Awareness 160: WMD/Terrorism Awareness (AWR 160)
AWR 160 is the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security's (DHS) introductory workshop on weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and terrorism. This class is authorized by DHS and the California Governor's Office of Homeland Security (OHS) and taught by DHS certified trainer(s).
Students will learn:
- What is terrorism?
- Types of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
- Terrorist Planning Process.
- How to use the Emergency Response Guide (ERG). Free ERGs will be given.
- RAIN (Recognize hazard, Avoid, Isolate, Notify)
ERGs are suppose to be in every police car and fire rig in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. It is essential for all emergency responders to learn how to recognize haz-mat/WMD and what the evacuation zone is.
Certificate and C.E.U.s - Graduates of the class will receive a certificate. There are no C.E.U.s available for this class. However, the prerequisites class does have C.E.U.s. Please note, if you wish to get a certificate from this class, DHS requires you provide your social security number. You will also be asked for your contact information. Bring a SASE large enough for the certificate to class.
Who Should Take This Course? - U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security's (DHS) classifies training into a pyramid. Awareness level class are the introductory level. They are numbered AWR ###. They are open to all - with priority given to government employees. The idea behind Awareness courses is to train as many people as possible so they may become awareness of terrorism and WMDs. At the Awareness level, one is expected only to recognize the hazard, avoid it, isolate it if possible, and to report it. One is not trained and authorized to take defensive action at the Awareness level.
The higher level of courses become restricted as to who maybe admitted. Performance level courses, designated, PER ### are for operational responders, such as police, fire, haz-mat technicians. They teach operational responders how to take defensive action, i.e. decontaminate those who are exposed, collect evidence/samples. There are higher levels of training for haz-mat technicians and specialists who are capable of cleaning up the haz-mat WMD.
There is a parallel track of classes. Management and policy level courses are numbered MGT ###. Both operational and management level personnel take these courses.
Private security may take this course. Awareness level courses such as this are appropriate for emergency response volunteers (CERT, Red Cross, hams...) and public safety volunteers (neighborhood watch, C-PAB, citizen's police academy) for they often are not authorized to take higher levels training. The general public is invited on a space available basis.
Instructors -
Cliff Cheng, Ph.D, WW6CC - serves as a Point-of-Contact (POC) and Instructor. As POC, Dr. Cheng has organized AWR 160 and the course in support of others course he is POC for. Dr. Cheng is responsible for the recognizing the training need, selecting the training organization and courses, obtaining grant funded training through OHS, selecting the class location, marketing the class. The POC is responsible for recruiting and the selecting the class; in accordance to regulations set forth by DHS and administered by OHS.
Dr. Cliff Cheng has obtained a grant funded MGT 315 class for his beloved Fairfax District where is has lived since 1970. He is President of West of Fairfax Neighbors, and has been involved in the neighborhood watch since 1976, is a member of the Police Community Advisory Board (C-PAB), a graduate of the LAPD and FBI Citizen's Academies. He is the LA Emergency Management Department (volunteer) Neighborhood Preparedness Ambassador, charged with grassroots organizing community preparedness and is the LA City's EOC emergency point of contact. Dr. Cheng is also management consultant on issue of Leadership development and succession, Continuity of Operations (COOP) and preparedness.
He holds a HazMat First Responder Operational certificate. Dr. Cheng holds trainer's certificate from the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, Center for Domestic Preparedness to teach WMD/Terrorism Awareness (AWR 160), from the U.S. Dept. of Energy, Nevada Test Site and University of Nevada Las Vegas to teach Radiological and Nuclear WMD Awareness (AWR 141), and by U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security and University of Nevada Las Vegas to teach Protecting Soft Targets (AWR 185). He is certified by FEMA to teach COOP and CERT. He is a register amateur radio instructor with the American Radio Relay League and an accredited Volunteer Examiner. Dr. Cheng previously served as a Los Angeles City Commissioner and taught management at UCLA, USC and UCI.
For the federal emergency preparedness full scale exercise, Operation Golden Phoenix, which will involve an estimated 5,000 personnel, representing approximately 70-80 local, state, federal, military, non-governmental and tribal agencies, Dr. Cheng will be planning and running a back-up communication network consisting of a coalition of amateur radio emergency communication organizations.
