CamelBak Products LLC., inventor of the hydration-on-the-move water backpack system, today announced its CBR 4.0 Chem-Bio Reservoir system to supply constant access to safe, clean water to military, first responders and law enforcement operating in hazardous chemical and biological environments is now available.
The CBR 4.0, already being used in combat situations by U.S. Special Forces, will be used by the New York Police Department as well as U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Health and Human Services during the upcoming Republican Party convention.
CamelBak's CBR 4.0 represents more than five years of research and development that anticipated an increasing demand for hydration systems strong enough to survive the rigorous demands of combat use in chem-bio environments, the company says. It was thoroughly field-tested at Fort Polk's Joint Readiness Training Center. The CBR 4.0 system delivers immediate access to a safe water source during operations in the most hazardous environments.
"The threat of biological or chemical terrorism is increasingly possible given the fanaticism and unpredictability of global terrorist networks,” says Chuck Hunter, senior vice president and general manager of CamelBak Product's military government and industrial units. “In chem-bio environments, quick access to clean, safe drinking water is critical for clear thinking, peak performance and survival."
Dehydration is a significant concern for people working in hazardous environments. Heat stress can develop more rapidly among personnel wearing airtight Mission Oriented Protective Posture Four gear, which can add an additional 20 degrees to the perceived outside temperature. Personnel using the CBR 4.0 in hazardous environments gain a major advantage by staying hydrated and working for longer periods of time, during both the initial incident and clean-up stages, CamelBak executives say. Using the CBR 4.0 results in greater mission flexibility and reduced risk of dehydration casualties.
A number of U.S. and foreign governments already have expressed interest in the product. Three foreign countries now are considering the new reservoir for standard issue with their land forces. In the United States, the Marine Corps and major domestic law enforcement agencies from New York City to Honolulu are preparing to deploy the new chem-bio resistant systems with their elite first responders.