WMD Training Courses for Saratoga County Fire and EMS Providers

Courses are taught by OFPC (Office of Fire Prevention and Control) Instructor Bill VanBuren under the auspices of the Saratoga County Fire Coordinator in conjunction with the Saratoga County EMS Council.  Participants who complete a course will receive an OFPC certificate.  The EMS Council has received approval for REMO Con Ed credits and these will also be available for any EMS provider who requests them at the conclusion of each course.  There is no need to preregister for any of these courses.  There are no fees charged to students to attend any of these courses.  Additional information can be obtained by calling the Fire Coordinator at 885-2232 or the EMS Coordinator at 383-8608.

Domestic Terrorism: Weapons of Mass Destruction Awareness

Topics include who and what may be targets for terrorist attacks; what nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) terrorism is; and how NBC terrorism will affect emergency responders and what can be done to protect them.

Emergency Response to Terrorism: Tactical Considerations for EMS

This course is designed for EMS personnel with the responsibility to render patient care to victims of terrorist incidents. The students will be trained in security considerations, identifying signs of terrorism, anticipating unusual response circumstances, assessing information, and initiating self-protection actions. They also will apply their knowledge about response, provide patient care, identify and preserve evidence, manage site safety, document the event, and debrief personnel.  This course will be offered twice: once at Clifton Park-Halfmoon Ambulance and once at Wilton Emergency Squad.

Emergency Response to Terrorism: Basic Concepts

This material is tailored for operations level responders who will work in a defensive mode and support decontamination activities. This program is designed to provide an overview of chemical, biological, radiological, incendiary, and explosive agents or materials that are considered weapons of mass destruction.

Domestic Preparedness: The Supervisor's Role in Safety

This course provides an overview of the type of materials, agents, or devices that may be involved in a chemical, biological, or radiological threat and provides guidance on steps to take for employee safety.

Domestic Preparedness: The Role of Policy Making Officials

This program provides information about incidents that may involve chemical, biological, or radiological agents and what actions first responders will take to stabilize the incident. In addition, the powers of the chief elected official under NYS Executive Law Article 2b are also covered.