Radiological Emergencies Course Offered
Pierpont Community & Technical College of Fairmont State University’s Emergency Medical
Services program and the U.S. Department of Energy, through its Transportation Emergency
Preparedness Program, are sponsoring a class designed to train emergency medical responders
for radiological incidents related to patient care and handling techniques.
The Emergency Medical Response to Radiological Emergencies Course (EMRRE) is planned
for 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28, at the Gaston Caperton Center of FSU,
located at 501 West Main St., Clarksburg.
The pilot course is the first in the nation to be offered through the Department
of Energy for pre-hospital providers. The course is offered at no charge through a
Department of Energy and Homeland Security federal grant. Those who complete the course
will receive a certificate of completion from the U.S. DOE’s Transportation Emergency
Preparedness Program, including continuing education hours.
Response to hazmat incidents involving radiological materials is not included in
many awareness and operations level hazardous material training courses. This program,
which includes hands-on activities, is designed to take the complex topic of radiological
emergency response and break the response into easily understood modules. Students
will develop a comprehensive understanding of radioactive material; radiation terminology;
radiological survey instruments; decontamination and packaging techniques for handling
contaminated patients; and local, state and federal resources available to responders.
Pre-registration for the course is required by 4 p.m. Friday, April 27. Space is
limited; early registration is encouraged.
For more information, call Robert Andrew, Coordinator of the EMS Program at Fairmont
State, at (304) 367-2756 or e-mail him at randrew@fairmontstate.edu. More information can also be obtained online at http://web.em.doe.gov/otem/program.html.
