CDP laboratories sail through compliance inspection
CDP's COBRATF underwent an inspection by a team from the DHS Compliance Assurance Program Office.
The CDP’s Chemical, Ordnance, Biological and Radiological Training Facility (COBRATF) underwent an inspection this week by a team from the Department of Homeland Security’s Compliance Assurance Program Office.
The three-member team assessed two laboratories at the facility – one where the COBRATF stores biological materials used in training and one which analyzes student blood samples before and after training.
The inspection confirmed the Biosafety Level 2, or BSL2, laboratories are operating in compliance with strict Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.
In a typical year, the CDP trains up to 2,500 civilian first responders to detect and safely operate in environments with chemical, biological and nuclear materials. It offers the only civilian training in the nation featuring chemical agents such as GB (Sarin) and VX and biological materials such as ricin (Ricin A Chain) and anthrax (Bacillus anthracis delta Sterne), which increases responders’ confidence to deal with these and other hazardous substances in real-world incidents.
Due to the nature of its activity, the COBRATF undergoes several routine compliance inspections by experts from the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and others.