LEPC District 1
Policy and Guidelines for Trainers Using Services Provided by District 1 LEPC and the
Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning/Training (HMEP) Grant Program.
(This Policy is in effect from July 2008 through July 2011)
I. Becoming a Registered Trainer:
1. All trainers shall be currently certified in Awareness, Operations or Technician Level per OSHA (29 CFR 1910.120) standards and/or NFPA 472 and be familiar with the State Emergency Response Commission's Training Guide. All classes taught to emergency responders (law enforcement, fire, EMS, public works) must at a minimum, meet the SERC guide for the level the trainer is teaching.
Potential new trainers must provide a copy of current certification. Trainers are encouraged to have a level of training that is at least one level higher than the level they wish to teach. Trainers that are awareness level qualified and want to teach awareness level classes must attend a train the trainer course for awareness level. A copy of train the trainer certification is required. For other trainers who have teaching credentials or certification please submit copies of course completion certificates to West Florida Regional Planning Council, LEPC Staff.
A new trainer must also submit a letter expressing their desire to become a registered trainer and agree to follow the training procedures described in this document. The letter should provide a brief description of hazardous material response and teaching experience, or a negative statement stating for example: I am Level 2 hazardous material qualified but have no (or limited) teaching experience.
2. When the letter and certifications are received by the LEPC, staff will arrange to present credentials at the next Training and Resource Subcommittee meeting for consideration. The subcommittee can deny an application or approve it in one of the two ways listed below.
a. Conditional Approval may be granted for trainers who have no or little training experience and/or who have not taught a hazardous material response class based on experience described in the letter. LEPC staff will assist new trainers by arranging for an experienced trainer/mentor to arrange a date for the first training course. The trainer/mentor will ensure that the requirements in the SERC Training Guide are thoroughly covered in training materials and course by attending one or more of the course offered. The LEPC staff will provide certificates of completion co-signed by the trainer/mentor observing your courses. The trainer/mentor will notify the LEPC staff when the conditional approved trainer no longer needs assistance.
b. Unconditional Approval may be granted for trainers who have at least one year of experience in providing related training and at least three years of experience in the field of hazardous materials gained either through: (1) education, (2) through direct work experience or (3) a combination of education and work experience totaling three or more years.
Denial by the subcommittee of a person's application to become a registered trainer may be appealed to the LEPC in writing for consideration at the next LEPC meeting.
II. Maintaining Registered Trainer Status
1. Forty-hours in three years. An instructor must re-certify every three years. Forty hours of continuing education must be received, documented by the provider, and submitted to the LEPC staff between Nov 2008- Nov 2011. Any subject related to the following general topics could be counted toward this requirement.
- Hazardous Materials
- Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Incident Command/NIMS
- Safety
- Emergency Preparedness
- Medical
- Participation in or organization of emergency exercises involving hazardous materials
- Others as approved by the committee.
On-scene response time may be considered so long as the responder is serving on a unit that is providing direct response to an emergency scene (as opposed to stand-by).
College/University/Trade School/Licensed Teachers trainers who are instructors assigned to a college, must meet their institution's re-certification requirements. However, they are encouraged to participate in any of the listed training programs so that they may stay as current as possible as it relates to hazardous material response training.
Credit for Teaching - Instructors will be given a one-hour credit for each eight hours of instruction provided for LEPC courses to assist in meeting this requirement.
Deadline for Submittal - Instructors who fail to provide re-certification materials amounting to 40 hours by May 2011 will be removed from the qualified trainers list.
Each registered instructor must teach one Course Per Year. The required one course per year must be taught to an outside agency (other than the instructor's place of employment). This is a minimum course requirement to stay on the active trainer list. Failure to provide at least one course in a calendar year will result in removal from the qualified trainer list.
2. Unbecoming Behavior Registered trainers who conduct themselves in a manner nbecoming of the general standards of public service may be temporarily suspended from the registered trainers list by LEPC staff between the time the staff becomes aware of such an incident and the next LEPC Resource and Training Subcommittee meeting or LEPC meeting, which ever comes first. Staff shall notify the trainer by certified letter of the temporary suspension, the reason for the suspension, and announce the date of the next meeting when the issue shall be discussed. If the Training Subcommittee meets first, the Subcommittee is to consider the situation, revise or maintain the decision by staff on the temporary suspension, and provide a recommendation concerning the trainer's future status to the LEPC for consideration at the next LEPC meeting. If the LEPC meets first, or when the Subcommittee provides a recommendation to the LEPC concerning a suspension issue because it met first, the LEPC shall be responsible for making and approving a motion on the trainer's status to be "terminated", "suspended", "temporarily suspended", "conditionally approved", or "approved". (NOTE: "Unbecoming" can be defined as, but not necessarily limited to, felony charges or conviction of a felony, failing to provide instruction to a scheduled course, discrimination on the basis of race, religion, creed, age, gender or other factor, or other activity that is unprofessional towards the delivery of a consistent training program for emergency responders in West Florida.)
