Training Opportunities and Courses Written and Produced by ERI International, Inc.

Instructor manuals, instructor kits, and supplemental teaching materials for any of ERI's training courses are available for purchase. Please refer to the ERI Bookstore Catalogue. ERI will provide 'train-the-trainer' workshops on any ERI training program upon request. As the designers and producers of emergency management and response programs, ERI's goal is to help you identify and accomplish your training needs. There are a wide variety of options available if you are interested in having these programs presented to your state, community or organization. Options range from "we provide instructors" to "teach it yourself." Give us a call, we will be happy to discuss opportunities and options! Detailed "Plans of Instruction" for any of these courses will be sent upon request. Let us know how we can help!

ERI courses are offered by: Contract or agreement with a sponsoring agency or organization; ....or.... By special arrangement with a "host." A "Sponsor" organizes the course, paying for all instructor and course costs. A "Host" works with ERI staff to promote and present a local training opportunity. Funds to support the "Hosted" course are generated by a registration fee based upon a minimum number of attendees. ERI maintains a "Calendar of Events" for individuals who may wish to attend sponsored or hosted ERI training events. Individuals should contact the sponsor or host direct for course enrollment information.

Student texts, materials are available to support any of these training programs.

Instructor materials and "Train-the-Trainer" programs are available.

We can customize / tailor any program to fit your situation and needs, and/or to emphasize a specific hazard.

Any course can be expanded or shortened to fit your timetable and needs.

The"Managing Emergency Operations" course translates research findings into practical applications.

Purpose/Scope: The ultimate goal of this 2 to 5-day course is to improve emergency management awareness, capabilities, coordination, communications, and planning. This is a MANAGEMENT oriented course, not a "hands on" skills course. The course is designed to be of vital interest to any agency or organization, whether professional or volunteer, who have emergency interests, responsibilities, or capabilities. It is a primer on community emergency management. Emergency management tenets are described generically so that the widest possible application will result. The course uses disaster research to identify past mistakes with the expectation that future problems will be minimized. Teaching techniques maximize the use of case histories and practical problem solving exercises.

NOTE: See the MEO Section on this Web Site for complete details.LINK??

This 1-day MEO course is designed to be of vital interest to any agency or organization, whether professional or volunteer, who have emergency interests, responsibilities, or capabilities. It is a primer on community emergency management. This is an ideal orientation training program on emergency management for public officials, private and public agencies or any organization involved in some aspect of disaster response. Professionals want reminders or refresher courses as a part of a continuing education or self improvement program. The MEO 'Short Course' will help meet that need. The course is liberally accentuated with activities and video highlights from disaster case studies.

Benefits: Attendees will learn "how they fit in" to a jurisdiction's disaster/emergency management planning process, and "how they can make a difference" during emergency/disaster operations.

Course Content: History of emergency management; Concepts, definitions, crucials of emergency management; What is community emergency management?; Who is involved with community emergency management?; The job of the local emergency manager; Blueprint for community emergency management; What is the disaster research saying?; Legal issues and aspects; Hazard analysis; Mitigation; The planning process and document; Overview of YOUR community's comprehensive emergency management (disaster coordination) plan; Design for an emergency management council; Emergency preparedness education; Emergency worker training and standards for disaster response; Communications, warning; Evacuation; Direction and control; Emergency operations center; On-scene management (incident command system); Media relations; Recovery programs; Documentation; Overview of the disaster declaration process and federal disaster plan.

No community in the United States today is immune to disaster, and the ever increasing risk of technological hazards. Dedicated efforts seldom, if ever, develop in emergency management capability until something either happens or threatens to happen.

3. Community Emergency Management (CEM): A Presentation for Public Officials

This 1 to 4-hour seminar will provide a foundation of knowledge at the public official level that will result in a better understanding of how community organizations work together during disaster. The presentation has been designed to function as an awareness building orientation program. The topics draw upon disaster research and local specific experiences to point out the major ingredients for a successful community emergency management program. This activity can be delivered either as a presentation for special audiences (elected officials, civic organizations, etc.) or it can be a focal point for emphasizing specific emergency programs (hazardous materials, earthquake, severe weather, etc.).

Benefits: Gains may be seen in both executive and public interest and support in emergency management.

Course Content: CEM rationale; Why plan; Hazard analysis, case studies; CEM fundamental goal; Elements of a successful program; Importance of executive and public support; Establishing a local emergency management council; Legal aspects, issues, solutions; Education and training for emergency workers and the general public; Program review: What needs to be done, establishing workplans.

This workshop is designed to outline specific strategies and objectives for developing Community Emergency Management (CEM) programs and products. The course addresses all of the major program topics and sub topics contained in the "Managing Emergency Operations" course and textbook.

A "Toolbox Series" of strategies and practical approaches for implementing the basic tenets of local comprehensive emergency management.

