New Delhi: As part of its ongoing co-operative effort to strengthen India's emergency response system, the United States on June 23 presented a chemical, biological and radiological emergency response trailer to India.

The Rapid Response Trailer (RRT) was handed over to Home Secretary N Gopalaswamy by US Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security Francis X Taylor and US Ambassador to India Robert D Blackwill, an US Embassy release said.

Modelled on emergency response equipment employed in US cities on June 23, the van was designed for quick deployment of chemical, biological and radiological site, it said, adding the RRT would be employed in a three-day WMD (weapons of mass destruction) First Responders training seminar, beginning June 24 at the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) training centre.

The grant for the equipment was made under the US Department of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA) training program that assists partner nations in improving their capability to respond to catastrophic terrorist acts, the release said.

Since 2000, Indian law enforcement officials have participated in 14 different ATA seminars in India and US.

PTI