Center for Domestic Preparedness

10/03/2026

FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) released the number of August course completions by those who trained through non-resident or indirect modalities.

The CDP conducted 16 non-resident courses for 747 responders in August and 12 indirect courses for 725 responders during the same period.

Non-resident courses are delivered by contract CDP instructors at locations across the United States. Indirect courses are delivered by volunteer responders to people in their organization, community, or both. The volunteer responders must be graduates of both the courses they instruct and that course’s associated train-the-trainer course.

August deliveries included the CDP’s Field Force Operations and Field Force Extrication Tactics courses in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in preparation for the 2028 Olympics.

CDP training is provided free of charge to state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency responders, including round-trip transportation, meals and lodging.

For information about training options at the CDP, visit https://cdp.dhs.gov/training. To learn about upcoming resident courses at the CDP, visit https://cdp.dhs.gov/training-calendar.

10/02/2026

🚨 FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) has seat openings for upcoming courses.

Nov. 29-Dec. 5:
• Emergency Medical Operations for CBRNE Incidents (EMO) in conjunction with Intermediate Hands-On Training for CBRNE Incidents (HOT-I) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-267 and https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-900
• Field Force Operations (FFO) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-200
• Framework for Healthcare Emergency Management (FRAME) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/AWR-900
• Hazardous Materials Operations (HMO) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-322
• Hazardous Materials Technician (HMT) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-272

Dec. 6-10:
• Field Force Operations (FFO) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-200
• Healthcare Leadership for Mass Casualty Incidents (HCL) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/MGT-901
• Hazardous Materials Technician (HMT) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-272
• Hazardous Materials Technologies: Sampling, Monitoring, and Detection (HT) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-261

Dec. 13-19:
• Unmanned Aerial Systems Flight Operations for Emergency Response in conjunction with UAS Data Analytics for Emergency Response https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/AWR-422 and https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-407
• Emergency Medical Operations for CBRNE Incidents (EMO) in conjunction with Intermediate Hands-On Training for CBRNE Incidents (HOT-I) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-267 and https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-900
• Hazardous Materials Operations (HMO) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-322
• Hazardous Materials Technician (HMT) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-272
• Public Order and Public Safety: Basic (POPS-B) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-940

Apply soon for these training opportunities. For more information, visit the CDP training calendar at https://cdp.dhs.gov/training-calendar.

CDP training is completely funded for state, local, tribal and territorial emergency responders to include roundtrip airfare, meals, and lodging.

10/01/2026

Snapshot: Hospital response training

Responders learn to work through and overcome the challenges hospitals may face in a simulated mass casualty event during the Center for Domestic Preparedness’ Hospital Emergency Response Training for Mass Casualty Incidents (HERT) and Healthcare Leadership for Mass Casualty Incidents (HCL) courses.

HERT prepares healthcare responders to work as part of a hospital emergency response team – utilizing the Hospital Incident Command System, determining and using appropriate personal protective equipment, and conducting triage followed by decontamination of patients. The five days of training typically include HERT and its train-the-trainer component. For additional information about the HERT course or to register for future iterations, visit: https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-902.

HCL addresses disaster preparedness at the facility and system level. The course focuses on preparing healthcare leaders to make critical decisions in all-hazards disaster emergency preparedness activities. Healthcare leaders must be prepared for any incident that results in multiple casualties, whether it is the result of a natural disaster; an accidental or intentional release of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosives (CBRNE) hazard; or a disease outbreak that results in an epidemic or pandemic. For additional information about the HCL course or to register for future iterations, visit: https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/MGT-901

Both courses conclude with a Capstone Event, a comprehensive exercise where students work together in response to simulated mass casualty incidents.

09/30/2026

The Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) released the number of recorded August course completions by those who trained on its campus in Anniston, Alabama.

The CDP recorded 931 course completions in 32 resident deliveries during the months, including its Emergency Medical Operations (EMO) for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive (CBRNE) Incidents, Field Force Extrication Tactics (FFE), and Hazardous Materials Operations (HMO) courses.

EMO prepares responders to effectively respond to a CBRNE or mass casualty incident.

FFE trains students to operate the tools necessary to extricate individuals safely from protester devices while reducing liability and ensuring due process.

HMO equips emergency responders to analyze, plan, and implement response actions during and following hazardous materials incidents. Training includes practical exercises in the nation’s only toxic agent training site, the Chemical, Ordnance, Biological and Radiological (COBRA) Training Facility.

CDP training is provided free of charge to state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency responders, including round-trip transportation, meals and lodging.

For more information about upcoming training at the CDP, visit https://cdp.dhs.gov/training-calendar.

09/29/2026

First responders in the Center for Domestic Preparedness’ Hazardous Materials Operations (HMO) course prepare to test for hazardous materials in the Chemical, Ordnance, Biological and Radiological (COBRA) Training Facility. These students are practicing skills learned during the CDP’s 2026 Tribal Nations Training Week, the first year hazardous materials training was offered during Tribal Nations Training Week.