Benefits: The manual can be used to evaluate the current status of your local program in detail, and to identify areas where improvement and further development are needed. The brief "CEM Profile" that accompanies the manual is a questionnaire that can be used to gain an initial "overview" of your program. The manual itself is a full checklist of all CEM program strategies and end products that can be used in greater depth to evaluate the program, develop a multi-year work plan and proposals for new initiatives and state and community budget requests. An action oriented class where participants develop actual work plans, goals with intermediate objectives, and strategies that will be implemented upon return to their community. The theme is "people working through a process will and can produce effective CEM products."

Course Content: Part One, Program Development: What researchers are telling communities; Listening to emergency responders; CEO and emergency management; Identification of the 140+ different functions that must occur in a successful local program; Evaluation of the community's program; Community priorities and goal setting; Multi-year work plans. Part Two, CEM Programs and Strategies: General responsibilities; Developing a community planning process; Developing a hazard vulnerability analysis; Developing a mitigation program; Identifying community resources; Obtaining and maintaining executive support; Obtaining community support and public visibility; Components of an effective disaster operation; Crisis monitoring, threshold planning; Writing a community emergency management plan; Developing staff action guides (SOPs) / checklists; Damage assessment; Training; Exercise design; Program maintenance; Awards and recognitions.

This program will enable community emergency managers to:

• Accomplish goal setting and management by objectives.
  
• Implement multi-year strategic work plans.
  
• Design tools for effective generation and use of executive support.
  
• Design and use a plan for planning, e.g. "Action Process Plan."
  
• Use available knowledge about lessons learned from research and professional experience.
  
• Provide a yearly measure of performance.

Benefits: A community emergency manager will be able to: Evaluate current status of the local program; Establish a community "blueprint" for comprehensive emergency management based on local needs and state/federal program emphasis; Develop a one to three year workplan to improve emergency management (based on a comprehensive emergency management self evaluation questionnaire); Document progress; Stimulate local executive and budget support; Justify the need for an all-hazards approach to include civil defense; Understanding of current legal trends; Use of disaster research findings; How all elements of CEM can be quickly developed, realized, achieved through the workings of a well designed and organized emergency management council; Strategies to get the community working together to improve emergency management.

Course Content:

• Community Programs Related to Strategic Emergency Management Planning: What is community emergency management?; Listing of probable identifiable programs and end products; Use of disaster research findings; How all elements of CEM can be quickly developed, realized, achieved through the workings of a well designed and organized emergency management council; Strategies to get the community working together to improve emergency management.
• Basis of strategic emergency management planning: From the disaster research fundamental "must do" items; Public expectations.
• Strategic Planning Defined. Benefits of Strategic Planning: A tool for executive support; A tool for public support; Legal trends.
• Strategic Planning Process: 1. Self Assessment: Identifying strengths and weaknesses of the current program; Creating a future vision; "Self Assessment" questionnaire (adapted from the MEO text); Other Examples of "self assessment" tools; CEO Self-Assessment; Tennessee CEM program development tool-evaluating people, process, products; Internal, external audits. 2. Establishing your current trends and conditions. 3.<I> Establishing / setting obtainable goals. 4. Establishing strategies (end products) for reaching / obtaining each goal. 5. Identify tasks (action steps) to accomplish each strategy with due dates. 6. Other considerations, for each strategy consider and identify: Estimate of time (How many hours, days to accomplish each task?); Barriers; Incentives; Budget; Who ( individual, agency, organization ) should do it or take the lead; Maintenance tasks.
• Putting it in Writing. Developing "Performance Agreements" from the Strategic Plan. Review and Summary, major points: Decide on program elements; Where are you today?; Man-hours available; Moneys available.

Most disaster plans do not address the concept of "thresholds"-- when are key decisions made? When is the plan activated? A proactive strategy in "threshold planning" is the implementation of crisis monitoring. Local government can develop a decision tree process that will assist officials in making key activation and policy decisions. If local government can develop and use a gradated scale for disaster assessment, and if operational plans for response and recovery (as found in their Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan) are tied to both, it could well provide the beginnings of a decision flow which maintains a proactive rather than reactive approach to disaster response. Operational plans should entail decisions on mobilization, movement, assignment and pre-positioning of equipment and people.

This Course:

• Identifies and outlines the steps required for monitoring any impending crisis at the local, state or federal level, and includes recommendations for business /industry.
• Outlines field response activities and activation of Emergency Operations Plan (through the EOC) as a duel path to follow while monitoring the crisis.
• Provides easy to follow emergency thresholds and staff action guides for hazard specific events that tie resource application and specific responsibilities together at every agency and government level.

Benefits: Community operational readiness and response is enhanced. Specific emergency functions and resource levels are identified (staff actions). Procedures for a simplified system of resource activation and response are driven by a single "threshold" plan for both field response and activation of Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). This system allows monitoring of the crisis to remain with the field response or, as escalation grows, activate the Emergency Operations Plan through the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

Additional Benefits: A clear organizational system that outlines responsibilities at all levels of government. Resources are linked by parallel "time phased staff action guides" using the same threshold activation system. Request and activation of supplemental resources from outside a jurisdiction are maximized and delays are reduced. A sequence state and local Comprehensive Emergency Management Plans together.

