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CBRN First Responder Training Program

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The Canadian Emergency Management College leads the delivery of the CBRN First Responder Training Program in cooperation with several federal partners: the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Defence Research and Development Canada, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and the Public Health Agency of Canada. The program was developed in consultation with federal and first-responder experts and is being delivered by the CEMC-led partnership in cooperation with provincial, territorial and other partners across the country.

• CBRN program background
  
• Awareness course
  For anyone who may need to recognize a CBRN incident, protect themselves, and relay information to emergency response personnel (e.g. public transit operators, building operators and mail room staff). Available via e-learning.
  
• Basic level course
  For first responders who may be in a position to recognize and respond to a CBRN incident, but not intervene in the contaminated area (e.g. 911 operators, police, firefighters and emergency medical services personnel first arriving on scene). To complement the classroom-based delivery of this course, it is also available via e-learning .
  
• Intermediate level course
  For specialized responders who intervene to mitigate and neutralize an incident and take direct action to save lives (e.g. hazardous materials teams, explosives technicians, forensics identification specialists and emergency medical services personnel).
  
• Advanced level course
  For specialized responders who have successfully completed the Intermediate level course.
  
• Course dates
   

Background

The Government of Canada held consultations in the autumn of 2001 on options to strengthen national response capability for CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear) terrorist incidents. These consultations highlighted the urgent need for CBRN training for first responders, particularly the need for standardization and interoperability.

Given the high priority of this issue, the Government of Canada immediately committed funds for the design and delivery of a training program for first responders. As a result, PSEPC’s Canadian Emergency Management College led the development and is now leading the delivery of a comprehensive CBRN first responder training program. Several partners are collaborating with the College on this program, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Defence Research and Development Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

The CBRN First Responder Training Program is designed to:

• provide standardized course content across the country, allowing for interoperability between agencies and jurisdictions.
• build on existing, credible CBRN resource material, given that the body of knowledge surrounding this subject is continually expanding and changing in terms of equipment and response protocols.
• maximize training coverage by using distance-based tools, and provide sustained support to address ongoing training needs.
• develop the competence and confidence of first responders who may be faced with responding to a CBRN attack.
• increase the knowledge of those outside of the first responder population who need to know how to recognize a CBRN attack.

The CBRN First Responder Training Program has four levels: Awareness, Basic, Intermediate and Advanced.

Awareness

This course provides awareness training for a wide range of participants who may encounter a CBRN situation within the course of their duties, but are not responsible for direct response.

Participants	Recommended for anyone who may be in a position to recognize a CBRN incident, but would not be in a position to respond (e.g. public transit operators, government staff, building operators and mail room staff)
Course objective	To provide participants with information on how to recognize potential CBRN threats, protect themselves and alert those who need to respond
Prerequisites	None
Format	E-learning, self-study, Internet-based
Course availability	Available online

For more information about registering for CEMC courses, please see Enrolment or contact the Registrar.

Basic level

This course provides basic level training for first response personnel who may need to recognize and respond to a CBRN situation, but who are not responsible for intervention.

For more information about registering for CEMC courses, please see Enrolment or contact the Registrar.

Instructor training

CEMC has also developed a "train the trainer" format for the Basic course which is offered in the classroom to instructor trainees from the three responder services: fire, police and emergency medical services. Instructor Training is a two-day course after which instructor trainees can deliver the one-day CBRN Basic course in their jurisdictions. All resources needed to offer the course (instructor guides, participant manuals and instructional aids) are provided by CEMC to be delivered to the identified course site. The intent of the Instructor Training course is to enable municipalities, provinces and territories to deliver CBRN training to first responders regionally. Please note that full Basic content is covered in this format of training.

Intermediate level

This course is for personnel who may be required to intervene in a CBRN situation. It includes topics such as CBRN incident recognition, protective equipment, detection instruments, emergency washdown, decontamination, medical response, and overall site coordination and management.

Training takes place over seven and a half days, and considers the response requirements of an actual CBRN incident. Participant teams (up to 15 members) are loaded with appropriate personnel in the following proportions:

• 5 hazardous materials technicians
• 2 forensic identification specialists/technicians
• 3 explosives technicians
• 5 emergency medical services technicians

For more information about registering for CEMC courses, please see Enrolment or contact the Registrar.

Advanced level

This course extends the training received in the CBRN Intermediate level course, going further into advanced hands-on preparation for intervening during a CBRN incident.

Training takes place over five days, and considers the response requirements of an actual CBRN incident. As with the Intermediate level course, participant teams are loaded with appropriate personnel. Up to:

• 5 hazardous materials technicians
• 2 forensic identification specialists/technicians
• 3 explosives technicians
• 5 emergency medical services technicians

For more information about registering for CEMC courses, please see Enrolment or contact the Registrar.