Reevaluating Protective Measures and Training

April 29, 2013

Source: EMR-ISAC

As a result of the bombings at the Boston Marathon on April 15, all emergency services departments are urged to re-evaluate their policies and procedures in regards to mass casualty incidents, protective measures at large gatherings or high-profile events, and management of CBRNE scenes. Here is a partial list of resources available to fire, EMS, law enforcement, emergency management, and other emergency services departments at all levels of government and the private sector:

• Office of Bombing Prevention (OBP) offers training on demand.
• OBP also runs TRIPwire, a username/password protected site containing information on terrorist design, manufacture, and use of IEDs. Register here.
• Center for Domestic Preparedness offers free CBRNE training for first responders.
• Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative provides both online and on-site training for fire, EMS, law enforcement, private security, 9-1-1, emergency management, and corrections officers.
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Independent Study Program hosts free courses on a variety of emergency management topics including Incident Command System, National Incident Management System, and hazardous materials incidents.

Departments or individuals should also contact their state fire marshal’s office, state police, state office of homeland security or emergency management, or state’s health/public health department to find applicable training scheduled or available to them locally.