The five-day HMO course provides responders with the information and skills required of operations-level HAZMAT technicians. During training, students conduct advanced practical exercises in the nation's only civilian toxic agent training site, the COBRA Training Facility. The course is aligned with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 470, Standard for Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Emergency Response Personnel Professional Qualifications.

The CDP is authorized to award 4 CEUs for this course by the International Association of Continuing Education and Training. For additional information about the HMO Course or to register for future iterations, visit: https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-322.

09/25/2026

FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) held its 11th annual Tribal Nations Training Week Sept. 13-18, with 282 students, representing 65 tribal nations.

The theme of the week – “Strengthening Indigenous readiness, Honoring Sovereignty, and Achieving Resilience Through an All-Hazards Approach” – was established by a working group comprised of tribal nations responders and representatives from the Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium and the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium (NPDC), which includes the CDP. The group identified training gaps, then selected courses from the respective partner catalogs for the week which could help close those gaps.

The week began with a formal opening ceremony and training presentations on Sunday. Monday, students separated into 11 course tracks, designed to provide them with disaster preparedness and emergency response information and skills.

For the first time, Tribal Nations Training Week included a hazardous materials track and three tracks which touched on law enforcement topics – one on emerging threats, one regarding explosives and another covering public order and public safety topics.

In the evenings, students were encouraged to network with each other, building relationships across tribal and state boundaries to assist with disaster preparedness. Evening training sessions included an Emergency Management night and an evening session with the Indian Health Services leadership.

For students in the healthcare tracks, the week of training concluded with a large-scale mass casualty exercise.

In the coming months, the CDP will convene a focus group for the 2027 Tribal Nations Training Week.

CDP training is completely funded for state, local, tribal and territorial emergency responders to include roundtrip airfare, meals, and lodging. For additional information about the center and its training opportunities, visit www.cdp.dhs.gov.

09/22/2026

09/11/2026

Snapshot: Triage training

Students from the University of North Georgia practice inserting intravenous fluid lines while wearing personal protective equipment during training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP). The CDP’s Healthcare Emergency Response Operations for CBRNE Incidents (HERO) course trains nursing students to safely treat victims of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive (CBRNE) incident; and how to properly put on, work in, and take off associated personal protective equipment.

HERO and its companion course, Emergency Medical Response Awareness for CBRNE Incidents, are part of the required curriculum for several nursing programs and are accredited by the Alabama Board of Nursing. The CDP is authorized to award 0.8 CEUs for this course by the International Association of Continuing Education and Training. For additional information about the HERO course, visit: https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-324.

09/10/2026

Snapshot: Toxic training

Responders mitigate a hazardous material spill during an exercise in the Chemical, Ordnance, Biological and Radiological Training Facility (COBRATF) at the Center for Domestic Preparedness. The CDP’s five-day Hazardous Materials Operations (HMO) course provides students with the information and skills required to analyze, plan, and implement response actions at hazardous materials incidents.

The COBRATF is the only facility in the U.S. which trains civilian responders using toxic chemical agents and biological materials. The hands-on training in this environment enables responders to respond effectively to real-world incidents involving chemical, biological, explosive, radiological, and other hazardous materials.

The CDP is authorized to award 4 CEUs for this course by the International Association of Continuing Education and Training. For additional information about the HMO Course or to register for future iterations, visit: https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-322.

09/09/2026

🚨 The Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) has seat openings for upcoming courses.
Nov. 1-7:
• Healthcare Leadership for Mass Casualty Incidents (HCL) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/MGT-901
• Hazardous Materials Operations (HMO) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-322
• Incident Command: Capabilities, Planning and Response Actions for All Hazards (IC) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/MGT-360

Nov. 8-14:
• Emergency Medical Operations for CBRNE Incidents (EMO) in conjunction with Intermediate Hands-On Training for CBRNE Incidents (HOT-I) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-267 and https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-900
• Field Force Operations (FFO) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-200
• Framework for Healthcare Emergency Management (FRAME) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/AWR-900
• Hazardous Materials Operations (HMO) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-322

Nov. 15-19:
• Response to Controlled Dangerous Substances: Fentanyl, Analogs and Pharmaceutical Based Agents (CDS) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-941
• Healthcare Leadership for Mass Casualty Incidents (HCL) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/MGT-901
• Hazardous Materials Operations (HMO) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-322
• Hazardous Materials Technician (HMT) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-272
• Public Order and Public Safety: Basic (POPS-B) https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/course/PER-940

Apply soon for these training opportunities. For more information, visit the CDP training calendar at https://cdp.dhs.gov/training-calendar.

CDP training is completely funded for state, local, tribal and territorial emergency responders to include roundtrip airfare, meals, and lodging.