Prerequisite: None

Since September 11th, America's first responders have undergone a change in their operational ideologies. The events of that day have forced response agencies to be far more proactive than in the past. First responders in America are under more pressure than ever. Shrinking budgets and jobs lost to attrition have made a difficult job even harder. Most jurisdictions are now asking their responders to do even more, often requiring them to provide services that cross the traditional boundaries of their branch of service. But are they prepared for this new mission? Have they been adequately trained to meet these new response challenges? Are there grant and training opportunities to help ease the transition into these new response areas?

This session will delve into the areas where cross-training is needed, and will provide suggestions on which training areas agencies should focus on. Included will be contact information for many training organizations, some of which offer free training opportunities, and tips for securing grants. Lastly, compliance with NIMS will be discussed.