MENU TITLE: FY 1997 Metropolitan Firefighter and Emergency Services National Training Program for First Responders to Terrorist Incidents . MENU TITLE: FY 1997 Metropolitan Firefighter and Emergency Services National Training Program for First Responders to Terrorist Incidents . Series: BJA Fact Sheet Published: June 1997 4 pages 6,337 bytes FY 1997 Metropolitan Firefighter and Emergency Services National Training Program for First Responders to Terrorist Incidents Pursuant to title VIII, section 819, of the Anti- Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, the Attorney General is authorized to develop a grant program to provide anti-terrorism training to first responders (firefighters and emergency services personnel). Authority to administer the grant program was delegated by the Attorney General to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), resulting in the FY 1997 Metropolitan Firefighter and Emergency Services National Training Program for First Responders to Terrorist Incidents. The program supports firefighters and emergency services personnel in 120 targeted urban jurisdictions. This support includes: o Specialized first-responder training. o A first-responder train-the-trainer program. o A national conference for first responders. o Competitive grant funding to identify innovative first-responder training programs. First-Responder Training As part of this program, training will be made available in targeted jurisdictions to first responders to terrorist incidents in which weapons of mass destruction (e.g., nuclear, biological, chemical, and incendiary or explosive devices) are used. Jurisdictions that have first response (firefighting and emergency medical services) capabilities may be able to receive the following training established specifically for those personnel: o Emergency Response to Terrorism Self-Study. A home study course designed as a self-paced instruction will introduce basic awareness concepts for first responders with a particular emphasis on incendiary and explosive devices. The course will be provided to all firefighting and emergency medical services teams nationally. o Emergency Response to Terrorism: Basic Concepts Training Program. A 2-day onsite course for first responders in the 120 targeted urban jurisdictions will offer training in terrorist incident management operations and tactical decisionmaking. This training will use practical exercises and operational techniques to help first responders recognize a terrorist incident, take necessary protective measures, assume control of the incident scene, and establish an incident management structure. o Emergency Response to Terrorism: Basic Concepts Train-the-Trainer Program. This time-phased program will provide train-the- trainer instruction for designated firefighters and emergency services personnel in the 120 targeted urban jurisdictions. The program's goal is to create a sustainable resident training capability throughout the Nation. Training will include 150 first responders representing the targeted jurisdictions. The second phase of instruction will train instructors from State fire training academies. These instructors will then deliver onsite training in their respective jurisdictions. o Emergency Responders National Conference. BJA will provide funding to plan and convene a national conference for first responders, emergency planners, and key officials at the Federal, State, and local levels. This national conference will give these key decisionmakers an opportunity to discuss lessons learned, identify additional first-responder training requirements, and help coordinate the delivery of future training needs. o Demonstration Grant Program. BJA will provide demonstration grant funding to test, document, and exercise effective first- responder training programs for terrorist incidents and weapons of mass destruction that can be replicated in other urban jurisdictions. Demonstration sites will be selected on the basis of the criteria outlined in the Project Narrative Section of the Application Kit and Program Guide for the Metropolitan Firefighter and Emergency Services National Training Program for First Responders to Terrorist Incidents. To order a copy of the application kit, contact the BJA Clearinghouse. FY 1998 Training Priorities Working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Fire Academy, BJA will offer training in FY 1998 for first responders in incident management and tactical decisionmaking. These courses will expand the level and scope of training BJA will conduct in FY 1997 and complement the sustainability of first-responder training. In FY 1998 BJA will also give selected State agencies and jurisdictions the opportunity to request no- cost technical assistance to help develop or enhance their existing first-responder training capacities. Who Is Eligible for FY 1997 Training? Specified urban jurisdictions with first-responder operations are eligible for training. These jurisdictions are not required to submit an application to participate; the fire chiefs in targeted jurisdictions have been contacted to determine their training needs. Who May Apply for Demonstration Grant Funding? Metropolitan and State agencies that provide training for local firefighting and emergency services personnel may apply for a demonstration grant. Eligible applicants must show that their first-responder training operations are innovative, include more than one jurisdiction, and can be replicated by other large metropolitan jurisdictions. For More Information For information about applying for demonstration grant funding, refer to the Application Kit and Program Guide available through the BJA Clearinghouse. Questions concerning demonstration grant funding and other training programs discussed in this fact sheet should be directed to the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center. This information is also available through the BJA home page at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA. Bureau of Justice Assistance Clearinghouse P.O. Box 6000 Rockville, MD 20849-6000 Phone: 1-800-688-4252 Fax: 301-519-5212 World Wide Web: http://www.ncjrs.org Department of Justice Response Center 1-800-421-6770 or 202-307-1480 FS 000185 June 1997