Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Training and Awareness

To reduce risk to the nation’s critical infrastructure, the Department of Homeland Security, National Protection and Programs Directorate, Office of Infrastructure Protection's Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) develops and delivers a diverse curriculum of training to:

• Build nationwide counter-improvised explosive device (IED) core capabilities.
• Enhance awareness of terrorist threats.

Coordinated through state homeland security officials and training offices, OBP courses educate on strategies to prevent, protect against, respond to, and mitigate bombing incidents. Federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial participants include:

• Municipal officials and emergency managers.
• State and local law enforcement and other emergency services.
• Critical infrastructure owners and operators.
• Security staff.

Serving Critical Infrastructure Stakeholders

Since 2003, OBP has delivered more than 2,300 courses to more than 79,700 critical infrastructure stakeholders. Participants have included a diverse array of U.S. and international critical infrastructure and law enforcement professionals in support of events such as the Super Bowl, the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, the 2013 Presidential Inauguration, and the Canadian Grey Cup.

OBP Training Courses

• Bomb-Making Materials Awareness Program (BMAP) Training
• Bomb Threat Management Workshop
• IED Counterterrorism Workshop
• IED Search Procedures Workshop
• Protective Measures Course
• Surveillance Detection Course for Law Enforcement & Security Professionals
• Vehicle-Borne IED Detection Course

Federal and Federally Sponsored Counter-IED Resources

OBP also maintains catalogs of counter-IED preparedness training and education resources that are provided directly by the federal government or are federally sponsored.

• The Catalog of Federally Sponsored Counter-IED Training and Education Resources for Private Sector Partners
• The Catalog of Federally Sponsored Counter-IED Training and Education Resources for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) Partners

OBP Counter-IED Awareness Products

• Awareness Cards & Posters
• Bomb Threat Guidance Products
• Protective Measures
• Vehicle-Borne IED Threat Products
• FiRST Application
• Incident Management Preparedness and Coordination Toolkit (IMPACT)

Additional Information

Please see our Counter-IED Training & Awareness fact sheet for additional information. To request training, please contact your local Protective Security Advisor (PSA) or e-mail the Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) at OBP@hq.dhs.gov.

To report suspicious activity, call 9-1-1 or contact local law enforcement.