SHELTERS The BioDome CB System with carrying cases.
On a recent mission in Iraq, a four- Humvee Special Ops Unit was out on patrol when almost simultaneously, the chemical alarms in each vehicle went off, indicating a possible threat. The Special Ops troops had no option but to keep driving... and leave the contaminated area. Being in the open desert, there were no structures and no onboard chemical-biological (CB) shelter protection.
ENTERING THE BIODOME T
his is just one of many global scenarios playing out on a regular basis. The aſter-effects of natural disasters such as the earthquake and tsunami
in Japan in 2011, to the more recent evidence of chemical weapons in volatile countries such as Syria and Libya, makes the threat of chemical and biological attacks real. The increased availability of CB, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) weapons has been cited as a top issue in 2013, even as cuts in funding for CBRN and defence loom in the United States. How real is the threat? As recently as
February, troops from the 1st Air Calvary Brigade, 1st Calvary Division hosted a CBRN Rodeo for hundreds of soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, according to the Fort Hood Sentinel. The training was designed to teach soldiers the processes and procedures to keep safe in a chemical environment. Chemical/biological agent attacks are serious and reaction time is critical to save lives... as is the proper protection.
In addition to military needs, the first
responders to a disaster scene are usually local police and fire departments, EMTs (emergency medical technicians) and hospital workers. At the first sign of a threat, these groups must act quickly to protect the public welfare. With the threat to public safety extending to shopping centres, schools, theatres and other public places, reaction times are critical. Global terrorism exists and is predicted
to increase over the next 50 years. By targeting public domains, extremists
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spread fear through the world population. From in-theatre to civil emergency CBRN attacks, disaster, rescue, relief and medical events, the need for small portable, lightweight and affordable shelters is increasingly in demand. One company answering this need is
ColPro, Inc. In 2002, just aſter the 9/11 attacks, ColPro, Inc. CEO and President Martin Gustafson was looking for a way to protect his family and found none available for civilians. As a building contractor who had built houses, large commercial buildings and hospitals, he came up with the concept of The BioDome. Aſter assembling a team of material, fabrication and electronic professionals, and many years of research, prototypes and technology advances, he formed ColPro, Inc. and introduced the product line, The BioDome CB Shelter System.
BioDome – meeting new needs In designing The BioDome, a list of parameters for civilian and military usage was made: lightweight, rapid erection time, portable, self-contained, easy to use, small storage footprint and low cost. All parameters have been met in a simple package. This self-contained, active COLPRO shelter system addresses the issues of concern to military and civilian end users alike, both with military specifications. In the past, this was accomplished by
using systems like the M-51, the AKSSS and the Battalion Aid Station (BAS), utilizing large vehicles and trailers to
Waiting for CB hardening while CEO Martin Gustafson looks on.
move and support the shelter, power generator, environmental control unit, and filter systems into place. These shelters could not be used autonomously without their vehicle support. More recently, the Small Tactical Airbeam Tent (STAT), which is attractive due to its lighter weight, has been used – however, it still has to interface with military equipment to supply power, environmental controls and filtration. Even this smaller unit takes hours for an experienced four-man crew to erect. The original NADICK goals were 15 minutes to erect and ten minutes to achieve CB hardening—a goal that to this day was never met. To answer to these concerns, the
BioDome System comes in two smaller
Images: ©BioDome
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