Incident Command and Emergency Responder Role Training for Health Professionals

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant) This e-learning course for Incident Command and Emergency Responder Role Training (InCERT) for Health Professionals performing as skilled support personnel (SSP) will be available on a 24/7/365 basis and provide much needed assistance in understanding the roles and responsibilities of emergency responders, the Incident Command System (ICS) structure and where and how they fit within it. The Phase I approach will focus on implementing the Instructional Systems Development (ISO) methodology in identifying and documenting specific training needs (requirements), developing appropriate learning objectives, designing the course to train these and developing a sample e-leaming lesson to provide a tangible demonstration of the concept. InCERT e-leaming components will include a web portal, learning management system (LMS), instructional content (lesson materials) and intelligent tutor exercises. At the web portal, SSP will be able to access training on the ICS, including their placement and role within the system, the roles and responsibilities of various types of first responders (emergency medical, law enforcement, fire, search and rescue) and a better understanding of how SSP can most effectively support these first responders during response to a HAZMAT incident. Through the exercises the learner must apply the knowledge learned in the lessons to solve real-world problems. Public health and emergency response organizations are ready now to use effective training of this type for SSP. The relevance of this research to public health is simply that the better understanding SSP (identified as health professionals in this application) have of the roles and responsibilities of emergency responders (often referred to as first responders) the better they will be able to apply their skills, capabilities and resources beneficially in a supporting role. Likewise, the better they understand the ICS structure and where they fit within it the better they will be able to function and contribute meaningful support in a real HAZMAT incident.