The Arsenal Files 4/The Arsenal Files 4 (Arsenal Computer).ISO/health/eng001.txt

Text File | 1995-05-06 | 16KB | 375 lines

                 ┌───────────────────────────────────────┐
                 │  EMI/NFA GRAM #1      March 30, 1995  │
                 └───────────────────────────────────────┘


                 FEMA Hazardous Materials Training Courses

As a result of the recent chemical attack in the Japanese subway system,
renewed attention and interest has surfaced regarding availability of
training in the hazardous materials area.  It should be noted that, in this
country, leading the investigation of, and conducting anti-subversive tactics
to halt such covert activities rests with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
FEMA's overall role continues to be that of  "consequence management" and
coordination of response/recovery actions due to natural and/or technological
sources.

In order to ensure an efficient integrated approach to disaster management,
FEMA conducts training, through resident and field deployment, in a variety
of hazard-specific areas to include hazardous materials.  Our hazardous
materials training mission continues to be to improve the capability of the
nation to plan for, mitigate, prevent and respond to hazardous materials
emergencies, whether intentional or accidental.  To accomplish this mission,
FEMA provides coordinated training services, support and guidance to the
nation's federal, State, and local emergency planning, response, and training
systems.  This effort also involves making training courses and materials
available to the public sector whenever feasible.

Within FEMA, the Preparedness, Training, and Exercises (PT&E) Directorate
and U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) have the responsibility to ensure such
training is made available to emergency service organizations as well as
private citizens.  To keep you current on these training activities, the
following is a list of training courses offered by each of these elements.

Preparedness, Training and Exercises (PT&E) Directorate

        Emergency Management Institute (EMI) Training Programs

        EMI offers a curriculum in hazardous materials planning, preparedness
        and public awareness for public officials, emergency managers,
        planners, and response support personnel through a variety of
        methods such as:

        -       direct training of responders
        -       Emergency Education Network (EENET)
        -       distance education
        -       instructor training
        -       hand-off courses and training materials to States
        -       coordination of training initiatives with other Federal
                agencies


                Specific hazardous materials courses offered by the EMI

                            (Field Curriculum)

    Hazardous Materials Contingency Planning (40 hrs)

    Emphasis on HAZMAT planning, transportation, use, storage, and
    disposal of HAZMAT materials and episodic releases of air toxic
    chemicals from fixed-site facilities.

    Fundamentals Course for Radiological Monitors (8 hrs)

    Designed for personnel selected for duty as radiological monitor.

    Fundamentals Course for Radiological Response Teams (28 hrs)

    Designed for local government radiological response team members who
    support planning and recovery activities in the event of a radiological
    incident.

    Hospital Emergency Department Management of Radiation Accidents (8 hrs)

    Introduces hospital personnel to procedures for handling peacetime
    radiation accident victims.

    Workshops in Emergency Management

    Special topic modules which can be used as a "stand-alone" module or as
    enhancement to an existing course(s). Subject areas include:

            - Hazardous Materials: An Introduction for Public Officials
            - Hazardous Materials Risk Communication
            - Hazardous Materials Information Management
            - Risk Analysis
            - Exercising Emergency Plans Under Title III
            - Community Awareness and Right to Know
            - Hazardous Materials for EMS Providers
            - Hazardous Materials for Law Enforcement
            - Facility Coordinator's Role and the LEPC
            - Liability Issues in Emergency Management
            - Hazardous Materials Response Teams- Should You Have One?
            - Hazardous Materials for Hospital Staff


    Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness (CSEPP) Curriculum

    The following training materials had been originally developed in
    partnership with the U.S. Army to develop community planning and response
    capabilities in the ten States containing installations where stockpiled
    chemical warfare agents are waiting to be destroyed. It is now possible
    for any State to request and acquire these training materials. It should
    be noted, however, that information will need to be modified for those
    States not possessing chemical agent destruction facilities.

            CSEPP Chemical Awareness (classroom or computer-based) (8 hrs)

            Designed to introduce the characteristics and limitations of
            chemical agents and their associated medical implications as a
            result of an accidental release.

            Agent Characterization and Toxicity First Aid and Special
            Treatment (8 hrs)

            Designed to enable those performing emergency medical duties to
            treat and transport persons accidentally exposed to one or more
            chemical agents.

