The National Training and Education Division (NTED), a FEMA training organization, has updated its course catalog for first responder education programs. The training sessions are intended for individuals who are already certified first responders and can be organized through one’s local jurisdiction. NTED does not facilitate each of their courses, but takes applications for the course to be taught locally by a provider.
Training is offered in three different ways: resident, where the course is offered at the training provider’s facility; mobile, at a nearby location that the agency requests training, or online, an asynchronous, self-paced format via computer and reliable internet access. The length of the course depends on how much content is needed to be worked through. Some courses are offered as a one-day session, while others take place over a few weeks.
NTED focuses on a range of topics such as the handling of flammable liquid materials. Some of these courses include:
- Crude Oil Class 3 Flammable Liquid Emergencies Transported by Rail (FLE-RR) | Residential, 24 hrs. This course is an approach to all hazards involving crude oil and class 3 liquids transported via rail. It will address the dangers of transporting these liquids, their environmental impacts, and emergency mitigation strategies in the event of a leak or spill. At the end of the course, students will know what techniques they need to implement (offensive, defensive, or non-intervention) at the time of an incident.
- Highway Emergency Response Specialist | Residential, 40 hrs. This course is about highway transportation emergency response to the containment of hazardous materials transported on the roadway. Students will learn how to identify vulnerabilities on the roadway through the learning of different types of containers and transportation methods. By the end of the course, students will successfully know how to assess the scene and mitigate the hazardous situation in a scenario demonstration.
- Tank Car Specialist | Residential, 40 hrs. This course is designed for emergency response training of hazardous materials identified by the OSHA, NFPA, and the EPA, with a focus on the transportation of flammable and combustible liquids by rail. Training will take place both hands-on and in a classroom setting to learn the necessary safety precautions that should be taken by railroad companies and the methods in which emergency personnel should demonstrate an appropriate response.