Gas Gas Gas

What a day!

Today started pretty early at around 5am as we had to have breakfast before the Warrant Officers inspection at 7:25. 2 and a half hours souls a long time to get ready but the time races by when you have so much to get spot on. At the end of the inspection it seemed as if we had passed with what was somewhere close to flying colours.

So down the the hanger to start the day of CBRN training and we started off with some very lengthy classroom sessions on drills and respirator fitting. There is an awful lot to learn in terms of the sequences in which you must perform each task. This is important for obvious reasons in a chemical or biological environment.

After lunch we were detailed to report in dress state 4. This meant our normal uniform plus CBRN suit, a fabric suit containing a layer of charcoal, rubber overboots, cotton and rubber outer gloves and hood with helmet. Believe me even in the cool Spring day I was already sweating.

In the suit we carried out the drills we had learned in the morning. Masking up which we had to do in 9 seconds. Decontamination of our face, respirator, hair, ears and neck. Taking a tablet or eating and the drinking drill.

Then we were onto the final and most dreaded stage, the CTF confirmation training facility or the Gas Chamber to you and me.
We were all to be exposed to CS gas by first entering the room to ensure our kit was protecting us and then removing the respirator. The training serves a number of purposes. Gain confidence in the protection offered by the kit. Understand the effects of CS and allow you to try and remain calm when exposed to a little of the gas which I think is yet to come.

So filing into the gas filled room and I could smell nothing, feel nothing or taste anything funny. One by one we were called forward and asked to remove our respirators, place them away and state our name rank and number. One lad went before me and removed his kit and started to cough and struggle to speak to the corporal and was finally ushered out of the exit.

My turn. I was expecting a stinging to the eyes like perhaps bonfire smoke along with a runny nose and for the gas to make me cough again like smoke and for the effects to take a few seconds to take effect. As soon as my kit was off I felt a stinging to my face like an intense sunburn, followed by my eyes burning like having rubbed them with chillies and the almost instant cough from a burning in the throat and mouth. I blurted out my main 3 and then the corporal asked me another question, I choked a response then another question and another choked response. By this time I really wanted to get out a final question and I had no air left to form a response and I was thrown out into the air to recover. The stinging grew worse for a few seconds and my nose and mouth were streaming, this soon subsided after a walk and ensuring I did not rub my eyes or nose.

Lesson learned. The kit works well, I never want to be gassed again and so I'll pay attention to ensuring my drills are completed correctly.

So a long and tiring day and lots of cleaning of kit tonight to remove the CS effects and lots of respirator practice.

Tomorrow is the last day of CBRN before we move to field craft and our overnight exercise. I cant wait to put all our training into practice on Thursday night.

Dave (AC Beatley)