manufacturers of access control, authentication and cyber-security systems; risk assessment and crisis management advisors; fibres and fabric suppliers; producers of measurement and analysis, mobility and optronic solutions; communications and transmission systems as well as weapons and ammunition suppliers.

The industry-only event, which is under the patronage of His Highness the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, is organised by Qatar’s Ministry of Interior in partnership with Paris-based international event organiser Comexposium, acting on behalf of the GIE Milipol headed by Civipol, the technical implementer of the French ministry of the Interior. Moreover, the French minister of the Interior is a guest of honour of the event.

Milipol Qatar 2020 is expected to welcome over 200 exhibitors and close to 8,000 visitors.

The event’s online registration platform for both exhibitors, and industry professional visitors, who enter free-of-charge, is now open on the Milipol Qatar website