Darrell B D Day | 12 Sep 2019 2:36 p.m. PST |
Are NBC and HAZMAT synonyms or are they two very different things? Or, again, has the term HAZMAT superseded NBC? Thanks DBDD |
jdpintex | 12 Sep 2019 2:47 p.m. PST |
NBC is used more by the military and HAZMAT more by civilians. At least that is my experience. But my original HAZMAT training was designed and provided by retired NBC specialists from the Army. |
willthepiper | 12 Sep 2019 3:17 p.m. PST |
NBC= Nuclear Biological Chemical (referring usually to weapons). HAZMAT = Hazardous Materials Generally, NBC is designed to kill or incapacitate humans, whereas with HAZMAT, people dying or suffering sickness or other incapacity is a side-effect. Herbicides are hazardous materials and need to be handled correctly (HAZMAT) but are NOT intended to kill humans. CS gas (probably) won't kill you, but it is typically deployed to incapacitate humans so counts as an NBC weapon. But there is some interchangeability between the two. I remember talking to a older lady (my grandmother's generation) who remembered an old WWI vet freaking out over water being chlorinated in the 1930's (for disinfection, to keep it safe to drink) as he had been subjected to chlorine gas in the trenches and considered Cl2 to be a weapon. |
Neal Smith | 12 Sep 2019 5:18 p.m. PST |
Everyone is starting to use CBRN a lot more. Even in the civilian (Fire/LE/CERT) world. |
Rudysnelson | 12 Sep 2019 5:46 p.m. PST |
Neal is right. In the Army we shifted from using NBC to CBR. When I worked for nine years with the local EMA we used CBE but also HAZMAT. Since I worked primarily with the destruction of Chemical weapons at Anniston Army Depot, I was exposed to a lot of training in many areas. Improvised homemade bombs became a primary area of training. Every county was required to have some type of exercise each year. One year we might do an attack at a local festival or a car race (since Talladega was down the road) and another year would be a active school shooting. We even exercised at the tabletop level for the bird flu pandemic. |
brass1 | 12 Sep 2019 6:54 p.m. PST |
When I was in the Army (1968-74) we used CBR. LT |
raylev3 | 12 Sep 2019 10:29 p.m. PST |
HAZMAT can cover a host of materials and situations. If something is a hazardous material, it's HAZMAT. A fuel spill can be considered HAZMAT. NBC = Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical. A more specific category. |
Darrell B D Day | 13 Sep 2019 4:43 a.m. PST |
Thanks for the input. First things first. What do CBR, CBRN, EMA, CBE,LE, and CERT stand for? Second, if describing a military unit equipped for dealing with the kind of military hazards discussed here, are the currently more likely to be described as wearing NBC or CBR or CBRN gear? The comments above clearly rule out HAZMAT I would suggest. Doug |
Lion in the Stars | 13 Sep 2019 11:04 a.m. PST |
HAZMAT is anything hazardous to people. Technically, a tanker truck full of gasoline is HAZMAT. So is a truck-load of ammunition. NBC is specifically Nuclear, Biological, and/or Chemical weapons. CBRN is the more modern version: Chemical, Biological, Radiological (ie, dirty bombs), and Nuclear weapons. The US military would describe their CBRN equipment as MOPP gear. I think the Brits call them Noddy Suits. |
Neal Smith | 13 Sep 2019 11:49 a.m. PST |
CBRN – Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear LE – Law Enforcement CERT – Community Emergency Response Team |
Walking Sailor | 14 Sep 2019 3:57 p.m. PST |
Hazardous materials are common. Those diamonds on the back of trucks are HAZMAT labels. link Look on the back of the next truck that you see delivering gas (petrol) to a filling station (garage?)(nos. 3 & 8). If you can spot a truck delivering welding supplies it will have several. Flammable gas, and oxygen for starters and maybe a few closed labels. They fold over to be used as necessary. If one of those trucks falls over, the fuel leaking from it's tanks is a hazmat spill. All Fire & Rescue Departments require hazmat training for their personnel and carry equipment for "clean up, treatment, storage, and disposal" of hazardous waste. Hazardous material shippers may require special training for their personnel and may be required to carry clean up equipment with their shipments. That red trash bag at the bottom of the link is for Medical Waste. Several years ago during the Christmas shopping season, one of the higher end department stores gave red trash bags to their costumers to clean up their wrapping paper. The trash company refused to pick those red bags. Rightly so, the nearest furnace certified to dispose of med waste is about a three hour drive and they weren't certified to haul med waste. NBC/CBR &c are done by national governments, their people have specific training, and security clearances. |