TO:	All State Administrative Agency Heads All State Administrative Agency Points of Contact All State Homeland Security Directors All Urban Area Working Group Core City and Core County Representatives
FROM:	C. Suzanne Mencer Executive Director
SUBJECT:	Updated Guidance for the WMD Standardized Awareness Authorized Trainer Program

As communicated previously in ODP Information Bulletin #130, the goal of the new WMD Standardized Awareness Authorized Trainer Program is to provide states and urban areas with a mechanism for delivery and sustainment of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) awareness training for the ten emergency response disciplines included in their strategies: emergency management, emergency medical service, fire service, government administrative, hazardous materials, health care, law enforcement, public communications, public health, and public works. The expectation is that this program will build a core cadre of instructors in states and urban areas who will carry out this training on an ongoing basis within their state and local area.

States and urban areas are not expected to retrain personnel who have already successfully completed any ODP-certified WMD awareness course. The standardized awareness training program is intended to help accelerate training to the 3.5 million emergency response personnel recently identified in homeland security strategies as still in need of WMD awareness training.

The WMD Standardized Awareness Authorized Trainer Program will primarily rely on a Train-the-Trainer approach to maximize the program's reach. Trainers designated by States and urban areas will participate in a 12-hour National WMD Standardized Awareness Authorized Trainer (SAAT) Train-the-Trainer course (AWR 160-1, Train-the-Trainer) taught by members of the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium. Graduates of that program will then be certified to deliver the 6-hour National WMD Standardized Awareness course (AWR 160, Direct Delivery) to personnel within their State and local jurisdiction.

Two categories of personnel are considered exempt from the Train-the-Trainer course and do not have to complete the Train-the-Trainer segment in order to be considered a certified instructor for the direct delivery course: 1) individuals who are currently certified to provide hazardous materials certification training and 2) individuals who have been certified to teach ODP WMD awareness courses.

ODP has requested that the states and urban areas begin to identify at least 3 trainers for each of the 10 disciplines (30 trainers total). Each of the state training points of contact shall provide to ODP a list of trainers for whom they are seeking approval to teach the direct delivery course. State training coordinators will coordinate the development of this list with appropriate officials in the state fire and law enforcement academies, as well as any appropriate county or municipal training academies. In addition, ODP requests that state training coordinators establish a procedure to accurately track and report data on the number of persons trained, their employing agency, and other additional criteria to be developed by ODP.

In addition, attached to this document are answers to several frequently asked questions that have been received since the announcement of the WMD Standardized Awareness Authorized Trainer Program.

Inquiries on this program related to your jurisdiction's participation should be directed to your Preparedness Officer. Requests for additional information on training program content should be directed to Willie Johnson, Training Program Manager, at 202-514-4134 or willie.johnson2@dhs.gov.