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.
OBJECTIVE
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 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.
TASKS
1. Create 80 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. Revise course materials based on previous TTT student and instructor feedback.
11. Attend and deliver an in-person presentation at the November 2023 meeting of the International Association of Emergency Managers.
STATUS: Research is complete. Final report is available at: DOI: 10.17226/23411 Tasks 10 and 11 underway.
