News - Center for Domestic Preparedness

Ian Jones, Medical Simulation Technician Team Lead, at the CDP’s Noble Training Facility, demonstrates the abilities of a human patient simulators for the students.

Doctoral Candidates Visit CDP

Six doctoral students, including three international students, in the Jacksonville State University (JSU) Emergency Management program took a field trip to the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), Aug. 21, to explore possible research topics and learn more about employment opportunities in government, education and training.

Students in the Law Enforcement Response Actions for CBRNE Incidents respond to an incident during the Integrated Capstone Event in the CDP’s Advanced Responder Training Complex.

CDP Teams Up With The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center To Take Training To The ‘Next Level’

Terrorists attacked morning commuters at a subway stop, first spraying them with an unknown chemical and then shooting them as they fled, causing mass panic in the crowded station. Moments later, the police receive a report that a suicide bomber has detonated, causing more injuries.

DomPrep Journal: Train for Real Life

DomPrep Journal: The CDP Training Experience

CDP’s Director of Mission Readiness Initiatives (back row, left) accompanies members of the State Department delegation and the Turkish Ministry of Health. First row from left to right: Ellen Wynkopp, Department of State; Dr. Ed Thurn, Department of State; and Allen Cushen, Department of Defense lia

CDP Collaborates With State Department, Turkish Ministry Of Health

The Center for Domestic Preparedness gained a little more international flare last week when the Center’s staff hosted two members of the Turkish Ministry of Health who had sought out the CDP as a partner to share ideas and best practices for a training and simulation center they are establishing in Turkey.

140th Chemical Company to Train this Week

The CDP welcomes 45 members of the California National Guard’s 140th Chemical Company to training this week. The soldiers are divided up, 20 are taking the Hazardous Materials Technician for CBRNE Incidents (HT) while the other 25 are taking Emergency Responder Hazardous Materials Technician for CBRNE Incidents (ERHM).

See CDP Training In Action On YouTube

Responders interested in training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness can now view video descriptions of courses, as well as news stories and podcasts on CDP training and events on YouTube.

Indian Health Service Staffers Train For Mass Casualty Response

Owen Le Beau stood in the hospital parking lot watching as members of his Hospital Emergency Response team tried to cut away the clothing from a man who was injured in a terrorist bombing and may have been exposed to sarin gas, a powerful nerve agent. It’s not an easy task: personal protective suit hood limited their vision and the rubber gloves made something as simple as using a pair of scissors...

Students in the Vehicle-Borne IED Detection course use mirrors to exam the undercarriage of a car during a practical exercise. The course is an eight-hour, one-day course that is offered as part of several of the CDP’s law enforcement training programs.

CDP Now Offers Vehicle-Borne IED Detection Course

The Center for Domestic Preparedness has added a new course to its catalogue of law enforcement courses.

CDP Alumnus Issue 19

Welcome to the nineteenth issue of the CDP Alumnus, a quarterly newsletter for Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) students, alumni, and others interested in the CDP.

Fifteen employees of the Las Vegas Valley Water District

15 employees of the Las Vegas Valley Water District trained at the CDP this week

15 employees of the Las Vegas Valley Water District are training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness this week, taking the Incident Command: Capabilities, Planning and Response Actions for All Hazards (IC) course.

Students in the Field Force Extrication Techniques learn to use jackhammers to extricate protestors from devices.

DC Firefighters Train On Field Force Extrication Techniques At CDP

Eight Washington, D.C. firefighters found themselves surrounded by police officers when they came to the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) to train on Field Force Extrication techniques (FFE) the week of Jan. 19.

JoAnne Ray, an emergency department charge nurse from Guntersville, Ala., and John Coffey, a safety specialist and emergency and disaster preparedness coordinator with Saint Vincent’s Medical Center in Jacksonville, Fla., treat a seriously injured “patient” in the Noble Training Facility Emergency D

Alabama Emergency Responders Train On Disaster Response Skills In Anniston

Amid a cacophony of wailing sirens and the anguished cries of the wounded, John Davis, Jr. stands in a white decontamination tent in the hospital parking lot, trying to cut away the clothing from a man who was injured in a “terrorist attack” and may have been exposed to Sarin gas. It’s not an easy task. His plastic personal protective suit hood limits his vision and the rubber gloves make somethin...

Tina Reddick, a training operation specialist made her 1,000th entry into the COBRA “Hot Zone” in January.

CDP Employee Achieves 1,000 Entries Into The COBRA Training Facility Toxic-Agent Environment

Tina Reddick pulls on a camouflage chemical protective suit, pulls on butyl rubber boots and gloves and then – for the finishing touch – dons an M40A1 protective mask and steps into a room where emergency responders are training with toxic nerve agents. Depending on what day it is, she’ll be in a training venue where responders are training with GB (Sarin) or VX nerve agent. On another day, she ma...

