LSU NCBRT/ACE Delivers Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attacks Training to Tennessee Homeland Security District

LSU NCBRT/ACE delivered the Critical Decision Making for Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attacks (PER-335) training course to the Tennessee Homeland Security District 2 in February in Knoxville, TN.

Complex coordinated terrorist attacks (CCTAs) involve multiple threats that often exceed conventional response tactics. Because one single agency is unlikely to be equipped to handle one such incident, it is critical that effective and efficient coordination efforts be in place among cooperative agencies. This DHS/FEMA certified course from LSU’s National Center for Biomedical Research and Training/Academy of Counter-Terrorist Education (NCBRT/ACE) enhances the response capabilities of first responders during CCTAs. The course is designed for emergency responders including police, fire, and emergency medical services personnel, as well as those who are most likely to assume command at some point during a response to a complex coordinated attack. It teaches participants the importance of and need for integration in areas like early recognition of CCTA indicators, knowing what additional resources to deploy, and executing an integrated and coordinated response. 

Logan Farr, Senior Program Manager – Homeland Security TN Homeland Security District 2, said his agency is a recipient of a 2017 grant from DHS/FEMA’s Program to Prepare Communities for Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attacks. Farr said the emphasis on integration is one reason why it was important to bring the training to the area and has greatly improved the agency’s abilities to respond to potential CCTAs.

“There are many different ways to tackle the problem of CCTA response,” Farr said. “It’s important for everyone from senior leadership to the line-level responder to establish a common understanding of the strategies needed to tackle CCTA response and how their organization’s tactics, in combination with their peer agencies, fit into that overall context.”

The Tennessee Homeland Security District, along with other agencies nationwide, recognizes that in today’s environment potential threats are no longer considered remote possibilities. The growing potential for threats involving multi-hazard incidents highlights the need for a multi-jurisdictional response.

LSU NCBRT/ACE is a training partner of DHS/FEMA and offers the CCTA classes and similar training at no cost to communities. This provides a valuable service to those communities. For more on this class please visit https://ncbrt.lsu.edu/courses/dhs/per-335.php

About LSU NCBRT/ACE:

LSU NCBRT/ACE is a nationally recognized center for emergency preparedness and response training located at Louisiana State University’s flagship campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We provide mobile training to both the national and international emergency response community. LSU NCBRT/ACE has expertise in research, development and delivery of training in the areas of specialized law enforcement operations; biological incident response; food and agriculture safety and security; school safety; and instructional design and technique. For more information on LSU NCBRT/ACE’s courses and resources, please visit ncbrt.lsu.edu.