Disaster Volunteers' Training Network of the Greater Los Angeles Area A Grassroots Coalition (non-governmental network of disaster volunteers) Founded by Dr. Cliff Cheng In 2009, Dr. Cliff Cheng, who has been a disaster volunteer since the 1970s, founded the Disaster Volunteers' Training Network of the Greater Los Angeles Area to assist in providing training for disaster volunteers in the Southern California. This training program is a spinoff of a government first responder training program he runs. Many volunteers have attempted to access the professional training program; only to be disappointed that the grant funding for these trainings do not cover volunteers. While other coordinators (Points of Contact) simply do not deal with volunteers, Dr. Cheng has attempted to help volunteers when possible. He advocated for devising trainings appropriate to volunteer responders. Disaster Volunteers' Training Network of the Greater Los Angeles Area is an effort to help volunteers increase their knowledge, skills and abilities. These trainings supplement the training disaster volunteers already have from their volunteer agencies. The Network only assists in furthering the training of disaster volunteers. It has no operational role. We encourage that once volunteers receive our trainings that they stay within their volunteer organization's scope of practice and other policies. As Dr. Cheng trains volunteers how-to-run the network, more and more responsibility will be turned over to them. The Network is made up of volunteers and paid-staff who share in the work load in putting trainings on. If a group wishes to take part in our trainings, they do so through sending someone to work with us to put the training on. Every group and individual must pull their own weight. People who volunteer with the Network are the first to be selected for training. Click here to see a list of the volunteer agencies we have served. Incident Command System (ICS) The Incident Command System (ICS) is part of the National Incident Management System (NIMS). NIMS is mandated by federal law. If a jurisdiction hopes to be reimbursed for the cost of a disaster, it must used ICS. Even though volunteer groups do not receive these funds, and individual volunteers are not paid, their parent organizations recieve these funds, ICS is nevertheless used by agencies and people volunteers work with. Everyone working on the incident, even as an unpaid volunteer must use ICS. Simply - "it's the law." We have heard complaints such as "why do I have to take these ICS classes simply to volunteer?" "Taking these classes has got nothing to do with (name the service the volunteer group provides)." "We don't want to get involved with the government (by taking and using ICS)." Some volunteer group leaders think ICS lessens their authority. In fact, government employees initially had similar complaints. Simply, ICS is the law. ICS has been very successful. NIMS certification, interoperability and standardization have greatly improved coordination anad response; saving lives, property and the environment. Anyone not using ICS and NIMS these days runs the risk of appearing to be outdated and isolated. Many volunteers are unaware incident command system (ICS) training has levels. IS-100, 200, 700 and 800 are only awareness levels classes! They are introductory classes in a very large management, training and certification system. All disaster service workers (even volunteer ones) need to take awareness courses . Awareness courses are free and taken over the internet. IS 100, Introduction to the Incident Command System, is a very basic introductory class. Most people finish this course in 1/2hr. to 90 mins. in the comfort of their own home over the internet. This is an easy class if you have ever worked in a bureaucratic organization. When they pass the quiz, a certificate is emailed to them as a .PDF file. If you are a volunteer in a medical response group, your agency may instead ask you to take a specialized version of IS-100 called "HICS" or Hospital ICS. A caveat is important here. Having said how easy this class is, many people, especially volunteers get themselves into trouble by disregarding the meta-lesson of IS-100 - to become a good follower. Passing this class means you were trained on what is expected of a follower, and you are therefore accountable. As a ICS instructor, Dr. Cheng has hints to help people take the ICS awareness classes on-line.
IS400 focuses on coordination mechanisms for national incidents. Almost no volunteers operate at this level. ICS-300 and ICS-400 are taught live by certified instructors. The courses last 2-3 days each. It is hard for to find a certified trainer willing to donate 2-3 days to teach volunteers for free, or even enough volunteers who have done the prerequisite IS100, 200, 700 and 800 which would help qualifiy them to take ICS-300. We are aware that a few volunteers have paid to go to a ICS-300 and/or ICS-400 classes offered by commerical trainers. In such case, buyer beware is good advise. Be aware who is issuing the certificate and who recognizes the certificate. Unless otherwise, noted, most of our trainings have the highest national certification. However, the responsibilty is on the individual to find a course which suits their needs. We do however recommend volunteers take the free on-line ICS-300 and ICS-400 preparatory classes, available from the National Fire Academy on-line. Respectively, these classes are called Q464, ICS-300, Intermediate All-Hazard NIMS ICS Review for Expanding Incidents, and Q466, ICS-400, Fundamentals Review for Command and General Staff. Note prep classes are not recognized as subsitutes for ICS-300 and ICS-400. Beyond ICS-300 and ICS-400 are ICS job training and so on which is seldom deemed appropriate for and open to volunteers. We look favorably on applicants for our trainings who have done the free on-line ICS courses. WMD-Counter Terrorism Training Levels
There are some volunteers who think homeland security is a distant hazard they need not be concerned with. Click this link. You will see suspected terrorists, who were later deported back to their country of Saudi Arabia, for (allegedly) casing a well known Southern California landmark. Maybe you do not work, live near or visit tourist attractions, but suspects have been found casing a wide range of potential targets. If you are in the Red Cross, Salvation Army, MRC, DMAT and so on, facilities which shelter, feed, and treat victims are great secondary targets. There are three levels of training for most responder specialties. Some highly specialized disciplines have more. Awareness (AWR) level is an introductory level. For volunteer responders, AWR class are appropriate. They normally may not take Management and Planning (MGT) and Performance (PER) level courses. Unless one is a professional first responder (government employee), in most cases, AWR is an appropriate level of training. AWR classes focus on definitions and recognition of the subject matter. At the Awareness level, one is expected only to recognize the hazard, avoid it, isolate it if possible, and to report it. One is not trained and authorized to take defensive action at the Awareness level. First responders and emergency management personnel take awareness classes as a prerequisite to Management and Policy, and Performance Levels of Training. They have the highest priority to receive awareness training. If seats are available, in some cases volunteer responders may be selected to fill these seats as guests. Guests need to be aware that the government employees in our classes are being paid for a certain number of hours and we must complete the class within time limits. Guests are asked to hold their questions for breaks and after class so we may finish the class without incurring overtime expense. Some WMD awareness training is available on-line for free. AWR 160 WMD-Terrorism Awareness is a free on-line WMD-Terrorism Awareness course. We know there are a wide variety of WMD awareness courses available on-line and in-person, but AWR 160 WMD-Terrorism Awareness is the current official course certified by U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and nationally recognized. With all the applications we received from disaster volunteers to come to our training, the ones who have taken ICS and AWR 160 courses stand out as being more serious. Please take a General WMD/Terrorism Awareness
Classes Our Highest Training (please click) Management 310 (MGT 310) WMD Threat & Risk Assessment PILOT FOR VOLUNTEERS U.S. Department of Homeland Security Texas A& M University - Texas Engineering and Extension Service (TEEX) Upcoming Trainings Previous Trainings AWR 160 WMD-Terrorism Awareness (Prep Session), June 29, 2009 2009 (Pilot for Volunteers) MGT 310, WMD Threat & Risk Assessment (c) 2009-2010, All Rights Reserved |