CDP Alumnus Issue 18

Welcome to the eighteenth issue of the CDP Alumnus, a quarterly newsletter for Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) students, alumni, and others interested in the CDP.

Staff Sgt. John Austin, of the 149th Chemical Company, takes a break alongside some of the personal protective equipment used in the ERHM course.

Soldiers Assigned To The California National Guard’S 149th Chemical Company Deployed To Train At The CDP

Soldiers assigned to the California National Guard’s 149th Chemical Company deployed to train at the CDP for two weeks in January, training that helped them to better prepare for both their military mission and their civil support mission.

Alabama Responders Train For Big Event

More than 100 responders from across the great state of Alabama are gearing up for their final test tomorrow: the Integrated Capstone Event (ICE), a hands-on and interdisciplinary exercise during which the students respond to a mass casualty incident.

CDP Alumnus Issue 17

Welcome to the seventeenth issue of the CDP Alumnus, a quarterly newsletter for Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) students, alumni, and others interested in the CDP.

State Administrative Agency (SAA) representatives, representing 37 states, four territories and the District of Columbia attended the National State Administrative Agency Training Symposium at the CDP recently. A total of 140-plus SAAs and other representatives took part in the symposium which was o

NDPC Holds Third National State Administrative Agency Training Symposium

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) recently hosted the National State Administrative Agency (NSAA) Training Symposium. A total of 37 states, four territories and the District of Columbia were represented amounting to more than 140 attendees.

Shaktoolik Residents Learn Incident Command Skills At Center For Domestic Preparedness

When Alaska native Edna Savetilik left her home in Shaktoolik, Alaska, Nov. 9, to attend training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) in Anniston, Ala., she admitted, she didn’t really know what she was getting into.

Kansas hospital lead staff discuss response procedures in the hospital’s command center conference room.

Kansas South Central Healthcare Coalition Strengthens Preparedness Program

The South Central Kansas Healthcare Coalition reinforced bonds and tested its ability to respond during an emergency recently. The coalition attended training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) in Anniston, Ala., practicing with multiple counties and multiple hospitals from the Sunflower State.

Members of Florida’s Environmental Response Team (ERT) sample hazardous materials while preserving evidence during CDP training.

Florida ERT Combines To Support State, Protect Public

More than 20 members of Florida’s Environmental Response Team (ERT) practiced in hands-on training recently at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), located in Anniston, Ala. These first responders attended the Hazardous Materials Technician for CBRNE Incidents (HT) course. The course conveys complex concepts using hands-on learning models offering realistic scenario-based exercises.

Michigan healthcare employees treat the symptoms of a Human Patient Simulator following a scenario-based mass-casualty incident at the Center for Domestic Preparedness. Nearly 140 healthcare personnel, representing more than 25 Michigan hospitals, attended training.

Great Lake’s State Prep For Response And Recovery

Nearly 140 healthcare personnel, representing more than 25 Michigan hospitals, long-term care facilities, EMS agencies and fire departments, attended training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness’ (CDP) Noble Training Facility (NTF) recently. These personnel represented six counties, almost 22 percent of the Great Lake State.

Alabama students participate in Be Ready Day

Alabama’s Capitol Site For Be Ready Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala.— Alabama’s Capitol lawn was the site of the state’s tenth Ready Alabama Day, Sept. 12. The Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) joined more than 20 emergency response and volunteer organizations displaying the latest in response capabilities and training opportunities.

Representatives of different tribal communities occupy the Hospital Command Center as a mass-casualty incident surges the hospital during training.

Native Americans Prepare For Disaster Response

More than 12 tribes from six states met at the CDP recently. The 27 Native Americans attended the Healthcare Leadership for Mass Casualty Incidents (HCL) course and was the first time for the majority to combine with different tribes in a single training setting.

CDP Alumnus Issue 16

Welcome to the sixteenth issue of the CDP Alumnus, a quarterly newsletter for Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) students, alumni, and others interested in the CDP.

Training Registration Pilot Seeks To Simplify CDP Enrollment

The CDP has incorporated measures that reduce the enrollment process for emergency responders attending training. The new process simplifies admission steps, decreases the paperwork burden and automates the approval process for students attending training.

Students are able to use a variety of handheld technology to scan and monitor patients using tracking software that displays the current status of survivors during exercises.

