Homeland Security Initiatives Training

NSA is committed to supporting the capability and capacity of local emergency responders, through the Office of the Sheriff, to prevent, plan for, and respond to all-hazards events. 

Continued funding provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Training and Exercise Integration (TEI) makes it possible for the National Sheriffs' Association (NSA) to provide FREE Homeland Security Initiatives training for the nation's Sheriffs.

This initiative, which was started in 1999, has been the foundation for the development of NSA's Homeland Security Initiatives training programs:

 

Evacuation of a jail places specific demands upon jail command staff and officers:

• Who should be evacuated first? 
• How is the safety of the public, jail employees, and the inmates themselves to be preserved? 
• Where will the inmates be taken? 
• Once there, how long can they stay? 
• How will they be cared for? 
• How will security be maintained? 

The one-day Jail Evacuation Implementation and Planning program offered by the National Sheriff's Association provides training for jail command staff, preparing them to develop policies and procedures for a full-scale and possibly long-term evacuation of their facility in the event of a terrorist attack or an all-hazards event.

The course was designed for jail executives, mid-management and trainers. 

 

 

First Responder Training
(Certified Department of Homeland Security Course # AWR-198)

The degree to which a community's response to an emergency is successful is directly related to the level of training and preparedness of its cadre of first responders.  The National Sheriffs' Association's First Responder Training was designed by experts in the field, and tailored to prepare first responders to use the first critical minutes of their response to lay a framework for an effective, efficient and successful response. 

This four-day residential training sensitizes responders to their communities, provides insights into the hazards that may threaten their own safety as they respond, and it delivers a variety of skills that enhance their individual abilities to guide the response in its initial, critical stages.

First Responder training focuses upon the actions required in the initial phase of a response - the crucial fifteen to thirty minutes that elapse between occurrence of the event, and response by incoming emergency teams.  This residential program provides 32 hours of classroom learning and tabletop exercises, as well as practical exercises that will provide knowledge and tools for a controlled and safe response to these events. 

Participants will receive training in the following areas:

• Site Assessment, Vulnerability, Intelligence and Target Indicators
• Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) Training
• Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS)
• Bomb Threats, Booby Traps, and Explosives
• Crowd Control and Evacuation

Agencies requesting training include NSA constituents, the US Secret Service, TSA (Transportation Safety Administration), FBI, and U.S. Military forces.  Inquiries have also been received from Canada and various international organizations.

To inquire about hosting training program in your county or state, or for more information, contact Lynn Topp, Course Manager at 1-800-424-7827, ext 333 or via email.

 

 

Managing the Incident – A Leadership Guide for All-Hazard Events
(Certified Department of Homeland Security Course # AWR-184)

When disaster strikes a community or region, the local Sheriff will be at the forefront of the response.  Often, the Sheriff is designated as "Incident Commander" in local response plans.  It is therefore critical that our nation's Sheriffs be prepared for their leadership and management role. 

Managing the Incident - A Leadership Guide to All-Hazard Events has been designed in cooperation with Sheriffs from small, medium and large communities, and from rural and urban settings.  The one-day training program addresses a variety of key considerations that play a role in any successful response, including updated information on the terrorist threat, an overview of the roles and responsibilities of various agencies during an event, the role of the National Response Framework, and the importance of information exchange and communications with other agencies and the public. 

Delivery of the National Sheriffs' Association's original WMD Executive Course began in 1999.  In 2006, the program was revised and updated.  Managing the Event – A Leadership Guide for All-Hazard Events, was the result.

The program updates participants on the latest WMD information, and a series of presentations and activities provides knowledge and skills designed to enhance the ability of participants to prepare their agency for a WMD or all-hazard event. 

 

To inquire about hosting training program in your county or state, or for more information, contact Mike Brown, Course Manager at 1-800-424-7827, ext 307 or via email.

 

Community Awareness and Partnership Training
(Department of Homeland Security Course certification pending)

The one-day Community Partnerships and Awareness program prepares the community by starting with individuals and their families, ensuring that each family unit is as well prepared as is possible.  The National Sheriffs' Association has been informed that a course such as this is "sorely lacking" in the public sector.

The scope of training widens progressively, forging partnerships between the many sectors that exist in our communities, and encouraging an on-going effort to prepare for an emergency event.  Participants are also provided with information on how they might reduce the likelihood that their community could suffer a terrorist attack, and on recovery strategies that allow a community to most effectively rebound from a disaster. 

The NSA Community Awareness and Partnership Training course is currently undergoing revision.

It is designed for business, faith, academic and professional communities, whose representatives work alongside representatives from the Sheriff's office, other response agencies, and members of the public.

The program focuses on mobilization, partnership building, community resources identification, and establishing goal-oriented coalitions.

Course Content includes:

Pilot programs will be delivered in the spring of 2008.  For additional information, contact Mike Brown, Course Manager at 1-800-424-7827, ext 307 or via email.

703-836-7827, Extension #306