            Response Phase Decontamination (4 hrs)

            A series of independent modules covering performance of self and
            buddy decontamination (decon).

            Use of Auto-Injectors to Treat Civilians Exposed by Nerve Agent
            (4 hrs)

            Designed to enable participants to identify and correctly use
            nerve agent antidotes.

            Personal Protective Equipment (8 hrs)

            Designed to enable participants to properly use and maintain
            different types of personal protective equipment (PPE) currently
            selected for use in CSEPP.

            Video

            Chemical Stockpile Agent Characteristics and Effects (17 min)

            Designed to introduce those attending various CSEPP technical
            training courses and those needing a "stand alone" orientation
            to:  the background of the CSEPP; the munitions and agents
            involved and the security measures taken to ensure their safety
            during storage; the signs and symptoms of and treatment for
            exposure to chemical agents (nerve agents, such as VX, GA, GB;
            and blister agents such as sulfur mustard).


            NOTE 1:  The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and
            Health Administration (OSHA) has instructed FEMA that no
            community responder may engage in an emergency response to any
            chemical release, regardless of cause, unless that response is
            performed in conformance with regulations contained in 29CFR
            1910.120.  This determination applies even if the person is
            deployed only for purposes of off-site work (e.g., erecting
            roadblocks, directing traffic) that does not involve containment
            or cleanup of a release.  Therefore, a community will need to
            ensure all field and hospital personnel are not only trained in
            chemical-specific technical matters, but also have the medical
            competency, protective equipment and monitoring capabilities
            mandated by the regulation.  You should check with your State or
            regional OSHA office to obtain details about these restrictions.

            NOTE 2:  Distribution of CSEPP materials will be limited to State
            emergency management agencies and State fire academies.

                           (Resident Curriculum)

    Incident Command System:  Public Works Train-the-Trainer (12 hrs)

    Qualifies public works personnel to instruct the ICS system.

    Incident Command System:  Law Enforcement Train-the-Trainer  (12 hrs)

    Qualifies law enforcement personnel to instruct the ICS system.

    Incident Command System/Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Interface
    Train-the-Trainer (12 hrs)

    Provides trainers with the skills to deliver the ICS/EOC Interface course.

    Radiological Emergency Preparedness Exercise Evaluation (32 hrs)

    Primarily for federal evaluators of commercial nuclear power plant
    off-site exercises.

    Radiological Emergency Preparedness Exercise Planning (32 hrs)

    Designed for new federal/State/local REP planners and federal/State/local
    emergency response managers.

    Radiological Accident Assessment- Plume Phase (36 hrs)

    Technical course which addresses the radiological consequences of nuclear
    power plants in the plume (early) phase.


    Advanced Radiological Accident Assessment- Post-Plume Phase (36 hrs)

    Designed a follow-on course to the Radiological Accident Assessment
    course.

    Integrated Emergency Management Course:  Hazardous Materials (40 hrs)

    Specialized course which addresses the unique problems associated with
    the handling and transportation of radiological, toxic, and other
    hazardous materials.

    Independent Study Curriculum

    Self-study courses which can be taken and completed at the office or in
    the home.  Subject areas include:

            - Radiological Emergency Management
            - Radiological Emergency Response
            - Refresher Course for Radiological Monitors
            - Refresher Course for Radiological Response Teams
            - Hazardous Materials: A Citizen's Orientation

U.S. Fire Administration

     National Fire Academy Training Programs

     NFA offers a comprehensive curriculum for all hazardous materials
     response functions including responder awareness, operations, incident
     commander, safety officer, emergency medical service, technician, and
     specialist training. The curriculum is implemented in a variety of ways
     to best meet State and local needs, and includes:

        -   direct training of responders and response managers
        -   EENET-televised broadcasts
        -   training of State and major metro fire service instructors
        -   hand-off training courses to State and metro fire training systems
        -   Open Learning Fire Service Program
        -   coordination of exchange material across State fire training
            systems through the Training Resource and Date Exchange (TRADE)
            system

            Specific hazardous materials courses offered by the NFA

                              (Field Curriculum)

    Recognizing and Identifying Hazardous Materials  (4 hrs)

    Provides participants with an awareness level introduction to hazardous
    materials recognition, placarding and labeling use of information sources
    and incident scene reference materials.