Patient Identification Technology Introduced At CDP

Students attending healthcare training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) will soon have automated capabilities to track patients during mass casualty exercises. Patient tracking, oftentimes automated, is used in a variety of healthcare facilities throughout the United States and is a key component to incident response and management.

Members of the National Veterinary Response Team (NVRT) examine symptoms from pets following a simulated disaster. The NVRT joined more than 100 state, local and federal responders from across the United States in training at the CDP. The center was able to coordinate training with its local humane

NVRT Offers Unique Edge During Multi-Disciplined Response Training

Earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, or even blizzards can wreak havoc on a region, city and community. Disaster has an influence on thousands or sometimes millions of citizens living in an affected area. Multiply the number of families affected with the number of pets and farm animals that may be displaced and the number affected could grow astronomically.

Members of the California U.S. Army National Guard’s 185th Military Police Battalion march to form a line protecting a government facility from possible illegal protest. The Guard members were part of more than 110 other soldiers participating in law enforcement training at the CDP.

Homeland Response Force, National Guard prepares to support state

The 185th Military Police (MP) Battalion, 49th MP Brigade, California National Guard, took advantage of training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) recently. The battalion spent two weeks in Anniston, Ala., honing their skills employing crowd control measures, countering protester tactics, learning to manage incidents and performing their military police duties in an area contaminated w...

CDP Training Venues Unique For Response Training

The hazardous materials technician profession evolves constantly and HAZMAT techs must stay abreast of the latest techniques and tools to respond safely. The threat of intentional manmade incidents requires persistent vigilance, but accidental HAZMAT incidents occur throughout the United States almost daily, some are life-threatening and many harm the environment.

Leidos logistics contractors make up the team responsible for providing students with essential training equipment. Logistics personnel support the Training Delivery contract by providing transportation, set-up, recovery and maintenance of all training equipment for both Resident and Non-Resident tr

Leidos Logistics: Ensuring Quality Training For All

Single filed and carrying black mesh bags, students from across the country pour into the logistics room to collect their daily ration of equipment. Tyvek suits, rubber boots, compressed air, among many other training tools line the racks and walls for students to grab as if grocery shopping. Along the aisles Leidos logistics personnel are assisting. This direct interaction is one of the very few ...

CDP Alumnus Issue 15

Welcome to the fifteenth issue of the CDP Alumnus, a quarterly newsletter for Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) students, alumni, and others interested in the CDP.

FEMA Corps group: FEMA Corps Summit 5 members joined the CDP staff. One or more of the team members worked in nearly every CDP directorate. Left to right: Patrick Blinkhorn, Arisa Salvino, Emily Davis, Marcos Martinez, Derek Miller, Rachael Hoxsie, Jeanne Kelley, Faith Palmreuter, Ashanti Gillespe,

FEMA Corps Team Supports CDP

Ten members of FEMA Corps Summit 5 just completed their tour of service at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), a first for the team members and for the CDP staff.

Members of the University of New Mexico Hospital staff and university employees activated the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) recently, following a violent protest demonstration and a helicopters mishap on the hospital roof. The staffs credit CDP training for clear decision making during an emerge

UNMH Uses CDP Training In Real-World Responses

The University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) has sent nearly 50 hospital and university employees to CDP training in the last 12 months. Recently, many of those workers put the skills they learned to use when a peaceful demonstration turned violent and a helicopter mishap occurred on the hospital’s roof.

CDP Alumnus Issue 14

Welcome to the fourteenth issue of the CDP Alumnus, a quarterly newsletter for Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) students, alumni, and others interested in the CDP.

Baltimore City emergency medical personnel help a survivor to safety during a simulated mass-casualty event at the Center for Domestic Preparedness, in Anniston, Ala. The state of Maryland sent Baltimore’s Regional Incident Management Team (IMT) and more than 130 emergency response personnel to atte

Regional Incident Management Team Prepares For Large-Scale Events

More than 130 emergency responders from the state of Maryland, including members of the Baltimore Regional Incident Management Team (IMT), joined more than 100 other emergency responders from across the United States recently. These emergency responders trained together at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) located in Anniston, Ala.

Lara Blake, a hospital operations administrator at University of Kentucky, accepts care of a simulated patient with an arm amputation during the Integrated Capstone Event (ICE) in the emergency department at the Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Ala. Approximately 80 healthcare professio

Kentucky Hospital Association Trains For The First Time At CDP

Emergency responders and incident managers are continually preparing, reviewing policies and training for potential hazards that could one day affect their community.

Students learn how a patient simulator is used in healthcare training during a tour of the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP). Fifty local high school students, enrolled in Community Emergency Response Team Training, toured the CDP on FEMA’s first National Day of Action.

