This 3-day introductory course is intended primarily to prepare individuals to effectively deliver the ERTP Air Monitoring for Emergency Response (AMFER) course curriculum within their respective organizations.  Although the course is intended primarily to prepare individuals to teach the AMFER course, because all of the technical presentations are included, the course would also be useful for students seeking to gain a fundamental understanding of air monitoring protocols or experienced students who are seeking to refresh their knowledge before returning to the field.  The AMFER course is designed for personnel who evaluate accidental airborne releases of hazardous materials.
 

The first and second day of the course instructs participants in the practices and procedures for monitoring airborne hazardous materials. Evaluation of worker exposure to these releases is emphasized. Topics covered include air monitoring programs, techniques, and equipment; instrument calibration; instrument limitations; exposure guidelines; air dispersion modeling; and health-and-safety considerations. The course will include operating procedures for specific air monitoring equipment, but students are encouraged to bring their own instruments to the course.  The focus is on direct-reading instruments, but air sample collection and field analytical instruments are discussed.

The third day consists of classroom training that covers adult learning theory, classroom management, exercise creation and other material that will help the student to create, modify and present the sampling course materials for their agency. The aim of this portion of the course is to give the student a good grounding in how to create and conduct technical training. It is patterned after a number of recognized adult training methodology courses, including those used by the National Forest Service, FEMA and the U.S. EPA.
 

Instructional methods include a combination of lectures, group discussions, problem-solving sessions, and hands-on use of instruments.
 

After completing the course, participants will be able to: 

• Define trainer qualities and behaviors that enhance the Adult Learning Process
• Develop learning objectives
• List some types of exercise and the advantages and limitations of each
• Properly use the following types of air monitoring equipment:
    o Combustible gas indicators
    o Oxygen monitors
    o Detector tubes
    o Toxic gas monitors
    o Photoionization detectors
    o Flame ionization detectors
• Identify the operational parameters, limitations, and data interpretation requirements for the instruments listed above, plus chemical warfare agent detectors and certain field analytical technologies.
• Identify the factors to be considered in the development of air monitoring plans.
• Describe the use of air monitoring data for the establishment of personnel and operations health and safety requirements.
• Present the 2-day Air Monitoring for Emergency Response course

In compliance with Executive Order 13589 - Promoting Efficient Spending, Section 5; the ERTP will not be regularly printing or providing students hard copies of the course manual. Students may obtain an electronic copy of the student manual for personal printing or e-reading by contacting the ERTP Registrar (ertp-registrar@tetratech.com).

Unless otherwise specified, THIS COURSE, AND OTHER ERTP COURSES, IS NOT OPEN TO CONSULTANTS, CONTRACTORS, OR ANY PRIVATE ENTITIES.
*This course is offered free of charge to all registrants who are confirmed to attend.*

IMPORTANT NOTICES – Applicable to all ERTP courses :

1. ERTP’s receipt of a Trainex course registration is a Registration Request, it is not a Guaranteed Enrollment in the Course. All ERTP training courses require applicant registration thru the Trainex system. Last minute course arrivals without prior ERTP Trainex course registration approval is not permitted. Before ERTP issues final approval to deliver any course and/or any EPA offices incurring expenses for the training event (including but not limited to EPA staff travel TA’s and/or ERTP training contractor expenses incurred), all EPA mandatory pre-approvals must all be met. The pre-approvals include (but are not limited to) the following:
   
   • Training location’s availability;
   • COVID status and/or other COVID Guidelines in effect for the location, as well as staff;
   • Agency limitations, scrutiny, and approvals of ‘Conference Spending Requirements (known as the “5170”)’ for the specific training course(s) scheduled delivery timeframe;
   • Weather (blizzard, hurricane, etc);
   • Contractual number of available course training slots;
   • EPA training location staff having priority registration over all other registrations; and/or
   • Hosting site Training Coordinator approval.
   
   In the event a course is subsequently postponed or canceled, or notification of registration cancellation is received, all EPA travel arrangements (airline/car rental/hotel) should be canceled in a timely manner. Registered students will receive a notification via email if/when a course is postponed and/or cancelled.
    
2. For in-person course deliveries, confirmed course registered participants must abide by all facility physical access requirements for the location (examples: check-in at the security gate, Federal ID, Government PIV/CAC cards, photo id’s, etc.). If applicable for the course or location, restrictions may apply to non-citizens and acceptable identification may be required for facility entry.

Notice:For in-person course deliveries, confirmed course registered participants must abide by all facility physical access requirements for the location (examples: check-in at the security gate, Federal ID, Government PIV/CAC cards, photo id’s, etc.).  If applicable for the course or location, restrictions may apply to non-citizens and acceptable identification may be required for facility entry.  Unless otherwise specified, ERTP TRAINING IS GENERALLY NOT OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ATTENDEES, ACADEMIA, CONTRACTORS, CONSULTANTS OR OTHER PRIVATE ENTITIES.

EPA travelers must use their organizations generic exempt conference budget code in their TA for this course. If there is a change in the status of this course that results in the need for an event specific budget code for this course you will be notified by e-mail, and informed of the code when it is issued.