COBRATF completes upgrades

Responders are reminded that the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) has completed making the latest series of upgrades to its Chemical, Ordnance, Biological and Radiological Training Facility (COBRATF) and the training venue is fully operational.

The most visible upgrades involved the bays where responders train with biological materials and nerve agents.

Gone are outdated scenes, such as an electronics store. In their place is an immersive experience, which begins as students walk through an alley door into a street scene, complete with trees and a sidewalk. Doors open from the sidewalk into a variety of updated training scenarios, including a subway, an industrial loading dock, a bar and an illicit drug lab. New vinyl wall coverings and props help enhance the realism of each scene.

The upgrades also included construction of a 30- by 90-foot building in the center’s outdoor training area, enhancements to its HVAC and hot water systems, and the installation of improved safety and security equipment.

In a typical year, up 2,500 responders train at the COBRA facility. It is the only place in the country where civilian responders train with biological materials and toxic chemical agents.