3. It is the trainer's responsibility to maintain current training requirements and provide documentation of training to the LEPC staff. Staff will not seek out delinquent trainers to get required information. LEPC Staff will identify trainers not meeting the requirements or close to expiring to the training subcommittee prior to expiration. This will serve as the notice of delinquency. Trainers not meeting the requirements listed above will be removed from the list without additional notice.
III. Course Materials, Course Registration, Certificates, Reimbursements and Stipends
1. All registered trainers must use the latest version of the Florida State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) Hazardous Materials Training Program. The full manual for the training program and power point presentations for awareness level and operations level are available on the SERC website at http://www.dca.state.fl.us/CPS/SERC/train.htm. Courses shall meet the requirements listed in the manual for the target audience (EMS, Law, Fire, and Public Works). Student manuals, videos will be provided to registered trainers upon request to the West Florida Regional Planning Council LEPC staff. Trainers are encouraged to use other packages, photographs, videos, overheads etc. to enhance the SERC program but the SERC manual shall be the core requirements. Providing funding is available, the LEPC can provide either reimbursement for printing of student manuals, overheads, ERG, and travel reimbursement (standard mileage from West Florida Regional Planning Council is from Point of Departure to Training Destination and return) and in most cases can directly provide these materials when already printed. All original receipts for costs incurred and beginning and ending mileage must be turned into LEPC staff for reimbursement. Courses not covered in the SERC manual must be pre-approved by the Subcommittee prior to being taught or the LEPC will not issue certificates.
2. Trainers must notify the LEPC staff at least two weeks in advance of any Level 1 or 2 or other LEPC sponsored training course they will be offering or as soon as the trainer knows that he/she will be teaching a class. The LEPC may not issue certificates if prior notification of the course is not given. At the time of notification, the trainer shall notify the LEPC of any potential costs as described above that reimbursement will be requested for (i.e. student manuals, travel). Actual claims will be submitted with the course roster.
3. Two or more registered trainers may co-instruct a course if desired so long as the course is connected and a cooperative effort from the trainee's perspective is maintained. At the time that the LEPC staff is notified of the upcoming course, the primary trainer will be responsible providing course documentation.
4. Upon completion of a training course, trainers must provide the names of students completing the class. Student evaluation and test scores (if test is given) will be submitted to the LEPC. The course roster can be sent to the LEPC staff electronically with a hard copy to follow at a later date. Other paperwork as required by the Florida Department of Community Affairs must also be turned in. Social Security Numbers (SSN) or other forms of individual identification protected under the Federal Privacy Act shall be protected as required by the act, or will not be required on the forms. Any forms requesting or requiring the SSN or covered information shall have the required privacy act statement printed on the form as required by federal law or the SSN/information is voluntary and students will be notified in advance that the information is voluntary only. Claims for re-imbursement and receipts shall be submitted with the rosters.
5. LEPC staff will send unsigned certificates to the trainer or mentor for signature. It is the trainer's responsibility to sign the certificates and distribute them to the students. For classes taught in another county or long distance, certificates after signature, can be sent back to LEPC staff to be mailed to the course sponsor or students if addresses are provided. Reimbursements may arrive separately due to bookkeeping procedures.
6. Trainers receiving LEPC certificates cannot charge any fees for the courses or certifications. Trainers are volunteers and there is no guarantee of any payment for services rendered. Trainers may receive a stipend from the LEPC Hazardous Materials Transportation Act Training funds if adequate funds exist at the end of the grant's fiscal year, but the stipend is not guaranteed. Stipends are based on the number of LEPC courses taught during a year and pre-registered through the LEPC. It is the trainer's responsibility to determine if receiving a stipend constitutes a conflict of interest with an employer or others to whom the trainer has employment or legal obligations. The LEPC cannot be held responsible for conflict of interest regarding the stipend.
Questions or clarifications of these policies may be addressed to the LEPC at (850) 332-7976 ext 259.