Course Content: Part One, Response and Recovery for Field Response (Command Post): Threshold planning; Field response levels and classifications; Master sequence of events; Response and recovery functions; Staff action guides. Part Two, Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) Activation (Emergency Operations Center): Threshold planning; EOP thresholds and classifications; Master sequence of events; EOP activation levels; Staff action guides.

Course Content:

• Why the Emergency Operations Center for a Jurisdiction?: Definition of an EOC (What is it? What is it supposed to do?); Advantages of a centralized location (protected site, with an alternate EOC).
• Major functions of the Emergency Operations Center: Factors affecting staffing; Threshold planning (skeleton crew vs. full operation; Threshold planning levels &amp; Sops; Decision schematic for activation of EOC; Sops and activation manual; Staff components; Warning and public confirmation behavior; Evacuation; Public information; Emergency Broadcast System and activation; Damage assessment (importance in the recovery process); Coordination of volunteer efforts; Security (physical as well as verbal).
• Emergency Operations Center configuration: Why it may change; Planning considerations for emergency operations center layout.
• Information and Message Flow: Four basic types of messages that come into the EOC; Capture control of the information flow; Essentials of message taking; Message handling functions.
• Data and Display in the Emergency Operations Center: The importance of pre-identification (planning) for needed information, references and geographical data; Emergency Operations Center data requirements and resource information.
• The EOC Physical Plant: What do we need to operate the facility?; Creature comforts as well as operational items.
• Functional Organization of the EOC: Differences in EOC and field management organization; "Food for thought" on the EOC Organization.
• Common Mistakes in EOCs and How to Avoid Them.
• Extended Operations.

Emphasis: Defining policy; Policy analysis in a step by step process, and the ramifications of no policy in the planning process; Examples of policy issues in emergency management from well known disaster incidents.

Course Content:

• Introduction: How can policy make a difference?; The importance of clear-cut policy relating to emergency management issues; Who makes policy?; What is meant by emergency management policy?
• Policy Analysis as the Beginning Step in the Process of Planning: What is policy analysis?; Establishing policy under normal conditions; Establishing policy under crisis or emergency conditions.
• Major Impact of an Emergency or Disaster on Decision Making and Policy.
• Basic Steps of Policy Analysis: Setting a goal; Defining a problem; Gathering, analyzing facts; Brainstorming implications, potential problems.
• Determining Alternatives and Consequences.
• Methods used in Policy Analysis: System identification; Mixed team; Scientific method.
• Public Policy Consideration During Emergencies and Disasters.
• Barriers to Policy Implementation.
• Professionalization of Policy Implementation.
• Types of Hazard Related Public Policies.
• Priorities and Public Policy During Emergency Operations.
• Functions in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and Dissimilarities of EOC and Incident Command System (ICS) Functions.
• The EOC/ICS Connection.
• The Disaster Planning Process, and the Plan and Annexes as a Policy Schedule.
• Professionalization.

Discusses the rationale for damage assessment in the federal recovery assistance program. Answers specifically, what must be done before federal or state assistance can be made. A step by step look at the process of performing and documenting the function of damage assessment. Discusses the function of damage assessment in the chronology of federal disaster recovery assistance.

A standardized system and process to determine immediate disaster needs and extent or magnitude of a disaster. This course provides:

• Procedures format/content and system design that will enable local authorities to develop a comprehensive damage assessment process that will meet local needs of elected officials and also disaster impact analysis required by state and federal agencies
• Single, easy to follow comprehensive damage assessment guide and workbook for state and local jurisdictions as well as planning guidelines for establishing critical facilities and resources that indicate threshold activation guidance at state and federal levels.

Benefits: Priorities and need for outside assistance are quickly established. Response and recovery activities are driven by the same assessment procedures at all levels. Community preparedness activities for recovery are focused, and during response are consistent with needs, programs at state and federal levels.

Course Content:

• Local, State and Federal Roles in Assistance to Local Governments - a summary. Federal laws and programs.
• Pre-Impact, Organizing for Damage Assessment. Preparedness phase; Planning elements and considerations; Selection of teams; Designated location in the EOC; Training of the team members.
• Types of Damage Assessment.
• Response Phase (Impact). The warning mechanism; Activation of the EOC; Impact or response stage; Spot reporting; Maps and zones; Initial incident assessment; Situation reports to county and state; Situation analysis - infrastructure needs assessment survey; Life saving activities and resource application; Initiating procedures for state &amp; federal assistance.
• Post Impact or Recovery Stage. Windshield assessment or survey; Detailed survey of the area; Tracking procedures to follow; Final actions; After action report: mitigation activities.
• Forms: Suggestions as to forms that might assist local jurisdictions in Damage Assessment. Incident log; Spot report; Windshield assessment / survey worksheet; Detailed damage assessment; Summary damage assessment; Demographic profile.
• Surveying drawbacks.
• Check-in and documentation procedures.

Can be a 1 or 2-day seminar. The focus can be on community emergency management, emergency response, search and rescue, or ?. You can choose various topics from the course content to customize this important issue and seminar for your needs.

