CBRN defense Chemical , biological , radiological and nuclear defense ( often abbreviated to CBRN defense or CBRND ) is protective measures taken in situations in which any of these four hazards are present . To account for improvised devices , the term CBRNE ( E for explosives ) is used . CBRN defense consists of CBRN passive protection , contamination avoidance and CBRN mitigation . CBRN weapons or agents are often referred to as weapons of mass destruction ( WMD ) . However , this is not entirely correct . Although CBRNe agents often cause mass destruction , this is not necessarily the case . Terrorist use of CBRNe agents may cause a limited number of casualties , but a large terrorizing and disruption of society . Terrorist use of CBRNe agents , intended to cause terror instead of mass casualties , is therefore often referred to as weapons of mass disruption . A CBRN incident differs from a hazardous material incident in both effect scope ( i . e . , CBRNe can be a mass casualty situation ) and in intent . CBRN incidents are responded to under the assumption that they are deliberate , malicious acts with the intention to kill , sicken , and / or disrupt society . Evidence preservation and perpetrator apprehension are of greater concern with CBRN incidents than with HAZMAT incidents . Recent analysis has concluded that worldwide government spending on CBRN defence products and services will reach $ 8 . 38bn in 2011 . Etymology . In English the term " CBRN " is a replacement for the cold war term " NBC " ( nuclear , biological , and chemical ) , which had replaced the term " ABC " ( atomic , biological , and chemical ) that was used in the fifties . The addition of the " R " ( for " radiological " ) is a consequence of the " new " threat of a radiological weapon ( also known as " dirty bombs " ) , in addition to end the joke among members of the Chemical Corps which called " NBC as NoBody Cares " . In the new millennium , the term " CBRNe " was introduced as an extension of " CBRN " - the " e " in this term representing the enhanced ( improvised ) explosives threat . In Spanish the term " NRBQ " ( " Nuclear , Radiológico , Bacteriológico y Químico " ) has replaced " NBQ " . By country . Canada . The term " CBRN " is in common use in disaster and emergency services organizations across the country . Since July 2005 , the Canadian Forces also started using the term " CBRN Defence " , instead of " NBC Defence " , due to the increased threat of dirty bomb use ( which is radiological in nature ) . " CBRNe " is a new term that is being used in both civilian and military organisations . The Canadian Joint Incident Response Unit is a Canadian Forces unit , under the direction of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command , charged with supporting " the Government of Canada in order to prevent , control and mitigate CBRN threats to Canada , Canadians and Canadian interests . " . At the provincial level , cities are provided opportunities for their emergency services with CBRN training . In Ontario , fire departments in Windsor , Ontario , Ottawa , Ontario , Peterborough , Ontario and Toronto ( Toronto Fire Services , Toronto Police Service , Toronto EMS , and Heavy Urban Search and Rescue ) have obtained CBRN standing at NFPA Standard 472 Awareness Level 3 . The Ontario Provincial Police ' s UCRT ( " U " rban Search & Rescue / " C " BRNe " R " esponse " T " eam ) is a specialized team responsible for CBRNe incident response for the province of Ontario . The team was formed in 2002 and was called the Provincial Emergency Response Team ( PERT ) until 2010 , when the name was changed to UCRT . Hong Kong . Hong Kong has had CBRN response capabilities since the early 1990s and advanced training from 1998 . Hong Kong Fire Services HAZMAT and Hong Kong Police EOD teams handle CBRN calls , with the latter dealing with explosive devices . India . The Indian Army ordered 16 CBRN monitoring vehicles , of which the first 8 were inducted in December 2010 . It was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation ( DRDO ) and manufactured by Ordnance Factories Board . Argentina . The Argentine Armed Forces has several CRBN response teams . The Batallón de Ingenieros QBN 601 of the Argentine Army , was the first CRBN response team created , in the 1990s , as a part of the country ' s Rapid Deployment Force . Civil defense , and firemen from Policía Federal Argentina teams also have CRBN training . Ireland . The Irish Police Force , the Garda Síochána , have a number of nationwide CBRN response teams . The teams are based regionally and began responding from 2008 . They are trained by the Garda Tactical Training Unit . Malaysia . The Malaysian Army formed a CBRN unit , " Peperangan Nuklear , Biologi dan Kimia 3 Divisyen " ( ; PNBK 3D ) in April 2002 . The Royal Malaysia Police has CBRN providers . The Pasukan Gerakan Khas ( PGK ) has two special operations detachments with HAZMAT expertise - 69 Commando s and Special Actions Unit . The Federal Reserve Unit ( FRU ) also has a CBRN unit . Both PGK and FRU teams handle CBRN calls , before an army PNBK unit responds . Spain . The Spanish Army 1st CBRN Regiment ' Valencia ' was formed in March 2005 . Training in the defence against CBRN agents as part of combat support is the main aim of exercise ' Grifo ' ( Griffin ) – the most important of this type that the Army undertakes . The National Police and the Spanish Civil Guard have their own CBRN units . The Military Emergencies Unit and emergency services have CBRN training . United Kingdom . " CBRN " is also used by the UK Home Office as a civil designation . Police , fire and ambulance services in the UK must all have some level of CBRN providers . Within the ambulance service this is performed by the Hazardous Area Response Team ( HART ) and Special Operations Response Team ( SORT ) . Since the introduction of new equipment to UK fire services under the New Dimension programme , CBRN decontamination of personnel ( including members of the public ) has become a task carried out by fire services in the UK and they regularly train for such scenarios . United States . The United States Army uses " CBRN " as an abbreviation for their Chemical , Biological , Radiological , and Nuclear Operations Specialists ( MOS ) . The United States Army trains all US Army soldiers pursuing a career in CBRN at the United States Army CBRN School at Fort Leonard Wood . The USAF uses Air Force Specialty Code ( AFSC 3E9X1 ) Emergency Management , who are also CBRN Specialists . The USAF trains all US Airmen pursuing a career in counter - CBRN operations at the USAF CBRN School at Fort Leonard Wood . The USMC uses " CBRN " as an abbreviation for two military occupational specialties . The Marine Corps runs a CBRN School to train Marine CBRN Defense Officers and Marine CBRN Defense Specialists at Fort Leonard Wood , Missouri . See also : Chemical Biological Incident Response Force ( USMC CBIRF ) Russia . In May 2012 , BioPrepWatch reported that the Russian ordered over 100 " capsule cradles " , which are devices that people can use to protect infants or even small pets in the event of a nuclear , chemical , biological , or radiological threat . According to the article , Soviet military engineers invented the capsules in the 1960s . A company is currently producing the capsules in a factory in Russia .