Snapshot: Hospital Emergency Response Training

Responders practice triage and decontamination procedures during the Hospital Emergency Response Training for Mass Casualty Incidents (HERT) Course at FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness. HERT prepares healthcare responders to work as part of a hospital emergency response team – utilizing the Hospital Incident Command System, determining and using appropriate personal protective equipment, and conducting triage followed by decontamination of patients. The five days of training typically include HERT, its train-the-trainer component and an Integrated Capstone Event, a comprehensive exercise where students work together in response to simulated mass casualty incidents. For additional information about the HERT Course or to register for future iterations, visit: https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-902.