Course Content: Legal terminology; Overview of legal processes: Civil action, criminal action, agency proceedings; Legal authority for emergency response, search and rescue, emergency management; Legal duties; Case studies and disaster research; Importance of plans, planning; Developing a standard of care; Constructing plans and agreements; Developing a mission statement; Training and standards; Importance of training and documentation; Things that can get you in trouble; Guidelines for keeping out of trouble; Drafting standard operating procedures, bylaws, regulations, and other documents; Testifying in court; Good Samaritan laws; Immunities; Legal aspects of exercises; How to involve your local legal counsel.

Many options and strategies are explored for obtaining "free" or "almost free" funds and other in kind resources to support local programs and activities. Successful strategies/practices are indicated.

Course Content:

• Some Philosophy: Dollars are not the most important goal.
• Use of libraries: Directories of foundations and government grants.
• Basic Principles and Process of Grant Writing. ("Tapping the Money Tree" for nonprofit organizations.)
• Civil Defense, and now Emergency Management a good tax "write-off."
• Corporate grants: What corporations will want out of the deal.
• Developing a Community Emergency Management (CEM) 3 to 5 Year Work Plan: Defining tasks and end products; How this will be important to "alternate funding.
• Emergency Management (EM) Products That Will Be Needed for Backup to Your Quest for Support: Community hazard assessment; Community EM program profile or program review; Community EM work plan; A "white paper" on the history, background, purpose of your EM program or some component; Community EM Council.
• Thoughts and Specific Strategies for Alternative Funding.
• Finding Interns: Use of colleges, universities.
• Requesting Specific Items or Support versus Asking for "Hard Dollars."

NOTE: Any of ERI's course topics can be condensed to a 1 to 4 hour workshop.

Topics include:

• Conditions for Catastrophic Disaster. Preparing for disasters that occur regularly around the country is one thing, but a Catastrophic Disaster is quite another matter. Taking the experiences from Hurricane Andrew, the Loma Prieta Earthquake, the New Madrid potential and other similar events, this session will discuss what the real world conditions may be in a truly catastrophic event. Information from the government reports and disaster research can form a realistic basis for planning. Course Content: Part I. Effects: Defining catastrophic disaster; Define conditions that constitute catastrophic disaster; General research findings (Hurricanes Hugo &amp; Andrew - Loma Prieta Earthquake, Government Accounting Office reports, USGS reports); Impact of catastrophic disaster on: transportation systems, utility systems, communication systems, critical facilities, life lines; Probable tasks and demands; Use of risk mapping and "short fall matrix;" EM planning implications (research based catastrophic disaster planning; Sources of further information. Part II. Solutions: Minimizing the Impact: California Plan for Life (the 72 hour policy throughout California); Neighborhood self help programs; Emergency preparedness education; Establishing community response priorities.
• Search and Rescue Management Update (the latest research from around the world). Covers all the updated research and development in search techniques and probability of detection from Canada, Great Britain and the U.S. Also a review of the latest additions to the Managing Search Operations Course. Course Content: Philosophy and concepts of current search and rescue management in light of liability issues and local or state laws (the trends in Canada, UK, and the US); A new organizational approach to teaching SAR management (use of the Incident Command System); Summary of research conducted in Northern England on "Critical Separation;" Summary of research and new field techniques conducted by Lions Bay SAR in British Columbia; New tables/calculations used in Shifting POA and POD; Setting up an organizational format for establishing efficiency and capability levels for SAR teams; Current Software programs being utilized in the SAR community for management of SAR Operations.
• A New Approach to ICS: Making It Work! Do we "combat" or "command?" What is the tie-in with the incident site and the community EOC? A 13-step approach to implementing the ICS is looked at.
• Emergency Management in Other Countries. A new perspective on the job of emergency management now that much of the Civil Defense threat has been removed. The approach taken by England, Wales, Scotland, Canada, etc.
• The Federal Response Plan. How is it organized and what to expect at the local level, if the "feds" show up at your disaster. Helpful hints and considerations for maximizing federal help during the response and recovery phases.

This course has application to any agency, organization or business with a responsibility to plan for disaster.

If properly engineered, the disaster planning process will pump life, enthusiasm, and support for emergency management throughout all segments of the local community. The goal of this 1 to 4-day course is to provide persons responsible for developing a disaster coordination plan with the knowledge and experience necessary to develop, complete and maintain an effective disaster planning process that will produce the necessary document and supporting procedures. The agenda follows a state-of-the-art 12-step disaster planning process. Realistic new Annexes with special topics are included in an organizational layout that is user friendly. The course is research based and generously mixed with "hands-on" activities and problem solving in the planning process. It has application to any agency, organization or business with a responsibility to plan for disaster.

Course Content: Community emergency management: An overview; Philosophy, concepts, and rationale for disaster planning; Planning for direction and control demands; Research based disaster planning; Overview of the disaster planning process; Developing a planning process action plan; Hazard and vulnerability analysis; Mitigation; Deciding who can help and respond; Obtaining executive support; The first visit to each agency and organization; The first draft: How to write the basic plan, writing the annexes, how to write operating procedures (Sops) and checklists; Conducting a second visit to each agency and organization; The second draft; Evaluating the plan with an exercise; The critique; Producing the 'final plan;' Establishing a yearly planning process maintenance program.

