Practical protection concepts for patient groups in CBRN hazard situations

Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) incidents present unique challenges for emergency responders and healthcare systems. In the research project “CBRN-Rescue”, the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS in Halle (Saale), Germany, is developing new protection and rescue concepts for patients in such situations. The aim is to enhance the safety of affected individuals while providing practical solutions that support civil protection and emergency response personnel.

Various protective concepts and types of equipment are available for CBRN scenarios. However, existing response concepts primarily focus on protecting emergency personnel, while the specific needs of patients within the hazard zone have received only limited attention to date. Due to their individual health conditions and medical care requirements, these patient groups place special demands on protection, rescue, and evacuation measures. In particular, individuals with limited mobility or ongoing treatment needs require solutions that ensure safe rescue and continuous medical care even under contaminated conditions. Against this backdrop, the “CBRN-Rescue” project aims to develop patient-specific protection and rescue measures and thereby strengthen civil protection capabilities in CBRN operations over the long term.

The project focuses on developing a comprehensive protection concept that includes both preventive and reactive measures. These include innovative protective equipment for different patient groups, such as protective suits for ambulatory individuals and specialized transport body bags for non-ambulatory patients. These developments are complemented by practical guidelines for both affected individuals and emergency responders. The project is being carried out in collaboration with partners from fire services, emergency medical services, civil protection organizations, and healthcare providers to ensure that the solutions developed meet real operational requirements.

Fraunhofer IMWS plays a key role in the development and evaluation of the protective systems. “Our business unit has many years of expertise in the development, characterization, and optimization of functional textile and polymer-based materials for demanding operational environments. Within the project, we investigate suitable materials and material combinations with regard to their protective performance against chemical and biological hazardous substances, as well as their mechanical properties, durability, and decontamination capability,” says Annika Thormann, Project Manager at Fraunhofer IMWS.

Another major focus of the work is the materials science analysis of the developed protection and transport systems. Using advanced analytical methods, structure–property relationships are systematically investigated to evaluate and optimize material performance. This approach enables the systems to be further improved not only with respect to their protective function but also in terms of wearer comfort, robustness, and practical usability. The scientific findings provide an essential foundation for developing innovative, application-oriented solutions aimed at sustainably improving the protection of various patient groups in CBRN hazard situations.

The research project is funded by the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) and will run until January 2028.

(July 22, 2026)