Research project The goal of the project is to build a national preparedness for incidents involving chemical substances.
C-sjukvårdsnoden is a collaborative project between the Center for Disaster Medicine (project owner), the European CBRNE Center, and the Swedish Center for Disaster Toxicology. The purpose of the project is to create a collaboration node for all agents involved with incidents where chemical substances are present (C-incidents). This includes being a resource for knowledge and support, provide education, cooperation and networks, and develop preventative measures towards new potential threats. The vision is that C-sjukvårdsnoden will make research, development, and documented experience in the C-field accessible for practical use. The focal point is prehospital rescue operations and emergency hospital care following exposure to chemicals, both through accidental and antagonistic events.
National Board of Health and Welfare
In 2015, the Swedish Civil Contingency Agency (MSB) published a list of nine prioritized fields within CBRNE which were considered of special concern and importance to develop in coming years. The reason being that work performed within these fields did not satisfy current needs for action and resources. Disaster medicine is one the nine fields. Identified deficiencies include a lack of common methodology, lack of equipment, and lack of proven quality education.
Execution
The scope of the project includes the building and maintenance of a national network for all agents involved in a C-incident. Also included is the contribution to a national distribution of knowledge through the development of an education concept where knowledge produced through research at Umeå University and the Swedish Defence Research Agency is put to practical use. The education concept will be applied in an instructor course, where instructors are trained regionally, to go on to train staff locally. The development of the education concept is funded by a 2:4 crisis preparedness grant from MSB, which aims to strengthen societal crisis preparedness and defense. The course will include a civilian-military perspective.
Results
As a whole, the project will contribute to satisfying the needs that have caused shortcomings in disaster medicine. At the conclusion of the project, a completed education concept will be ready for use in a national education program.
