Hands-on training that provides both mental and physical challenges to emergency responders is difficult to duplicate. Few training courses require students to demonstrate solid response skills, while providing parameters and developing plans for a hazardous materials or weapons of mass destruction (WMD) response.

The Hazard Assessment and Response Management (HARM) course is the first course of its kind at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), located in Anniston, AL. The HARM course provides response personnel with a scenario, but the students determine the tempo and plan their response.

"All CDP courses have instructors directly involved with training," explains Rick Dickson, assistant director of training delivery. "In HARM our instructors step back and let the students make the decisions. Sometimes the students meet with difficulty; other times they succeed immediately. Ultimately, the information and learning tools they gain are invaluable. This course is about as real as it gets for WMD or hazardous materials training."

Course prerequisites include ICS 100 and 200, as well as successful completion of one of the following CDP courses in the previous 36 months: WMD Technical Emergency Response Training, WMD HazMat Technician or WMD Hands-On-Training (8 or 16 hours).

The goal of the HARM course is to provide the responders with a realistic operational WMD environment in which the students operate within the incident command system and decide procedures, equipment and their tactical approach to an emergency event.

"We were forced to work in a unified command," says Sue McManus of the Memphis (TN) Fire Department. "If we had a real incident, we would work with multiple agencies and jurisdictions," she adds. "Most agencies do not practice like this, but they should. Any real event will be similar to this experience."

The three-day course consists of up to 45 responders from multiple disciplines and jurisdictions with different levels of training and experience. The students appoint their incident commander and determine response elements based on the number of students and response background of each person.

Day One

The teams choose their equipment, determine their level of competency, and conduct individual and collective refresher training in preparation for their mission.

"This was a great learning event," says LeLand Hopkins of the Memphis (TN) Fire Department. "There were students who knew more than others, but that worked to our advantage. Some people's strengths can plug holes in others' weaknesses. Today was an excellent blend."