16.08.2012.
Testing of body cooling system on the Tara River
In the broader region of the Tara canyon, the second phase of the research project of the Technical Test Center under the title "Contribution to improving the operational capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces by improving physiological fitness in the conditions of highly toxic contamination and high ambient temperatures" is being conducted.The tests started on 5th and will last until 18th August. The working team consists of the members of the TTC, Special Brigade, the Institute for Hygiene of the MMA Department of Preventive Medicine, and the team of the National Institute for the CBRN Protection of from Pribram in the Czech Republic.
During the previous testing phase, which was realised early this year, a large number of laboratory tests were performed in a climatic chamber of the Military Medical Academy. On this occasion, different systems for body cooling made by different international manufacturers were tested, and the respondents were members of the Special Brigade.The second phase of testing at the Tara River involved the same participants for repeatability of the measurement and usability of the results. Currently, four body cooling systems combined with our local insulating agent for body protection – protective coveralls M-5 are under testing. These are the most modern systems – two of them are US-made, one is German and one Australian. They are completely different and can operate on different principles, but their function is the same – to reduce the body temperature in extremely hot conditions. All this is coupled with the latest measuring equipment – most of the equipment was brought by the members of the National Institute of the Czech Republic, and a part of it is ours.
- The goal of testing is to determine the best solution for the body protection system, which would be thoroughly tested in the next phase under the same conditions and using the same methodology, in the same way. The ultimate goal is that after all the analyzes are completed, we design our solution of the body cooling system, which would be most favourable one in the variant with a protective suit with which the CBRN units of the Serbian Armed Forces are equipped, which would extend the time of stay of our troops in extreme conditions of hot environment and highly toxic contamination – said Lieutenant Colonel Dr Radovan Karkali?, Assistant Director of TOC for research, and also the team leader of that research project.