Local health departments (LHD) play important roles in responding to chemical emergencies. Participating in training and exercises can provide LHDs with the means of attaining, practicing, validating, and improving their chemical preparedness and response capabilities. During chemical preparedness planning, LHDs should include training requirements to address knowledge gaps and learn about the specific needs of their communities prior to exercising capabilities.
The following suggested trainings and exercises are available to various audiences, including public health practitioners, emergency and first responders, toxicologists, hazardous materials technicians, healthcare providers and hospitals, pharmacies, NGOs, and emergency managers.
Online Courses and Training:
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR): Public Health Assessment Training (PHAT)
This online training for public health professionals provides an overview of ATSDR, its Public Health Assessment method, how to evaluate exposure pathways for contaminants at hazardous waste sites, how to conduct a health effects evaluation, how to write and communicate environmental health information, and more.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): IS-5.A: An Introduction to Hazardous Materials Course
This online course offers a basic overview of hazardous materials - basic terms, classifications, identification systems, health effects, exposure types, and regulations on use and application. This training is not limited to specific disciplines, and the public is also encouraged to take this course.
FEMA IS-100.C: Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS 100
This online course introduces the Incident Command System (ICS) by describing the history, features and principles, and organizational structure of ICS. This course is targeted towards people involved with emergency planning, and response or recovery efforts.
FEMA: IS-200.C: Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response, ICS-200
This online course reviews the Incident Command System, provides the context for ICS within initial response, and supports higher level ICS training. Supervisory response personnel who are involved with emergency planning, response, or recovery efforts are encouraged to take this course.
FEMA: Environmental Health Training in Emergency Response Awareness Course
This seven-hour, online training addresses the role of environmental health responders in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from emergencies and disasters. It is useful for environmental health practitioners and other emergency response personnel.
FEMA: Disaster Related Exposure Assessment and Monitoring (DREAM)
This online course is a four-day (32 hours) training course designed to provide knowledge and experience in assessing, monitoring and tracking health effects to emergency responders and community members before, during, and after an emergency or disaster. The target audience is public health professionals, medical professionals, NGOs, public works, and emergency management staff at all leadership levels.
This online course is useful for anyone new to chemical preparedness and is interested in learning about chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) events.
In-Person Courses and Training:
This in-person training addresses the chemical preparedness gaps in emergency response plans with chemical incident specific planning considerations. State, local, tribal, and territorial emergency managers and planners, first responders, chemical industry partners, hospitals, and NGOs are encouraged to take this training. It is offered at the Center for Domestic Preparedness campus in Anniston, Alabama.
FEMA: Environmental Health Training in Emergency Response Operations (EHTER Ops)
This five-day, in-person course provides participants with the operations-level knowledge and skills required to respond to natural- or human-caused incidents. Participants will learn to perform tasks aligned with the Environmental Health response protocol to respond to events such suspected water supply contamination, managing health, food safety, and building-related safety for shelters, and more. This training is targeted towards environmental health responders and those performing environmental health tasks in emergencies and disasters. It is offered at the Center for Domestic Preparedness campus in Anniston, Alabama, and FEMA covers all training costs for state, local, and tribal responders taking the course.
FEMA: ELK0146 Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) Course
The ELK0146 HSEEP Course teaches the Exercise Planning Cycle and the HSEEP exercise and evaluation doctrine. The course is useful for planning leaders, senior officials, exercise managers, and it is offered in online and in-person formats. The webpage also details the creation and structure of exercises and includes resources such as forms, templates, scenarios, and evaluation tools.
For additional up-to date trainings, courses, exercise, webinars, visit the following websites:
NACCHO will be hosting On Track for Preparedness: A Chemical Incident Response Tabletop Exercise at the 2025 Preparedness Summit.
To view NACCHO’s 2024 tabletop exercise materials, please join the ChemPrep Connect Virtual Community.
For more information about chemical preparedness, action checklists, and more, download the Chemical Preparedness Handbook for Local Health Departments or visit NACCHO’s Chemical Preparedness page.
NACCHO is seeking constructive feedback on the Chemical Preparedness Handbook from LHDs. Click here to submit feedback.
