CDP resident training to include ‘Community Lifelines’ information

The Center for Domestic Preparedness will soon incorporate information about FEMA ‘Community Lifelines’ into some of its advanced first responder classes.

Lifelines are fundamental services in a community that enable it to function smoothly. They are grouped in seven categories (safety and security; food, water and shelter; health and medical; energy, which includes power and fuel; communications; transportation; and hazardous materials), and serve as a frame of reference for elected officials, emergency managers and first responders to better understand the status of these services in a disaster.

Restoration of these services to certain levels is key to expediting a community’s recovery.

“This is another way the CDP is bringing timely and relevant FEMA training to those we serve,” said Bill Reneau, the CDP’s exercise support program manager.

The lifelines information will initially be incorporated into all resident CDP classes that culminate with an integrated capstone event – a full-blown exercise at the end of a training week where students from multiple disciplines work together to respond to one or more incidents patterned after recent real-world events.  

The plan is to eventually incorporate the lifelines information into all resident training courses.