Upcoming Trainings & Events

The Western Region Homeland Security Advisory Council has several exciting events and training opportunities coming up over the next several months. Mark the dates on your calendar and watch your email and this website for registration information. Registration for most of these events will be opened in September, 2017.

Mental Health First Aid Training Public Safety Module
Mental Health First Aid teaches participants how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse. This module is specifically designed for first responders and provides them with effective response options to de-escalate incidents without compromising safety. Two sessions of this training are scheduled.

Friday, October 6, 2017 – Agawam, MA and
Friday, November 3, 2017 – Pittsfield, MA

Reunification Training / Family Reunification Plan Template
This training will prepare participants to reunify children with their families following an emergency incident. WRHSAC’s Family Reunification Plan Template will be provided to participants to develop their own reunification plans. Appropriate for schools, colleges, municipalities and any agency providing services to children. Three separate sessions of this training will be held.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017 – Springfield College
Thursday, October 26, 2017 – Williams College
Friday, October 27, 2017 – UMass Amherst

Behavioral Analysis & Targeted Violence Workshop
This workshop is a follow up to WRHSAC’s Active Shooter Symposium held in March 2016. WRHSAC will again partner with the FBI Springfield Office. Participants will be provided with information relevant to emerging trends in incidents of targeted violence. This workshop will be appropriate for all first responder disciplines, schools and colleges, and public and private agencies.

Thursday, December 14, 2017 – UMass Amherst

Pediatric Disaster Preparedness Training

This course prepares participants to effectively, appropriately, and safely plan for and respond to a disaster incident involving children, addressing the specific needs of pediatric victims in the event of a community based-incident. This training will be appropriate for EMDs, Emergency Planners, Public Health, School Administrators, Hospital & ER Personnel, Public Safety. This is a two-day training.

February 21 & 22, 2018 – Location TBD

Warm Zone Operations and Triage Training Photo Essay

On June 28 & 29, 2017 WRHSAC conducted a Warm Zone Operations and Triage Training. The training was conducted by Emergency Response Consulting and was held at The Red Barn at Hampshire College.

This two-day training provided participants with performance level training in Warm Zone operations. The focus was on cross-discipline coordination on scene, particularly between EMS, Fire and Police. Tactical formations, communication, team integrity, and more was also included. Special focus was given to wound assessment and triage prioritization. The first day was primarily lecture format covering warm zone development, the active shooter, MCI in a hostile environment and triage dynamics. Drills and scenarios were practiced on day 2. Participating disciplines included EMS, fire, police, hospitals, schools, CERT/MRC, Northwest Massachusetts Incident Management Team and Search & Rescue.

The drills of the training are shown through this photo essay taken and produced by Public Safety Multimedia.

Wide Area Search Training Photo Story

The Wide Area Search Training conducted in early June was a great success. We had 49 participants from multiple agencies including Berkshire Mountain Search & Rescue, Western Mass Technical Rescue, Environmental Police, Mass State Police, UMass Amherst PD (our gracious hosts), DCR, Northwest Mass Incident Management Team, and more.

Josh Shanley of Public Safety Multimedia joined us one day to document the training and put together this great photo story of the training. Many thanks Josh!