Capacity Building and Training Workshops
At the Centre for Disaster Preparedness, Recovery & Research (CDPRR), we run CBRN training workshops and capacity-building programmes for emergency responders, local authorities, healthcare professionals and volunteers working in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and recovery. The aim is to strengthen preparedness, response and resilience.
Our workshops cover the core elements of disaster management, including first aid, search and rescue, incident command systems and communication during a crisis. Each session is adapted to the needs and challenges of the group being trained, so the learning stays practical and relevant to their work.
One of our main areas of expertise is chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats and preparedness. We offer specialised CBRN training modules and workshops on understanding, mitigating and responding to CBRN incidents, so that participants have the knowledge and skills to handle these complex situations. Training with CDPRR combines current knowledge, hands-on exercises and expert guidance, helping organisations and individuals make their communities better prepared for disasters.
What our CBRN training workshops cover
The CBRN training workshops run as structured modules over three to four days, each built around twelve sessions. The basic module covers hazard awareness, personal protective equipment, decontamination procedures, hazard recognition and reporting, incident management, first aid for exposure, and communication during an incident. It also introduces natural methods of remediation, including the use of plants and microbial agents to treat contaminated ground.
The intermediate module moves on to advanced hazard identification and assessment, large-scale decontamination, command and control, biological containment, the use of drones for remote assessment, psychological first aid and stress management, and multi-agency coordination. The advanced module deals with toxic industrial materials and brings in drones, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, robotics, wearable monitoring and GIS-based hazard mapping.
Who the workshops are for
We train emergency responders, local authority staff, healthcare professionals, volunteers, government agencies and private companies. Each group faces different problems, so the content is adjusted rather than delivered from a fixed script. A district administration preparing for an industrial accident needs something different from a hospital team planning for mass casualties.
How a programme is built
Every programme starts with a training needs analysis, so that the sessions match the hazards an organisation actually faces and the equipment it actually has. Classroom teaching is combined with hands-on exercises, case studies of real incidents and mock drills in which participants locate and identify a substance, set up a response and practise coordinating with other agencies. Debriefs after each exercise are where most of the learning happens.
Training works best alongside the other parts of a preparedness system. Many clients combine workshops with risk assessment and mapping, community-based preparedness programmes and recovery planning. To discuss a programme for your organisation, get in touch with us.
India’s national guidance on preparedness and response is published by the National Disaster Management Authority.