US&R Command Staff Program
The US&R Command Staff Program includes all TEEX courses relevant to task force management level personnel responding to a natural disaster or terrorist incident. Unique challenges face the command staff during a natural disaster or terrorist incident. Personnel are required to perform tasks under harsh conditions, often with inadequate supplies, resources and staffing.
TEEX and Disaster City® provide training to prepare personnel to overcome those challenges. Each course provides the participant with valuable knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully manage various types of incidents, including a structural collapse, natural disaster, or chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive (CBRNE) incident.
Each course is designed by module and includes terminal and enabling objectives for participants to accomplish. TEEX courses are designed around current revisions to the National Response Framework and National Incident Management Systems (NIMS). All TEEX courses are fully compliant with all NIMS principles and the Incident Command System (ICS).
TEEX courses are specifically designed to meet a jurisdiction’s mission to accomplish specific requirements on the Target Capabilities List (TCL) and the Universal Task List (UTL), as well as meeting requirements of the appropriate National Planning Scenarios and National Preparedness Goal priorities.
US&R Command Staff Program Courses:
Task Force Leader – This 40-hour (5 day) course is designed to provide command personnel of a Type 1 US&R task force or strike team an overview of the operational and administrative requirements of an incident response, as well as coordinating and supervising managers within the six major functional areas of a task force. This course is based on the FEMA Task Force Leader curriculum with the addition of an advanced table top exercise.
Search & Rescue Plans Officer – This 40-hour (5 day) course is designed for planning and technical information specialists on a Type 1 US&R task force. This course is based on the FEMA Task Force Leader curriculum with the addition of an advanced tabletop exercise.
Search & Rescue Communications Specialist – This 40-hour (5 day) course is designed to provide task force personnel the ability to establish, manage, and troubleshoot all levels of radio and satellite communications for a Type 1 task force or strike team incident response.
Disaster Logistics Specialist – This 40-hour (5 day) course is designed for personnel who would perform the broad role of providing logistics to city and county responders at a natural disaster or terrorist incident. The course is not discipline-specific, and it covers the broad topics required to work as a logistics specialist supporting responders from the EMS, Law Enforcement, Military, Fire, HazMat, Industrial, and Health Care disciplines.
Air Transportation of Hazardous Cargo - This 24 hour (3 day) course is designed for Disaster Logistics Specialists that will be required to store and ship hazardous materials contained in an equipment cache that may be deployed aboard aircraft.
Search & Rescue Safety Officer – This 32-hour (4 day) course is designed for safety officers on a Type 1 US&R task force. This course is based on the FEMA Safety Officer curriculum with the addition of creating a safety plan for Disaster City®.
Developing a State/Regional CBRNE Task Force – This 24-hour (3 day) course is designed to assist a region in establishing a CBRNE task force by addressing the training, equipment, and selection requirements. Also discussed is the planning for the activation, deployment, and sustainment of the task force and the course includes all participants writing a concept plan for a regional CBRNE task force.
ICS for Structural Collapse Incidents - This 16-hour (2 day) course is designed to provide command personnel an understanding of the command operations at structural collapse incidents by organizing resources, developing strategies, and managing tactical operations and interagency coordination. This course is based on the National Fire Academy curriculum with the addition of an advanced tabletop exercise.
Enhanced Incident Management Unified Command Course (MGT 314) - (this course is offered at no cost to any eligible participant) – This 28-hour (3.5 day) course is designed to enhance the participants’ incident management and decision-making skills necessary to effectively and safely manage the response to a CBRNE terrorism incident. This course is one of few in the nation that focuses the incident command management process on decision-making and situational awareness to improve these skills for managers and supervisors. This course is managed by TEEX – National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center (NERRTC).
Incident Management / Unified Command (MGT-313)(ICS-300 Equivalent and Compliant) - (this course is offered at no cost to any eligible jurisdiction) – This 24-hour (3 day) course is designed to train emergency responders and their supervisors and managers in the skills necessary to effectively plan for and manage a WMD/terrorism incident by adapting the existing Incident Command System (ICS) to the unique challenges posed by the integration of local, state, and federal agencies and departments into a unified command structure. This course is managed by TEEX – National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center (NERRTC).
ICS-300: Intermediate Incident Command System for Expanding Incidents for Operational First Responders (H-465) – This 20-hour (3 day) course is designed to provide proven incident management strategies and practices as well as enhance teamwork and coordination among the agency’s mid-level managers and command staff. This course is based on the National Incident Management System (NIMS) curriculum with scenarios and application exercises. This course is managed by TEEX - Emergency Services Training Institute (ESTI).
ICS-400 Advanced Incident Command System for Command and General Staff – This 12-hour (2 day) course is designed to provide proven incident management strategies and practices as well as enhance teamwork and coordination among the agencies’ officers directly responsible for emergency response to WMD/terrorism incident or other “Incident of National Significance.” This course is based on the National Incident Management System (NIMS) curriculum with scenarios and application exercises. This course is managed by TEEX - Emergency Services Training Institute (ESTI).
NFPA 472 Hazardous Materials Incident Command Training – This 16-hour (2 day) course is designed to provide command personnel an understanding of the command operations at hazardous materials incidents by organizing resources, developing strategies, and managing tactical operations and interagency coordination. This course is managed by TEEX - Emergency Services Training Institute (ESTI).
Public Information in a WMD/Terrorism Incident (this course is offered at no cost to any eligible jurisdiction) – This 16-hour (2 day) course is designed to provide an overview for individuals who are likely to interface with the media. This course is managed by TEEX – National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center (NERRTC).
Courses can be conducted at your agency or jurisdiction or in Disaster City®, located in College Station, Texas. Disaster City® is a 52-acre urban search and rescue training facility and delivers the full array of skills and techniques needed by today’s US&R teams and emergency responders.
TEEX’s US&R training features instructors who have responded to some of the largest disasters on record, including the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, the space shuttle Columbia incident and Hurricane Katrina.
TEEX is the sponsoring agency for Texas Task Force 1, one of 28 national urban search and rescue teams under FEMA and is Texas’ only Type 1 statewide team under direction of the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management. Texas Task Force 1 also includes one of the country’s most extensive water rescue programs.