    Initial Response to Hazardous Materials Incidents- Basic Concepts (16 hrs)

    Provides students with an understanding of the basic concepts and
    techniques of hazardous materials first response at the awareness level,
    as defined in 29 CFR 1910.120 or 40 CFR 311 and NFPA Standards 471 and 472.

    Initial Response to Hazardous Materials Incidents - Concept Implementation
    (16 hrs)

    Reinforces and expands upon information presented in IRHMI-BC. The course
    addresses operations level competencies as defined in 29 CFR 1910.120 or
    40 CFR 311 and NFPA Standards 471 and 472.

    Hazardous Materials:  Incident Analysis (16 hrs)

    Provides participants with an understanding of the basic concepts and
    techniques of hazardous materials first responder assessment, through the
    second stage estimating likely harm in the D.E.C.I.D.E. tactical
    assessment model.

    Hazardous Materials: Pesticide Challenge (16 hrs)

    Provides participants with an awareness level introduction to pesticide
    hazardous materials recognition, interpretation of labeling, and use of
    information sources and incident scene reference materials.

    Model Incident Command System (16 hrs)

    An introduction to the use of an Incident Command System in fire
    department operations.

    Fire Fighter Safety & Survival (16 hrs)

    Focuses on the responsibilities of the company officer to maintain safe
    procedures at an incident scene. It relates to but does not fully address
    the responsibilities of Safety Officer at a hazardous materials scene, as
    defined in 29 CFR 1910.120 or 40 CFR 311.

                            (Resident Curriculum)

    Chemistry of Hazardous Materials I (80 hrs)

    Focuses on the basic chemical knowledge required to evaluate the
    potential hazards and behaviors of materials considered to be hazardous.
    It is designed for emergency response personnel who have responsibility
    for tactical response to hazardous materials incidents and/or for fire
    prevention inspection.

    Chemistry of Hazardous Materials II (80 hrs)

    Provides more advanced chemical knowledge required to evaluate the
    potential hazards and behaviors of complex materials considered to be
    hazardous. It is designed for emergency response personnel who have
    responsibility for tactical response to hazardous materials incidents at
    the Specialist level as defined in 29 CFR 1910.120 or 40 CFR 311 and NFPA
    Standards 471 and 472.

    Hazardous Materials Operating Site Practices (80 hrs)

    Focuses on the strategies and safe procedures for alleviating the danger
    at a hazardous materials incident.  In conjunction with Chemistry of
    Hazardous Materials I, it addresses the competencies at the technician
    level as defined in 29 CFR 1910.120 or 40 CFR 311 and NFPA Standards 471
    and 472.

    Hazardous Materials Incident Scene Management (40 hrs)

    Focuses on the legal, managerial and tactical operational responsibilities
    of the incident commander at a hazardous materials incident. It addresses
    the competencies of Incident Commander as defined in 29 CFR 1910.120 or
    40 CFR 311 and NFPA Standards 471 and 472.

    Managerial Issues in Hazardous Materials (Home Study Course Guide)

    This home study course is a study guide for the Open Learning Fire
    Service (OLFS) college degree program. It addresses managerial problems,
    legal and liability issues, staffing and resource concerns facing the
    fire service officer as a senior departmental administrator.

    Command and Control of Fire Department Operations at Natural and Man-Made
    Disasters

    This course addresses fire and rescue department operations at disasters
    that may require interagency or inter-jurisdictional coordination.  One
    of the units in the course is concerned with fire and rescue operations
    at civil disturbances and terrorist activities.  The primary focus for
    the course is directed at the operational component of a fire department's
    response to these incidents.  Emphasis is placed on command and control,
    advanced applications in incident command, ICS/EOC interface, the
    Integrated Emergency Management System, evacuation and sheltering, and
    communications.  Simulation is a major component of the course.

Additional Information:

For additional information on any of the training activities and/or
associated materials, please contact the applicable training institution at
the National Emergency Training Center.

Office of the Superintendent
Emergency Management Institute
16825 South Seton Ave
Emmitsburg, MD 21727
[phone]

Office of the Superintendent
National Fire Academy
16825 South Seton Ave
Emmitsburg, MD
[phone]

Copies of this EMI/NFA information gram should be distributed to other State
agencies (health, transportation, fire marshall, law enforcement) as well as
local emergency services and volunteer organizations which may have an
interest or need of such information.