Emergency Response Training and Grant Resources
As I continue traveling around the country on the road trip to Support Autism Social Justice in Memory of Daniel Leubner, I am reminded how if other drivers paid more attention to what is being transported along our roads every day, then perhaps they would drive a little more safely. I will admit that I do just shake my head and chuckle when I see some of these aggressive drivers tailgating or cutting off some of these tractor trailer or tanker trucks carrying hazardous materials (HAZMAT). I’m guessing that if more people were better educated and trained on how to recognize trucks and tankers carrying hazardous materials, then perhaps more people would at least give truckers carrying HAZMAT more respect and more distance on the roads when passing, breaking, and merging. Then perhaps those same people would realize that if everyone was just a little more respectful of each other out on the roads, then there wouldn’t be so many traffic accidents occurring on our roads.
While on the road exploring our beautiful country and seeing these types of driving behaviors around trucks carrying HAZMAT, I was reminded about the beautiful simplicity of the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG). I have stated since I first learned how to use the ERG, that I have always been impressed with how well the book was put together in terms of layout formatting, coloring, appropriate information for the target audience, and most importantly the ease of use for its intended purpose. I used to keep pocket-sized versions of the ERG in my car so I could see what was being transported on the roads and as a way to start learning and memorizing the 4-digit code used to identify HAZMAT.
I actually kept several copies in my car in case any of my friends or their kids or my younger cousins wanted to use the ERG on long trips. Teaching children how to use the ERG is a great interactive and educational exercise! The ERG can be used to teach numbers, and then use those numbers to look up references. Then discuss the information the ERG provides for a specific HAZMAT. This can lead to further discussions on the specific definitions of HAZMAT terms and examples. A complex scenario can used with the green pages in the back of the ERG for isolation and protective action distances which then can lead to simple math questions and for more advanced students, mass balance equations.
Who would have thought that the Emergency Response Guidebook could have been so much fun!
In all seriousness though, the ERG is a very important tool for first responders, law enforcement, and concerned citizens. Awareness and education of what is going on your own communities requires your involvement and participation…including taking steps to educate yourself.
For the Young Professionals out there, I continue to provide links to other resources, webpages, and training videos (fun ones too!). Be incredibly thankful if you have a supervisor or manager who recognizes that your time spent learning and training outside of your immediate scope of responsibilities and allows you to attend training and watch videos like the ones below during your work hours. However, if you are like many/most Young Professionals out there, you may not be as fortunate and therefore will have to take it upon yourself and obtain your professional training and education on your own time. It may require less Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, watching reality shows (instead of just living reality), and more personal effort and unpaid work time to obtain the necessary knowledge and training.
The good news is that if you recognize now that investing your own time into your own training and education…will reap much greater regards in your future for professional job opportunities and career growth. Don’t let a supervisor or manager who can’t see your potential…or who doesn’t want to see you achieve your potential…stop you from obtaining free training and professional growth opportunities that are available like the ones below.
For the Supervisor and Managers out there, who already aren’t doing this, how about setting up some “Lunch and Learns” for your staff (breakfast gatherings count too), where some of these short videos can be shown. Many of the videos below are shown in parts in shorter sections over the course of a period of time.
If paid time for training isn’t available, then fight for “comp time” or other time-off arrangements as per your organization’s human resource policies. Your staff will give you a better return on your investment with these continued investments in their training and professional career growth.
TRAINING VIDEOS
Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) playlist, U.S. Department of Transportation - Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Emergency Response videos playlist, U.S. Department of Transportation - Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Incident Command Overview, North Dakota Public Health training - A very nice overview of the Incident Command System (ICS).
Video Playlist from FEMA, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - Has a very extensive list of videos.
Video Playlist from USCB, The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (USCSB) Playlist - Has a large number of videos.
TRAINING AND GUIDANCE RESOURCES
The 2024 Emergency Response Guidebook and mobile application.
Hazardous Materials Transportation Training Modules, U.S. Department of Transportation - Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration - Also includes links to numerous other resources.
Hazmat Incident Response Training Resources, U.S. Department of Transportation - Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration - Guidelines for Hazardous Materials Response, Planning and Prevention/Mitigation Training.
Hazardous Waste Management and Remediation Training, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - includes numerous links to other resources.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Training Modules, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
OSHA Training Institute Education Centers and other resources.
Online Training Courses, FEMA Center for Domestic Preparedness.
Hazardous Materials Awareness Distance Learning Training, FEMA Center for Domestic Preparedness.
IS-5.A: An Introduction to Hazardous Materials Training, FEMA Emergency Management Institute.
IS-317.A: Introduction to Community Emergency Response Team (CERTs), FEMA Emergency Management Institute.
IS-315.A: CERT and the Incident Command System (ICS), FEMA Emergency Management Institute.
Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER), U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA).
Federal Emergency Response Roles and Responsibilities, Tribal Lands Assistance Center - Resources showing how federal partners support Tribal governments for response to oil/chemical incidents.
Federal Interagency Operational Plans, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Oil and Chemical Incident Annex to the Response and Recovery Federal Interagency Operational Plans (99 pages), U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Resources for SERCs, TERCs, LEPCs, and TEPCs to Sustain Planning and Response Efforts, U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA).
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
GRANTS AND FUNDING RESOURCES
Guidance, Technical Assistance & Planning, the U.S. National Response Team - Has grant and funding information and links to other resources.
Emergency Services Grant Programs, New York State (NYS) Division of Homeland Security.
Emergency Services Targeted Grants, New York State (NYS) Division of Homeland Security.
FEMA Grants, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) Grant, U.S. Department of Transportation - Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Hazardous Materials Grants Program, U.S. Department of Transportation - Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Health Care Readiness including Hospital Preparedness Program, U.S. Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response - Includes links to funding and other useful resources.
Pipeline Emergency Response Grant (PERG), U.S. Department of Transportation - Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Science and Technology Grants Program, U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Includes grants for first responders, emergency preparedness, and links to other resources.
State and Local Readiness Resources, U.S. Centers For Disease Control (CDC) - Includes funding, guidance documents and much more.