Todd M. Wardwell, U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer, Marine Science Technician. Chief Marine Science Technician Todd M. Wardwell is currently assigned to Maintenance Logistics Command Detachment San Pedro, CA. After attending basic training at Cape May, NJ in 1994, his first duty station was the Coast Guard Cutter Tampa, out of Portsmouth, VA. During this tour he assisted in the rescue and repatriation of over 5,000 Cubans, Haitians, and Dominicans in the largest Caribbean exodus since 1980. While waiting for Marine Science Technician "A" school, he was stationed at Communications Area Master Station Atlantic (CAMSLANT) in Chesapeake, VA. After graduating "A" school in 1997, he was assigned to Marine Safety Office Detroit, where he received Sailor of the Year twice in a four year tour. While in Detroit he inspected foreign vessels and oversaw environmental clean-up operations. Late in 2000 he applied and was accepted to the Coast Guard's Atlantic Strike Team, an elite, full recall, rapid deployment Hazmat/WMD response team. Arriving at Fort Dix, NJ in early 2001,he was called up for a myriad of responses until the morning of September 11th, when he was in the first wave of responders to make it to ground zero. Working tirelessly for 2 months in lower Manhattan, he and his team were rapidly reassigned to mitigate the Anthrax attack in Washington DC. From 2001 to 2005, he responded to over 15 major national incidents from the Shuttle Columbia Response to oil spills, to the Ricin Attack on Capitol Hill in 2004. In addition, he provided on-scene assistance to the EPA, Secret Service, FBI, US ARMY, US Air Force, US Marines, for National Special Security Events, and hands on responses. Upon achieving the rank of Chief Petty Officer, he was reassigned to his current position in San Pedro, CA. In his current job, he teaches Hazmat Response, WMD, and Incident Command System to USCG and other DHS responders. After being assigned to California for only a month, he was called up to respond to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita as a Hazmat Group Supervisor. When not instructing, he is member of the USCG National Incident Management Assistance Team, as well as the assistant USCG Safety Officer for Southern California.
Chief Wardwell's personal awards include two Coast Guard Commendation Medals with "O" device, the 9-11 Response Medal, three Coast Guard Achievement Medals with "O" device, Commandant's Letter of Commendation, six Meritorious Team Commendation Awards with "O" device, three Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendations with "O" device, the Humanitarian Service Medal, and the Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon.
Chief Wardwell has earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from Excelsior College, NY. In addition, he is a licensed Hazmat Tech, Hazmat Specialist (Intermodal and Rail), Type III Hazmat Incident Commander, WMD Specialist, graduate of the US ARMY Chem/Bio School, FT Leonard Wood, NIMS certified ICS instructor and CDL "A" driver with all endorsements.
Chief Wardwell is originally from Bucksport, ME. He is married to the former Joanne Labanosky or Burlington, NJ. They currently live in Huntington Beach, CA with their two children, Jared and Kellen.
Linda Tcimpidis, MBA, EMT-B, W6LWT - My undergraduate degree is in Human Resource Management with a minor in Psychology. I also have an MBA and am a nationally certified EMT. My 30 years of experience in health care includes positions on both the administrative and clinical sides in teaching hospitals, medical schools and medical groups. I've supervised an MICU and ER and managed a Pharmacy Department and National Accounts for a Pharmacy Benefit Management firm. I've developed and conducted numerous educational presentations and seminars on a variety of clinical and administrative topics. I've also taught basic and advanced first aid and medical emergencies at sea seminars.
I'm a trained member of the Los Angeles Mayor's Crisis Response Team (CRT) and a CERT level III. I hold a general amateur radio license (W6LWT) and I'm Vice-Chair of the Radio Amateur Group and co-sysop of the Winlink (email over HAM radio) station located at the California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey.
Organizations and programs I've worked with include the following: American Radio Relay League - Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARRL ARES), American Red Cross (ARC), the Mayor's Crisis Response Team (CRT), LAFD's CERT program, and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary (CGAux) Maritime Domain Awareness program. Continuing education includes DHS/FEMA courses (IS 100, 200, 700, 800, MGT 310, & AWR 160) as well as continuing education seminars provided by the above mentioned organizations.
Registration Procedures - Each individual wishing to apply should do so individually by sending an email to Dr. Cheng, CERTsponsor --at-- gmail (dot) com
No phone or group requests will be honored. Each person must apply themselves.
- In the subject line write, AWR 160 Registration request, your name, agency.
- State your name, job title and agency
- State your contact information - mailing address, email address, phone number.
- State that if you need to cancel, you will provide 3 full business days notice.
- Tell us how you heard about the class.
- Tell us why you are taking the class.
Note that there are a limited number of free books and seats available. Pre-registration is required. NO DROP-INS ACCEPTED! If you are unable to come, please let us know at least 3 full business days in advanced. If you cancel after that or do not honor your commitment to show up, you will be barred from further training.
Please do not forget to bring a SASE large enough for the certificate to class.
