BACKGROUND
“Emergency response is becoming a larger part of state, tribal, and local transportation staffs’ responsibilities, from the front office to the front lines. And, with funding tight nationwide, public sector employees are being asked to do more with smaller staffs, including …preparation and response for notice and no]notice incidents. [Training] is needed … to support operations and maintenance personnel to perform reliably and effectively with other partners under the National Incident Management System (NIMS), regardless of the agencies’ size or the nature of the occurrence, leading to improved preparedness for emergencies.”
(from NCHRP Project 20-05 Synthesis Topic 44-12, Interactive Training for All-Hazards Emergency Planning, Preparation, and Response for Maintenance & Operations Field Personnel, Draft 1)
At present there are specialized versions of the Incident Command System (ICS) at the FEMA Independent Study website for law enforcement, medical personnel, and public works staff members. There is no specialized training for transportation personnel, whose work in opening roads and ensuring the safety of bridges and other infrastructure is the key to all other emergency response. As described in NCHRP Project 20-59(43), Incorporating Transportation Security Awareness into Routine State DOT Operation and Training, most field level transportation staff members work outdoors and gather only at the beginning and end of the work day. Most training has to be delivered as briefing training or on overtime. The lack of financial support for overtime training makes lengthy courses inaccessible to these front line staff members.
Dr. Yuko Nakanishi, Principal Investigator for the NCHRP Synthesis Topic 44-12 report cited above, has researched all available security and emergency management training materials for transportation staff members, including field staff, and has determined that there is no current ICS training product directed to transportation agency field staff members.
OBJECTIVE
Part I: $150,000 ICS for Transportation TTT Pilot
Train-the-Trainer Regional Workshops for NCHRP 20-59(30) Incident Command System for Field Level Transportation Supervisors and Personnel
This project will take the new course created under NCHRP sponsorship and create the documentation for a train-the-trainer course to increase the number of trainers available to deliver the course nationally. The course will be piloted at four regional locations selected in conjunction with AASHTO/SCOTSEM, which may include a workshop held in conjunction with an AASHTO/SCOTSEM. The final product will be TTT materials that can be used within AASHTO regions to maintain a cadre of trained instructors for the NCHRP 20-59 (30) Incident Command System for Field Level Transportation Supervisors and Personnel course.
Part II: $300,000 ICS for Transportation TTT for 8 States and AASHTO/CTSSR Train-the-Trainer Regional Workshops for NCHRP 20-59(30) Incident Command System for Field Level Transportation Supervisors and Personnel: Continuation
Objective: This project will take the new course created under NCHRP sponsorship, and the train-the-trainer documentation created under the NCHRP train-the-trainer pilot, and deliver a series of train-the-trainer courses to increase the number of trainers available to deliver the course nationally. The course will be delivered at eight regional locations selected in conjunction with AASHTO/CTSSR, and at an AASHTO/CTSSR meeting. The TTT materials that can be used within AASHTO regions to maintain a cadre of trained instructors for the NCHRP 20-59(30) Incident Command System for Field Level Transportation Supervisors and Personnel course will be used, and trainers will be taught to deliver the ICS course, including the sandbox interactive session and the follow-up refresher sessions. Host agencies will be expected to provide the facility, AV equipment including wi-fi connection to the Youtube videos, hard copies of the ICS forms for each student, and logistics support, including receiving materials and delivering them to the classroom. Instructors will provide the student books and instructor manuals on USB drives for each student, and provide the materials for every student to use in creating ICS supervisors’ folders and ICS cards.
TASKS
1. Create 8]hour ICS for Field Level Transportation Personnel Train]the]Trainer (TTT) Course
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Create TTT elements
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Create TTT Student Notebook
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Create instructional videos on folder and card creation
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Develop documentation for workshop set up
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Develop supplies/logistics support list for workshop implementation
2. Create and administer student evaluations for ICS for Transportation TTT at each class, including quantitative and qualitative elements; use feedback from each course to improve the subsequent classes and final TTT organization, materials and video.
3. Collaborate with AASHTO/SCOTSEM to market availability of ICS for Transportation TTT pilot offering; jointly select 2 sites for delivery.
4. Customize the PowerPoint show for the TTT pilots to the selected communities.
5. Travel to four different locations/regions and deliver four pilot 8-hour ICS for Transportation TTT at locations sponsored by AASHTO/SCOTSEM.
6. Create a draft report on the content of and student response to the pilots ICS for Transportation TTTs, including the TTT instructional materials as an attachment.
7. Create a research brief and PowerPoint on the ICS for Transportation TTT with outcomes and recommendations for future development.
8. Send draft report to panel; receive response to draft report. Review and document all feedback; incorporate comments.
9. Final report: writing, editing, production.
10. Create 3 AASHTO / CTSSR/ TRB webinars on “6-hour ICS for Field Level Transportation Personnel Train-the-Trainer”
11. Update 6-hour ICS for Field Level Transportation Personnel Train-the-Trainer Course materials based on student feedback from the initial pilot TTT deliveries
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Update the TTT elements
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Update the TTT Student Notebook
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Review and modify if needed instructional videos on folder and card creation
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Create card sets and handouts
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Update documentation for workshop set up
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Update supplies/logistics support list for workshop implementation
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Create interactive website for instructors
12. Collaborate with AASHTO/CTSSR to market availability of ICS for Transportation TTT courses; coordinate with state DOT to host the TTT the day before or the day after an existing statewide conference; jointly select 8 state sites for delivery.
13. Customize the PowerPoint show/ scenarios for the TTT materials to the 8 selected communities.
14. Travel to eight different locations/regions and deliver a 6-hour ICS for Transportation TTT in conjunction with AASHTO/CTSSR and in coordination with the state DOT to host the TTT the day before or the day after an existing statewide conference; attend the workshop to promote ICS for Transportation; distribute materials on thumb drives.
15. Administer student evaluations for ICS for Transportation TTT at each class, including quantitative and qualitative elements; use feedback from each course to improve the subsequent classes and final TTT organization and materials.
16. Create a draft report on the content of and student response to the 8 ICS for Transportation TTTs.
17. Send draft report to NCHRP panel; receive response to draft report.
18. Create a research brief and PowerPoint on the ICS for Transportation TTT with outcomes and recommendations for future development.
19. Prepare for presentation. Travel to CTSSR’s 2020/21 annual meeting and deliver one ICS for Transportation TTT.
20. Meet with NCHRP panel. Receive panel comments; receive a response to draft report. Review and document all feedback, incorporate comments. Final report: writing, editing, production.
STATUS: Research in progress. Pilot work through task 9 is complete. Work was largely suspended on subsequent tasks during the pandemic and resumed in late 2021.