2. Let's Break the Mold for Disaster Planning: What Works; What Doesn't (A One Day Seminar)

Disaster research points to an ongoing and pervasive problem that continues to plague disaster response effectiveness across this country. The traditional mold for creating disaster plans has got to be thrown out. That means both the traditional process by which planning data is compiled and content as well. Otherwise, we are doomed to repeat the track record of the past two decades. Using concepts like threshold planning, crisis monitoring, staff action guides and needs assessment must become common place. Realistic new annexes that deal with special topics such as policy, mitigation, recovery and disaster research findings need to be included. Design and organizational layout that is user friendly should also reflect this new approach to planning. Plans can not only be useful, but interesting and informative.

"What is puzzling is that after years of disaster research on organizational behavior in major emergencies, local governments and organizations continue to be surprised when their standard operating procedures in their lengthy detailed response plans are found irrelevant in the disaster event." Hoetmer, International City/County Management Association.

Course Content: Community needs in planning -- some tough decisions for the future; The new philosophy, concepts, and rationale for disaster planning; Planning for direction and control through policy; Research based disaster planning; Overview of a creative planning process; A complete hazard and vulnerability analysis; The tie-in to mitigation; Consensus about responsibilities; Establishing and maintaining executive support; Contacting agencies and organizations; Drafting and writing the essential components of a creative plan; Verifying agency and organizational functions and responsibilities; Evaluating the plan; The final document, layout and design for a user friendly plan; Establishing a maintenance program.

3. Development of Day Care & Nursing Home Disaster Plans

Are you prepared to handle fire, earthquake, explosions, severe winter storms? A major emergency/disaster affecting a large portion of the community can occur at anytime. Lives can be saved if people are prepared and know what actions to take. During a disaster, your home, day care or nursing home facility may have to be self-sustaining for an indefinite period of time.

This one-day workshop focuses on developing and maintaining effective preparedness and response to emergency situations by utilizing a proper disaster plan.

Workshop Agenda Items Include: Need for planning; Community emergency management programs; Government's role and response to disasters; Disaster research findings: What really happens?; Outline for a disaster plan; Identifying emergencies, hazards; Community and facility hazard and risk assessment; Community and facility capability assessment; Emergency planning considerations; Developing staff action guides and checklists (standard operating procedures); Exercises and drills; Checklist of emergency supplies; Emergency environments and "survival rules;" Mitigation strategies and techniques.

4. How To Develop A School/Facility Disaster Plan and Program

Course Content: The need for preplanning; Introduction to school disaster planning; Disaster research findings and case studies; Lessons learned from the Loma Prieta Earthquake and Hurricane Hugo; Community emergency management; Legal implications for emergency planning; What constitutes effective response?; Twelve planning steps and considerations; Executive support and policy decisions (Step #1); Establish a planning standard (Step #2); Establish an emergency planning committee (Step #3); School planning process (Step #4); Review existing plans and procedures (Step #5); Hazard analysis (Step #6); Capability assessment (Step #7); Writing response plans (Step #8); Emergency functions (plan annexes) (Step #9); Staff action guides (standard operating procedures) and checklists (Step #10); Index of school emergency procedures; Critiques, exercises and drills (Step #11); Emergency plan maintenance (Step #12); Emergency team functions; Emergency action rules; Sources of information on school preparedness; Home preparedness.

This exercise oriented course is designed to provide the research based elements of evacuation planning, shelter in place, and operations to federal, state and local officials who have the responsibility to plan for and manage any situation that calls for evacuation or shelter in place. The course begins with building / facility evacuation, and expands to neighborhood, area-wide and jurisdictional evacuations.

Planners and operational managers will have a clear perspective of both the mechanical and social processes that occur during evacuation. Major research implications on evacuation have surfaced in the last five years. Principles and strategies for "shelter inplace" are also considered.

Very little up-to-date planning for evacuation is done for state and federal office buildings and facilities, not to mention participation and/or dovetail with local jurisdictional plans for area or jurisdiction wide evacuation. This course will provide research based strategies and guidelines to accomplish realistic planning for any type evacuation or shelter in place.

Course Content:

• Part I, Primer on Comprehensive Emergency Management (CEM). An orientation to the basic principles of CEM, to include: The crucials of emergency management; Disaster research findings; Legal issues in emergency management; The disaster planning process; The community's disaster coordination plan and SARA Title III; Establishing public policy in emergency management; Direction and control on-scene and in the EOC; Disaster recovery and assistance programs; Educating the public: Emergency preparedness education.
• Part II, The Situation in (name of jurisdiction.) Course purpose and overview to include: Review of public protective actions that might be required because of a hazardous materials incident; How to implement actions (what is required?); Review of emergency functions that might be required because of a hazardous materials incident. Where does evacuation fit in?
• Part III, Basic Tenets of Evacuation.