Aspiring Healthcare Professionals Mark National Day Of Action With Tour Of CDP

Fifty local high school Health Science students marked FEMA’s first National Day of Action by touring FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) in Anniston, Ala., April 30.

Police officers use a variety of tools on different devices used by protesters. Recently 12 law enforcement officers from Las Vegas joined fellow officers from around the United States to learn new skills that defeat locking devices used by protesters.

Las Vegas Metro PD Learns Extrication Tactics

Nursing students from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Nursing learn to use radiation detection equipment at the Center for Domestic Preparedness. The students completed Incident Complexities – Responders Actions for CBRNE Incidents (ICR) course.

UAB Nursing Students Complete CDP Training

Nursing students from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Nursing completed two courses at the Center for Domestic Preparedness, April 7.

6th grade students check for a heart beat on a live patient simulator at Alabama’s 8th Annual Be Ready Camp. FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness brought three simulators for demonstrations on how first responders are trained.

CDP Attends Be Ready Camp

HUNTSVILLE, Ala.--FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) supported Alabama’s 8th Annual Be Ready Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center here for the first time Thursday, April 27.

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) employees rush a simulated patient through the initials stages of decontamination during training at FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), in Anniston, Ala. VHA employees representing 14 states and 22 VA medical centers came together for training at the

VA Medical Centers Demonstrate Disaster Response At CDP

Predicting disaster or hazardous incidents is impossible. The next major event can come at any moment. Preparation and planning for the unexpected is the only course of action when the number of lives saved is determined by an appropriate response.

Colin Pinnington (right), senior instructor supervisor for the United Kingdom’s National Ambulance Resilience Unit (NARU), receives a tour of the CDP’s street scene. The CDP and U.K.’s NARU continue an instructor exchange program to share ideas and best practices.

CDP Continues Exchange Program With UK Counterpart

The CDP recently hosted a member of the United Kingdom’s National Ambulance Resilience Unit (NARU). NARU has the responsibility for ongoing education and development of the U.K.’s Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART). There are 15 HARTs located throughout England and each is charged with providing clinical care to casualties following a major incident.

New Hampshire hospital employees decontaminate a simulated survivor, or patient simulator, during an exercise at the CDP. New Hampshire sent almost 50 employees from 17 different New Hampshire hospitals to attend CDP training.

New Hampshire Hospitals Train Together, Plan For Disaster At CDP

In the wake of natural disasters or other events that create the need for emergency response, organizations across the United States continually review response plans and improve training. FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) is committed to training and preparing response groups for mass-casualty events related to disasters or other catastrophic events.

Gold Level Indirect Authorized Trainers (2013)

Indirect Authorized Trainers Recognized

The Center for Domestic Preparedness' (CDP) Indirect Authorized Trainer Program (IATP) is designed to efficiently offer courses in a responder's home jurisdictions. Through qualified Train-the-Trainer (TtT) programs, CDP graduates deliver TtT courses to their home organization and neighboring response units.

(Left to Right) Rob Stewart, Keith Fehr and David Hogg, all three Silver Level CDP Authorized Trainers recently returned to resident training at the center. The IATP officially identifies members of the CDP Indirect Authorized Trainer community who acquire special training skills of direct benefit t

Authorized Trainers Return To CDP

Three trainers from the CDP’s Indirect Authorized Training Program (IATP) returned to Anniston to further their skills responding to hazardous incidents. David Hogg, Keith Fehr and Rob Stewart, from the Maricopa Integrated Health System, Phoenix, Ariz., attended the Technical Emergency Response Training for CBRNE Incidents (TERT) course.

TERT Students go through agent operations at the COBRA. During the exercise, students work with and identify biological materials Ricin and Anthrax and also nerve agents GB and VX.

Southwestern College Continues TERT In Paramedic Program

Classrooms, textbooks, presentations and computers are possibly a student’s most common expectation of a typical learning environment. Recently, 24 students, from Southwestern College in San Diego, traded in their pens and notebooks for breathing apparatuses, bulky gloves, rubber boots and protective suits. These students are enrolled in the college’s paramedic program and attended training at FEM...

(From left to right) Jason Hail, Kendra Cobb, Derick Reaves, Jon Collins, Kristy Bowling, Josh Stearns, Jodi Roberts, Chris Harper, Ashley Newton, and Jeremy Brown make up the full-time paramedic team.

SMRC Keeping CDP Staff And Students Healthy

The safety and welfare for more than 200 students and 800 federal and contract employees throughout the week is no easy task. SMRC is up to the challenge.

Rick Searcy Named Instructor Of The Year

Law Enforcement course instructor Rick Searcy was named the 2013 Instructor of the Year at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), Feb. 6.