18.08.2020.
Invaluable Performance of CBRN units of the Serbian Armed Forces
The Serbian Armed Forces CBRN units have proven their worth and how important they are when it was the most difficult, and instancing the work of CBRN units, the Serbian Armed Forces have proven that their members are ready and capable of providing an efficient response to every challenge to security of the state.
“Invisible enemy” that the entire planet faces – COVID-19, has put to test the competence, courage and endurance of states and armed forces worldwide. In that struggle, not neglecting for a single moment their primary tasks, the Serbian Armed Forces have managed in the best possible way to provide assistance to population in fight against corona virus, equally engaging members of military health care system in treatment of the ill, providing logistics in constructing, equipping and managing temporary COVID hospitals, and performing biological disinfection all over Serbia.
Since the proclamation of emergency situation in the Republic of Serbia, the tasks of CBRN units multiplied with the emergence of every new virus hotspot. From 15th March to 7th May, on several occasions the CBRN units carried out preventive and protective disinfection of public surfaces, establishments, lines of communications and facilities in 37 towns and municipalities and in 60 barracks and facilities of the Serbian Armed Forces.
Biological disinfection was conducted in bases and emplaced facilities in the Ground Safety Zone, and centres for accommodation of migrants, which were also secured by the Serbian Armed Forces during the emergency situation.
Within three largest temporary COVID hospitals in “Belgrade Fair” and hall “Čair” in Niš, by engaging CBRN decontamination divisions, permanent disinfection points were established or stations where disinfection was carried out of medical and other engaged staff, movables, motor vehicles and all access roads and surfaces around the temporary hospitals.
During the emergency situation, the Serbian Armed Forces CBRN units disinfected over 564,350 square metres of surfaces, 4,949 kilometres of roads and 1,290 facilities.
Also, the Serbian Armed Forces CBRN units were engaged on joint tasks as well with members of CBRN teams of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation which provided invaluable support and assistance in suppressing the corona virus in the period from 3rd April to 15th May. By providing assistance to the members of the Russian armed forces in their contacts with local self-governments in the field, they assisted achieving much better results in prevention of the infection from spreading.
The cooperation with Russian CBRN teams was of immense importance for our CBRN Service, both in terms of exchange of experience in task execution, and comparison and one-of-a-kind test of methodology applied in the work so far.
The Russian teams worked on 122 locations with 190 sight visits, and they disinfected facilities in 37 towns of the total surface of 1,650,000 square meters and 465,000 square meters of public surfaces.
Management of CBRN teams of the Armed Forces of Russian Federation evaluated the cooperation with the CBRN units of the Serbian Armed Forces as a highly useful experience, where the members of the Serbian Armed Forces, regardless of certain technical differences, proved to be very well prepared and that the coordination of work of Russian and Serbian units in the field took just one day, and that maximal efficiency of task execution was achieved through mutual complement.
Once the emergency situation in our country was over, the CBRN units continued carrying out biological disinfection of people, facilities and public surfaces. In the fight against COVID-19, which is still on-going, these units are still engaged where it is the most required.
The fight against the corona virus has shown the importance of men, their training and motivation, and that it is important to have suitable units capable of performing specific tasks and fighting with the challenges such as those brought in Serbia by COVID-19.
The reforms of the armed forces conducted between 2005 and 2007 significantly reduced CBRN units. Until corps and armies were abolished, there had always existed a CBRN Brigade, and each division had one company, each brigade had a mixed platoon, while battalions had CBRN squads. It is only owing to great efforts of courageous CBRN servicemen, who did not flinch from the places where it was the most difficult and who tasked themselves to contribute to preservation of something that is priceless for Serbia – human lives, the lack in personnel and equipment was compensated. Hence the resolve to make CBRN more present in future organisational changes within the armed forces, and to review and restore some solutions which were abandoned in the past without any reason.
Strengthening CBRN units proved to be required in the fight against the corona virus, just like the presence of those units of the Serbian Armed Forces all over our country proved that our armed forces take care of their people and that they will provide help whenever and wherever the assistance is required.
PHOTOGALLERY
VIDEOGALLERY18.08.2020
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