- Evacuation as Social and Mechanical Processes: Evacuation is a two way process; Human behavior; Response to warnings; Panic; Influences of the family; Incentives for evacuation; Forcible vs voluntary evacuation; Current disaster research and case studies.

- Types of Evacuations and Basic Tenets of Each: Facility; Subdivision or regional area of a jurisdiction; Jurisdiction (entire city, county etc.); Emergency Vs precautionary.

- The Evacuation Planning Process: The twelve step planning process applied to the function of evacuation; Types of plans and how they fit into the overall county or city disaster coordination plan.

- The jurisdiction's Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (HVA) as an Evacuation Tool: Risk mapping; Shortfall matrix.

• Part IV, Planning for a Facility Evacuation. Facility evacuation plans and policy; Facility warning, alerting, notification; Areas within the facility that may require evacuation in the face of the particular hazards. (Should be identified in the Facility's Hazard Vulnerability Analysis); Additional checklist suggestions based on case studies and research; Additional planning considerations; Case study of a building evacuation experience.
• Part V, Area or Jurisdictional Evacuation. Forcible Vs voluntary evacuation; Incentives in the community for evacuation; The decision to evacuate and the local proclamation; Legal considerations for evacuation; Warning and the dissemination of the order; Public education, alerting and warning for evacuation; Direction and control; Transportation of people; Security, property protection and traffic control; Personal welfare and shelter; Special populations/problems in evacuation; Reentry; Checklist to stay out of trouble during an evacuation; Case study of a area/jurisdiction evacuation.
• Part VI, Shelter In-Place. Understanding sheltering-in-place; The effectiveness of sheltering-in-place; Influences to the effectiveness of sheltering-in-place (behavioral, building characteristics, meteorological); Costs of sheltering-in-place; Conclusions.
• Part VII, Incident Command System (ICS) and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).Revisit direction and control: Establishing policy and decision to evacuate; Organizational structure; Functional responsibilities. Managing field operations: Use of ICS; 13-step process for initiating ICS. Managing emergency operations: Role and function of EOC.
• Part VIII, Evacuation Discussion Exercise.

Course Objectives:

• Identifying exercise needs and emergency response capabilities within the jurisdiction, facility or workplace.
  
• Designing an exercise planning team: The importance and components of teamwork in exercise development, conduct, evaluation, and follow-up.
  
• Types and methods of exercising: Determining the most effective and feasible exercises for a jurisdiction's long-term preparedness building process, using the principles of a progressive exercise program.
  
• How exercises function as diagnostic tools for a jurisdiction's emergency management system.

A basic crucial of this course is that exercises must meet the needs of the local jurisdiction and that exercises should be seen as an integral part of the emergency preparedness and response program. Exercises test and train the overall emergency system and improve the skills necessary to fully develop a jurisdiction's emergency preparedness program.

Attendees will gain an understanding of, and the ability to, develop and conduct a comprehensive emergency preparedness exercise program. The course focuses on the steps involved in developing a jurisdiction's exercise program and its necessary exercise design organization. WHO SHOULD ATTEND? The person or persons who have been given the assignment to structure and carry out an exercise design planning process; develop and write an exercise; present an exercise to evaluate portions of the plan; and finally to critique the exercise and use the information gathered to improve the plan and local capability. A jurisdiction should designate an "Exercise Design Committee or Team" then send that group to this course.

Some assumptions must be established in the development of any effective exercise program.

This course will emphasize and build on these foundation building blocks:

• Exercises are a local jurisdiction's affair and cannot be driven by outside or nationally perceived objectives or goals.
• Exercises are fundamentally good, beneficial and worth the effort.
• Not all jurisdictions have equal emergency capabilities; therefore, emergency exercises must meet varying needs.
• Exercises are not one time shows. They are part of a jurisdiction's commitment to improving the emergency response system.
• An exercise development program begins with a single exercise but is a progressive commitment to improvement for the future.
• Exercises do not require learning new or unusual skills. On the contrary, most of the processes required to design, plan, conduct, and evaluate exercises utilize the same skills as are required to design, plan, conduct, and evaluate an entire emergency preparedness and response program.

Course Content: Overview; Basic Tenets of Managing Emergency Operations; Community Disaster Plan as a "Standard of Care"; Shortfalls in the Community Disaster Plan; Why Exercise?; Assessing Program Needs; Purpose of an Exercise Program; Developing the Exercise; Task Identification; Participating in the Exercise; Announcing the Exercise; Logistics and Administration; Preparing for the Exercise; Briefing Prior to the Exercise; Conducting the Exercise; Debriefing After the Exercise; Preparing the Final Report; Closing the Loop.

2. Also Available: Exercise Design for Business and Industry, Schools, Critical Facilities, Medical Care Facilities, Airports.

Meeting SARA Title III Requirements While Enhancing Community Emergency Management: A 'How To Do It' Orientation for Public Officials, the Local Emergency Planning Committee, and/or Business and Industry.

