PER-222 Public Safety WMD Response — Sampling Techniques and Guidelines

This course addresses specific fundamentals and skills associated with an emergency response to a WMD incident. As such, it provides detailed technical information and includes hands-on practice of actions required of emergency responders in such situations.

Participants are provided the opportunity to perform public safety sampling techniques required in the response to a WMD event. Of special interest is the course’s emphasis on collecting forensically valid samples, which is accomplished through maintaining a secure chain-of-custody for the sample from the time of collection through laboratory analysis. This process is consistent with the FBI 12-step process for managing a crime scene, including those involving a WMD.

Course objectives:

• Understand public safety response concepts and procedures for managing potential or actual WMD events.
• Demonstrate their ability to employ screening techniques at a CBRNE crime scene using the equipment provided.
• Identify product sampling techniques and procedures, and demonstrate an understanding of WMD sampling protocols.
• Practice and demonstrate proper site survey or recon operations and public safety sampling operations using various sampling techniques and equipment, including proper labeling and chain-of-custody procedures.

• Emergency responders most likely to be called upon to operate within the exclusion zone of a WMD incident involving hazardous materials
• Responders able to utilize personal protective equipment (PPE) at Level C or higher, employ monitoring and detection devices and procedures, and obtain samples from the scene for analysis
• Responders who work with HazMat teams in roles that do not require exclusion zone entry
• Personnel responsible for receiving and transporting a public safety sample from the HazMat team to a laboratory

Course manager:
David Mendez
King County Sheriff’s Office
Phone: 206-391-0769
Email: David.Mendez@kingcounty.gov

To apply, please contact David Mendez