Challenges and Implementation of CBRN Sensor Networks in Urban Areas

Abstract

The threat posed by chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) agents is considered greater than ever before. Technological advances offer new opportunities for prevention and decontamination in the fight against terrorism, but also pose new challenges for affected areas, companies, and forces. This article is based on the project “CBRN - City Sensor Network”. The aim was to use stationary sensor networks to achieve early, automatic detection, identification, and protection against attacks with CBRN substances in public enclosed spaces with a focus on transport companies. In this paper, special attention is given to the challenges and factors that need to be considered when implementing sensor networks for emergency plans from a social science perspective. In doing so, processes and factors were defined to enable blue light organisations to limit damages faster, increase the safety of their own employees and improve the reconstruction of accidents. With a mix of methods, social science developed a phase model that depict the process of detecting and determining CBRN and extracted the challenges of implementation and deployment into a theme map.