Program E (HARM)

Course Name

Hazard Assessment and Response Management for CBRNE Incidents (HARM)

Target Audience/Disciplines

Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Service, Governmental Administrative, Hazardous Materials, Healthcare, Law Enforcement, Public Health, Public Safety Communications, Public Works

Course Description

Hazard Assessment and Response Management for CBRNE Incidents (HARM) is a unique course within the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) curriculum, in that it replicates the activation and deployment of a hazardous materials (HAZMAT) team into an active operational incident. This course challenges individuals assembled from different disciplines and geographic areas to apply their operational knowledge in support of a HAZMAT team responding to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive (CBRNE) incident. Participants will arrive at the CDP in the 36th operational hour of a simulated incident and form into HAZMAT teams who will then be assigned daily rotational periods over a three-day period. All HAZMAT team members will conduct exercises in a toxic agent environment at the world’s only toxic chemical/biological training facility dedicated solely to emergency responders—the Chemical, Ordnance, Biological, and Radiological Training Facility (COBRATF).

Below are some, but not all, of the critical skill sets learned during this training program:

Employ the appropriate skills, methods, and equipment necessary to respond to a CBRNE incident
Conduct advanced operational tasks including designing the plan of action to detect, control, and mitigate CBRNE materials

Determine appropriate levels of personal protective equipment for responders operating in hot and warm zones

Identify the capabilities and limitations of chemical and biological materials detection and monitoring equipment

Determine response procedures and approach techniques to a preblast and/or postblast incident and classify explosive materials

Identify components of explosive, biological, chemical, and methamphetamine labs

Initiate recovery phased operations to bring the CBRNE incident to a safe conclusion

Additional Qualifications/Certifications

To attend this course, participants must have previously completed one of the following performance-level courses offered through the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) within the last 36 months, as well as IS-100.b Introduction to ICS and IS-200.b ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents: PER-260, Technical Emergency Response Training for CBRNE Incidents (TERT);PER-261, Hazardous Materials Technician for CBRNE Incidents (HT); PER-900, Intermediate Hands-On Training for CBRNE Incidents (HOT-I); PER-262, Hands-On Training for CBRNE Incidents (HOT).

Students will be required to perform physical activities while operating in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Levels A, B, and C, and must have successfully entered the CDP Toxic Agent Facility during their previous attendance in order to qualify for the HARM course.

Course Length

3.0 days

Course Code

PER-906

CEUs

International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET): 2.4
Police Officer Standards and Training (POST; approved per state): 24