eNOVATION Project: Strengthening resilience against chemical and biological threats

The National Crisis Center (NCCN) is the coordinator of the eNOVATION project, an initiative carried out in collaboration with 21 international partners from 16 countries, both within and outside the European Union. Launched in September 2024 and running until August 2027, this project aims to enhance the resilience and protection of emergency services against chemical and biological threats.

What is the eNOVATION project?

In a world where chemical and biological threats pose an increasing security risk, first responders, including police, firefighters, civil protection, defense, and emergency medical teams, face significant dangers.

The eNOVATION project seeks to better prepare these professionals by providing advanced training, innovative technologies, and user-friendly tools. These resources will enable them to assess risks more accurately on-site, analyze situations with greater precision, and improve both public and personal protection.

Additionally, eNOVATION aims to expand the network of CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear) training centers, including both European and non-European facilities.

First Successful Exercise in Dortmund

We are pleased to announce that the first large-scale eNOVATION exercise successfully took place in Dortmund on February 28 and March 1, 2025.

Thanks to the thorough preparation and smooth organization by our colleagues from FDDO, Exercise Director Sylvia Pratzler-Wanczura, and the support of ISEMI, Dortmund firefighters, project consortium members, and observers were able to benefit fully from this two-day exercise.

On February 28, after a warm welcome from FDDO and an introduction by our coordinator CrisiscenterBe, two of our technical partners presented three key technologies for the identification and decontamination of chemical and biological substances.

• Our colleagues from UCLouvain showcased the LAMP Backpack for identification and DECON VHP technologies.
• Our colleague from ADELFAS presented the Quixote project, which focuses on cold plasma decontamination.
• Participants were also introduced to Bullseye procedures by our colleague from ISEMI and received an introduction to Psychological Emergency Care from our colleagues at NUCPU.

On March 1, the Mass Decontamination field exercise took place at the Dortmund Fire Department training site. Before the practical session, first responders participated in a tabletop exercise to review the procedures in detail. During the hands-on exercise, 15 role-players simulating contaminated victims were decontaminated using state-of-the-art technologies and equipment available to the teams.

Throughout these two days, our colleagues from KEMEA conducted a thorough evaluation of the activities to ensure they were fully adapted to the needs of first responders and to identify potential improvements for future exercises. Meanwhile, all eNOVATION partners took this opportunity to strengthen their collaboration for upcoming initiatives.

A huge thank you to all our partners who made these two days of exercises successful, to all partners and observers who attended, and to the Dortmund first responders who actively participated in the workshops and practical activities.

Looking Ahead

The first six months of the eNOVATION project have been a success, and collaboration has already delivered significant results. But this is just the beginning—over the coming years, numerous exercises, training sessions, and technological innovations will be developed and tested to further enhance the safety and resilience of emergency services.

Follow the progress of the eNOVATION project on their official LinkedIn page and website to stay informed about the latest developments.