This 4 to 8-hour training seminar is designed to explain the requirements of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), Title III and to define exactly what local government and business and industry must do to comply. Methods, strategies, solutions are explored.

Benefits: Participants are also shown how SARA fits into the framework of community emergency management so that duplication of effort and conflict will be kept to a minimum or eliminated.

Course Content: Overview and principles of community emergency management; Federal requirements; Legal implications; The planning process; Meeting SARA Title III requirements, how to do it; Expected results; Use of computers and technology; Training and information resources.

2. Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning

How To Do Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning Dealing with SARA Title III Requirements, For Local Government and/or Business and Industry.

This course can be structured for either local government or business and industry (or both audiences at the same time!). Designed to be a 2-day course, but can easily be a 4 or 8-hour seminar.

Course Content: Philosophy and concepts of effective emergency operations; Blueprint for emergency management; Lessons learned from the disaster research; The need for preplanning; Responsibilities and requirements of SARA Title III; Legal implications, trends; Developing an emergency plan; Planning techniques and strategies; Plan format; The planning process; Hazard assessment, analysis; Capability assessment; Writing response plans, SOP's, checklists; Managing field operations: Integrating the Incident Command System; Plan review, self evaluation; Case studies.

3. SARA Title III Exercise Design

How To Design An Exercise Program to Test and/or Evaluate Your Local Hazardous Materials Response Plan

Course Content: Philosophy and concepts of effective emergency operations; Review of SARA Title III requirements; Benefits of an exercise program; The local response plan as a "standard of care;" Guidelines for a good exercise; Exercise design process; Assessing exercise needs and capabilities; Types of exercises; A 16-step exercise design 'blueprint:' Budget; Scheduling; Developing exercise objectives; Developing an evaluation tool; Developing an exercise scenario; Organization, management of exercise operations; Developing an evaluation team; Selecting, training exercise staff; Logistics, support; Pre-exercise drills, rehearsals; Pre-exercise tasks; Conducting the exercise; Post-exercise tasks; Final report; Exercise follow-ups; Remedial drills, exercises.

Designed to be an 8 or 16-hour program.

4. Hazard Analysis for SARA Title III (The Idaho Experience)

A step by step walk-through process for a local jurisdiction on chemical hazard analysis in compliance with SARA Title III. Use "CAMEO" for hazard zones from plume projections, facility surveys, Tier II form updates, inclusion of meteorological data, risk mapping and final report form. Applicable to any size jurisdiction, regardless of whether or not they have computers.

NOTE: Also see the "Terrorism Section" on this Web Site.

1. Terrorism and the Emergency Response

Course Objectives:

• Assessing terrorist threats (Develop a HVA).
• Terrorism awareness and recognition.
• Orientation for officials.
• Orientation for first responders.
• Strategic planning considerations.
• Scene safety considerations.
• Scene decision making.
• Concepts of EOC / ICS interface.

Target Audience:

• Public Officials.
• Emergency Management Directors, Personnel.
• Public Safety Executives.
• Public Safety First Responders: EMS, Law Enforcement, Fire.
• Facility Managers: Schools, Hospitals, etc.
• Business and Industry.
• All Participants in the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.

Course Content:

• Course Overview.
• Contemporary Issues in Terrorism: Foreign and domestic threat; Lessons learned--New York World Trade Center, Oklahoma City.
• Analyzing the Community Preparedness for Terrorist Threats, Events: Public perception of terrorism and the unknown; Difference between a man-made and natural catastrophic disasters; A new philosophy and concept for emergency management, re: terrorism; Community emergency management / integrated emergency management system; The emergency manager role, responsibility; General requirements--professionalism, leadership; Legal aspects; Use of technology.
• Developing a Community Emergency Operations Plan: "The Worst Case Scenario - Terrorism:" Designing a local emergency management committee; Hazard analysis--collateral events; Mitigation and mitigation strategies; Disaster scene as a "crime scene;" Site safety and security re: a terrorist event; Disaster planning--the process and the document; Developing staff action guides; Creating interagency coordination and cooperation; Local, county, state, and federal response mandates re: a terrorism threat / event; Emergency / disaster resources for terrorism--identification, training, categories; Exercise design--building a complete program; External influences--media, family, relatives, politics; Emergency preparedness education and information.
• Components of an Effective Disaster Organization: Direction, control, organization, policy; Communication and warning; Defining levels of alert re: terrorist threat, event; On-site management and logistics; EOC activation and management; Ability to relocate as result of terrorist activity; Evacuation strategies--planning for reality; Psychological problems for victims and responders unique to a terrorist event; Disaster assistance and recovery; Demobilization; Post disaster activities.

Emergency operations management at the scene is concerned with minute-to-minute tactical decision making and problem solving by matching resource capabilities to priority needs. The basic foundation for any effective on-scene management capability has got to be adequate communication and coordination with the communities emergency operations center and/or central dispatch center. In a disaster with multiple emergency sites, this is the only way that disaster priorities and resource demands can be met. By utilizing the most up-to-date text materials, case studies and research documents, plus the combined experience / knowledge of the instructors and course participants, a maximum positive learning environment is created and further enhanced by the use of practical problem solving exercises. Designed to be a 8-hour course, but can be a 4, 12, or 16-hour course, depending upon the numbers of class exercises and other supportive video case studies utilized.

