OPCW undertakes rapid response training in Romania

Members of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) gathered in Romania last week as part of a rapid response and assistance training exercise based around chemical attacks.

The Rapid Response and Assistance Mission, of which this was a part, was created in 2016 as an aid to requesting states from the Chemical Weapons Convention that might be in need of emergency service. Field exercises like this check their experts’ competencies in everything from deployment to on-site assessment and the detection of toxic chemical, followed by their decontamination. These responders are also tasked with advising treatment of victims and prepping samples from sites of attack for off-site analysis.

“When preventive measures fail, we must be prepared to quickly and effectively respond to an emergency,” OPCW Director-General Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü said. “The OPCW has created the RRAM to assist countries that have joined the Chemical Weapons Convention upon their request. The RRAM consists of experts from across the OPCW and is a highly specialised unit with fast deployment capability.”

The event joined OPCW responders with World Health Organization and International Criminal Police Organization officials, in a controlled environment that included live chemical warfare agents. It was funded by Canada, while Romania provided the training facilities and assistance.