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The National Center for Biomedical Research and Training at Louisiana State University offers DHS-certified courses covered under the NCBRT’s Homeland Security National Training Program Cooperative Agreement. As a DHS primary training provider, the NCBRT can offer this vital training at no direct cost to your agency. Please contact us at info@ncbrt.lsu.edu or 1-877-829-8550 to schedule a course through your state administrative agency, or visit www.ncbrt.lsu.edu to learn more about the NCBRT’s training opportunities. Remember, the time to prepare is now!

ERDBI

Emergency Response to Domestic Biological Incidents

This course is designed to address fundamentals associated with emergency response to biological incidents. It provides detailed technical information and includes hands-on practice of actions required of emergency responders and medical personnel in biological incident situations. The course provides a brief overview of the terrorist threat that now faces the United States; biological agents that could be used by terrorists in executing their attacks; methods of protection from biological agents (with an emphasis on protection using methods and equipment readily available to most emergency responders); and tactics for identifying the presence of a potential biological threat, responding to an incident, and supporting law enforcement operations at the incident scene. The course also supports the necessity for teamwork (Incident Command/Unified Command) among all responding agencies and actions that law enforcement personnel can take to support and facilitate the operations of fire and medical services and other responding agencies. In summary, the course prepares representatives of state and local emergency response agencies to perform safely and effectively during an incident involving biological agents.

Course Objectives
At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Define terminology relevant to this course.
Outline the history of relevant incidents where biological agents were used as weapons.
Describe the categories of intentional biological incidents.
Describe the categories of unintentional biological incidents.
Discuss the difference between infectious and contagious.
Describe the differences between bacteria, viruses, and toxins.
List the most likely agents of bioterrorism.
Describe the diseases these agents cause.
List which diseases are more likely to be fatal and which are more likely to be debilitating.
Use the components of the NCBRT WMD Response Guidebook.
Describe the biological, physical, and aerobiological properties of a bioterrorist attack.
Identify meteorological conditions that must be present for bioterrorist attacks to be successful.
List types of disseminators and energy required to produce small-particle infectious aerosols.
Describe delivery systems that can place the agent-filled dissemination device onto the target.
Describe ways agent, disseminators, delivery system, and meteorological conditions interact.
List the advantages and disadvantages of using biological agents in a terrorist attack.
Describe the impacts of various cases involving biological incidents.
Define threat and vulnerability.
Describe vulnerability assessment used to quantify resources to mitigate bio weapons attacks.
Explain capacity, possible methods, and potential targets to be selected for a biological attack.
List potential terrorist targets in the local community and explain why they are vulnerable.
Describe the concepts and principles of NIMS and the Incident Command System.
Describe types of biological incidents that may impact incident management and ICS.
Explain incident command transition considerations.
Explain use, responsibilities, and implementation of Unified Command for a terrorist incident.
Describe implementation of the NRF when planning for and responding to a terrorist incident.
Identify planning steps required for initial on-scene support and decontamination operations.
Describe how exposure, contamination, and permeation differ.

Describe the fundamentals of decontamination.
Describe risks and benefits of decontamination and decide if, when, what procedures to use.
List and describe homeland security missions organizing a response to a biological incident.
Describe strategies emergency responders use during the response phase of a bio incident.
Explain how response strategy and tactical options increase response effectiveness.
State how continuous and active surveillance can help to detect public health events.
Explain the medical response to a public health emergency.
List ways epidemiological and criminal investigations occur during a public health emergency.
Identify parts of template that should be considered for incorporation into EOPs and SOPs.
State the future of terrorism in the U.S.
Describe actions that can be taken to prepare for terrorist incidents.
List members of the NDPC and the type of training provided by them.

Target Audience/Discipline
Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Medical Services, Governmental Administrative, Healthcare, Hazardous Material Personnel, Law Enforcement, Public Health, Public Safety Communications, Public Works, Fire Services

The primary audience for Emergency Response to Domestic Biological Incidents will include administrators, directors, midlevel supervisors, special operations teams, and emergency responders who are assigned to respond to WMD incidents (i.e., police, fire, and emergency management and emergency medical services personnel and planners). Further, recognition that a biological incident may not be restricted to the primary audience highlights the need to include public health and medical personnel (i.e., physicians, nurses, and veterinarians). In addition, the course addresses information of value to supervisory and management personnel responsible for developing policies and procedures governing emergency responder actions during biological terrorist incidents.

Scheduling
Contact a NCBRT training coordinator today to schedule this course.

FEMA Regional Training Contacts
FEMA Region IV, VIII, and X
Kristi Grace 1-225-578-7550

FEMA Region I, II, and V
Ryan Graham 1-225-578-3367

FEMA Region III, VI, VII, and IX
Joseph Gueno 1-225-578-5528

Min/Max Enrollment Min 20; Max 30

Hours 16.0

Format Instructor-Led Training (Direct Delivery)

DHS Course # PER-220

Prerequisites

Completion of ICS 700 recommended

Continuing Medical Education Credit
Louisiana State University Health Science Center --Shreveport, School of Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of 22 hours of AMA PRA Category1 Credits^TM.

Facility Requirements
Please view this document for facility requirements

Download Course Description

Brian Monson
United States Marshals Service
Memphis, TN

I became more aware of how difficult it would be for someone to make a weapon’s grade product and how dangerous it would be if it was used. The basic properties of an airborne product was most useful – the instructors were able to explain this in great detail. I have been to other classes on the same subject matter but this is the first time I felt I had a better understanding of how the product interacts once it becomes airborne. As a result of this class we rewrote and changed how we would react to a suspicious substance in powder form, in terms of a bio-attack, in the emergency operation plan for the Federal Building in Memphis, TN.