This course is designed to provide the participant with knowledge about emergency/disaster field operations that will enable an incident manager (commander) to direct the work efforts of others in a more coordinated and efficient manner.

Course Content: The philosophy and concepts of effective emergency operations; Blueprint for community emergency management; Incident commander: Job and responsibilities; Lessons learned from the disaster research; Emergency/disaster resources; Planning: Development of an agency, organization response plan; Development of direction and control; First notice, situation analysis, determining urgency; On-scene management, principles of incident command; Role of the emergency operations center; Legal issues; Dealing with the media; Relevant federal legislation, rules, standards.

2. Basic (Introduction) Incident Command System

Discover the need, purpose and benefits of implementing the ICS concepts in managing any type of emergency situation. Learn the ICS operating requirements, major components and organization structure of an effective ICS, and how ICS interfaces with an established emergency operations center. Course content includes: Principle features of ICS as an incident/event management system; Organizational elements within each function of ICS and duties, terminology, staffing considerations, and reporting relationships; Incident planning process, development of incident objectives, strategy/tactics, operational periods, planning meetings; Multi-jurisdiction and/or multi-agency unified command. 8-hour course.

3. ERI's 3 to 5-Day Course Incident Command System

If ICS is to work during emergency and disaster operations, it must be integrated with the community's emergency operations center (EOC) and the community's disaster plan. This course contains a community model for connecting ICS and the EOC. All of the standard modules found within the federal NIIMS ICS courses are also included: Basic tenets, purpose, history; The major command and staff positions; Use of the ICS forms. Case studies and an "evolving serial exercise" provides a practical hands-on learning environment. ERI has packaged the student and instructor materials in such a manner that the course can be from a 4-hour introduction to a 40-hour concentrated course.

ERI's course features a 13-step process to be used within the first time period to organize a growing incident.

Course Content:

• Why the ICS System: History; Development; Components.
• Overview of the ICS: Command and command staff; General staff functions.
• The Incident Commander: Job and responsibilities; Concepts of management and leadership.
• Overview of the ICS Command and Command Staff Positions: Specific responsibilities and procedures.
• The Plans Function: Specific responsibilities and procedures.
• The Operations Function: Specific responsibilities and procedures.
• The Logistics Function: Specific responsibilities and procedures.
• The Administration / Finance Function: Specific responsibilities and procedures.
• Organizing an Incident.
• Key ICS Elements: Planning and control of operations; Information flow; Resource management; Logistics management.
• Use of the ICS: Single command; Unified command; Sample ICS structures (4 scenarios); Complex incidents; Dividing structures and buildings into divisions and groups.
• ICS Forms and Paperwork.
• ICS During Disaster Operations: The EOC / ICS interface.

4. Incident Command System Federal Training Curriculum

ERI staff and associates are certified to teach the new federal ICS curriculum, consisting of 17 modules, organized into 6 "building block" courses, for a total of 69 hours. These courses can be taught in a series, as recommended by the national training curriculum, or individual modules can be "mixed or matched" to the needs of the intended audience.

Courses and Modules:

• I-100 (2 Hours) Introduction to ICS: (Module 1) ICS orientation.
• I-200 (6 Hours) Basic ICS: (Module 2) Principles and features of ICS; (Module 3) Organizational overview; (Module 4) Incident facilities; (Module 5) Incident resources; (Module 6) Common responsibilities.
• I-300 (27 Hours) Immediate ICS: (Module 7) Organization and staffing; (Module 8) Organizing for incidents or events; (Module 9) Incident resources management; (Module 10) Air operations; (Module 11) Incident and event planning.
• I-400 (22 Hours) Advanced ICS: (Module 12) Command and general staff; (Module 13) Unified command; (Module 14) Major incident management; (Module 15) Area command.
• I-401 (4 Hours) Multi-Agency Coordination (Module 16).
• I-402 (2 Hours) ICS for Executives (Module 17).

I. Summary

Instructor manuals, instructor kits, and supplemental teaching materials for any of ERI's training courses are available for purchase.

ERI will provide 'train-the-trainer' workshops on any ERI training program upon request. As the designers and producers of emergency management and response programs, ERI's goal is to help you identify and accomplish your training needs. There are a wide variety of options available if you are interested in having these programs presented to your state, community or organization. Options range from "we provide instructors" to "teach it yourself." Give us call, we will be happy to discuss opportunities and options! Detailed "Plans of Instruction" for any of these courses will be sent upon request. Let us know how we can help!

ERI can Customize any ERI Program(s) to Fit Your Situation and Needs. You Select the Agenda Topics, the Length of the Workshop, and the Intended Audience. ERI Will Develop the Student and Instructor Materials Accordingly.

ERI instructors pursue class questions and conversations in an atmosphere conducive to learning and participation.