Lieutenant Tom Nolan Technologies for Critical Incident Preparedness Conference October 2008

1. NIJ Chemical-Biological-Radiological-Nuclear (CBRN) Protective Ensemble Standard for Law Enforcement Lieutenant Tom Nolan Technologies for Critical Incident Preparedness Conference October 2008

2. Why Develop CBRN Ensemble Standard for Law Enforcement? • Existing standards address CBRN protection for many emergency responders (HAZMAT, fire service, technical rescue, and emergency medical service) • No existing standard fully addresses law enforcement needs • DHS grant programs limit procurement of CBRN ensembles to those compliant with standards adopted by DHS • Result - procurement of ensembles that are neither designed for nor tested to meet requirements of the law enforcement community Result…

3. Law Enforcement Requirements Examples include: • Durability • Different threats (i.e., human threat) • Dexterity (operating firearm) • Stealth operations • Compatibility with other mission-essential equipment (communications, ballistic-resistant armor, helmets, etc.)

4. Why the NIJ? • NIJ's principal authorities are derived from the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended (see 42 USC § 3721-3723) and Title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. • Research, development and evaluation arm of the Department of Justice • Advances scientific research, development, and evaluation • to enhance the criminal justice system • to increase public safety • Emphasis on State and local practitioner needs • Committed to scientific process of open competition, peer-reviewed, published reports and archived data

5. NIJ CBRN Protective Ensemble Standard Effort Special Technical Committee (STC) Advisory Working Group (AWG) Steering Committee (SC)

6. Special Technical Committee • Formed in August 2007 • Responsible for developing the performance standard and related documents for CBRN ensembles for law enforcement • Membership: • Law enforcement practitioners with relevant experience & expertise • Stakeholder organizations represented include: NFPA, DHS, DEA, FLETC, FOP, IACP, NSA, NTOA • Technical experts from NIST/OLES, DOD, NIOSH, UL, and SEI (engineers, scientists, test labs, conformity assessment bodies, standards development organizations) • No manufacturers allowed on the STC

7. Special Technical Committee Member Organization Member Organization *Ed Bailor, Chair

8. Oversight and Guidance Advisory Working Group: • Senior-level personnel from NTOA, IACP, FOP, NIST, NSA, NIJ, & DHS • Purpose is to review STC work and provide input to the draft documents prior to public comment Steering Committee: • Senior advisors from agencies having jurisdiction over law enforcement equipment • Purpose is to provide overall direction of the effort and approve the completed standard and related documents

9. Advisory Working Group (AWG) NIJ: Marc CaplanNIST/OLES: Phil MattsonDHS: Jim HagyNFPA: Bob VondrasekFOP: Tim Richardson NTOA: John GnageyIACP: Joel LesonIAB: Bob Ingram NSA: John Thompson

10. Steering Committee NIJ Deputy Director for Science and Technology: Dr. John Morgan DHS Science & Technology Standards Executive: Bert Coursey NIST/OLES Director: Mark Stolorow

11. NIJ Standard and Supporting Documents • Equipment Standard: Defines minimum design and performance requirements and test methods to verify performance • Conformity Assessment Requirements: Details the requirements for ensuring that a product or process conforms to particular standards or specifications • Selection and Application Guide: Provides information to assist law enforcement agency decision-makers, procurement officials, and end users

12. CBRN Ensemble Standard • Built on related work by Natick, NFPA, and other organizations to minimize time needed to create a new standard for law enforcement • Modeled the new standard after existing NFPA CBRN/Hazmat Standards • Law enforcement requirements incorporated in ensemble classification levels, ergonomic testing, noise generation criteria, durability requirements, etc.

13. Standard Defines minimum design and performance requirements and test methods to verify performance • Purpose, Scope, and Application • References • Definitions • Design Requirements • Performance Requirements • Test Methods • Labeling and Information Annex: Explanatory Materials

14. Major Features of the Standard • Scope: Standard establishes the minimum requirements for ensembles and ensemble elements designed to protect law enforcement personnel from CBRN hazards: • Chemical warfare agents (CWAs) • Toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) • Biologically derived toxins or pathogens • Radiological particulate hazards that may inflict bodily harm, incapacitation, or death

15. Major Features of the Standard (Cont’d) • 4 Law Enforcement Response Levels (LERLs) based on mission requirements, expected mission duration, durability requirements of different operations and activities, and hazards in the CBRN threat environments • Design Requirements, such as sizes and integration with mission-specific equipment • Performance Requirements and test methods to verify that requirements are met

16. Law Enforcement Response Levels • Law Enforcement Response Level-1 (LERL-1) • Conditions unknown or known to be above Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) • Requires use of Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) • Requires Flame Resistance (FR) Protection • Law Enforcement Response Level–2 (LERL-2) • Conditions unknown or above IDLH • Requires use of SCBA

17. Law Enforcement Response Levels (cont’d) • Law Enforcement Response Level–3 (LERL–3) • Known to be below IDLH • Requires use of Air Purifying Respirator (APR) or Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) • Law Enforcement Response Level–4 (LERL-4) • Known to be below IDLH • Requires use of APR or PAPR

18. Design Requirements • Protection of the wearer’s body including the upper and lower torso, legs, arms, head, hands, and feet. • Ensemble elements include protective garments, protective gloves, and protective footwear. • Designed for a single exposure at incidents involving CBRN agents and hazards. • Can be donned by the wearer without assistance. • Designed to minimize noise generated during law enforcement operations.

19. Important Law Enforcement Test Methods • Ergonomics: • Donning and Doffing Tests • Gross Body Mobility Tests • Dexterity Tests: Glove Fine and Gross Dexterity Tests • Field of View Test • Tactical and Perimeter Scenario Tests (developed by STC) • Audible Signature: Audible Signature Test (developed by STC)

20. Certification Program • Purpose is to demonstrate that products available to law enforcement are tested and evaluated to meet or exceed the requirements of the standard • Third-party certification of manufacturers of CBRN protective ensembles to the requirements of the NIJ standard • Initial and periodic evaluation of products and facilities • Certification bodies shall be accredited to ISO/IEC Guide 65 by ANSI • Test laboratories shall be accredited to ISO 17025 by a recognized laboratory accreditation body

21. Selection and Application Guide Provides information to assist law enforcement agency decision-makers, procurement officials, and end users • Description of the applicable NIJ standard and conformity assessment program in non-technical terms • Importance of wearing CBRN protective ensembles • Guidance for selecting most appropriate technology • Selection, maintenance, and care of equipment • Applicable Codes and Regulations • Recommended Training • Sample Procurement Language

22. Public Comment and Resolution • Standard and Certification Program Requirements were available for public review and comment August 11 through September 24 • > 600 comments received on the Standard • ~ 30 comments received on the Certification Program Requirements • STC met in mid-October to begin addressing comments and incorporating appropriate changes into both documents

23. Remaining Activities • STC to complete resolution of comments and modification of the documents. • Steering Committee (NIJ, DHS, NIST/OLES) to approve final drafts – date to be determined. • Standard ready for publication by NIJ following Steering Committee approval - date to be determined.