New Online Training

Class certificate from the Texas Engineering Extension ServiceThe Texas Engineering Extension Service, a part of the Texas A&M University System, is a good source of free online training available to emergency communicators, mostly on Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) topics. I say this is “new” training because I’ve not previously seen it written about in emcomm circles.

(The link takes you to a course catalog, click on the course number to go to the description.)

I have taken one of their in-person courses and five of their online courses and have been favorably impressed.

The courses take from about an hour to four hours to complete. Here’s what is offered, with the classes I’ve taken marked:

• WMD Terrorism Awareness for Emergency Responders*
• EMS I: Basic Concepts for WMD Incidents
• Incident Management / Unified Command*
• Children and Nerve Agents*
• Canine Emergency Medical Care
• Emergency Management Concerns for the First Responder in Terrorism and Disaster*
• Medical Effects of Primary Blast Injury
• Bacilus Anthracis
• Botulism
• Avian Influenza*
• Public Works: WMD Basic Concepts
• Introduction to SNS and Mass Prophylaxis

Some of these courses award EMS continuing education credit, though I am trying to find our which of the courses qualify.