Goal
Building upon the foundation of Basic Training, the 10-week Emergency Response phase prepares men to respond physically and spiritually to crisis situations, while continuing to instill in them the ministry mindset that is a prerequisite to Godly servanthood. Crisis response skills are taught in the classroom and are readily practiced through disaster relief and other service opportunities. The development of Godly character is promoted through discipleship and accountability. Both skills and character are essential in preparing a man to minister to the physical, spiritual, and emotional needs of those he is called to serve.
Training Elements
Emergency Response Training (ERT) courses include Advanced Open Water Diving, Advanced Search-And-Rescue, Basic Fire Fighting, Basic High-Angle Rescue, Counseling, Open Water Diving, Rescue Systems 1, Responding to Emergencies, Sawyer, and Special Response Diver. Read on to find out more.
Basic Fire Fighting (1 week)
An introduction to Basic Structural Fire Fighting terms and tactics, enabling the student to perform to International Fire Safety Training Association (I.F.S.T.A.) standards.
Basic High-Angle Rescue (1 week)
This course provides a working knowledge of ropes and anchors used in rescue incidents to retrieve victims. Skills learned in the class are tested by simulating real-life rescue scenarios.
Counseling (1 week)
A course incorporating practical principles of counseling and problem resolution that will equip students for ministry to people in crisis. Added benefit is obtained as the principles are applied to the student’s own life. Download Syllabus
Evangelism (½ week)
A practical series on how to share your faith with opportunities to minister to those outside of the ALERT community.
Open Water Diving (Basic, ½ week)
An entry-level course with certification through the National Association of SCUBA Educators (NASE). The student will receive training in the fundamentals of SCUBA diving, including proper buoyancy, basic diving physics and physiology, equipment use and maintenance, decompression theory, and basic diving first aid. Prerequisite to Advanced Open Water and Special Response Diver. Download Syllabus
Open Water Diving (Advanced, ½ week)
An advanced SCUBA course with NASE certification. Training includes areas of diving specialty, such as night diving, deep diving, and navigation diving. Special emphasis is placed on solidifying the student’s self-confidence in his personal diving skills. Prerequisite: Open Water SCUBA Diving. Prerequisite to Special Response Diver. Download Syllabus
Rescue Systems One (1 week)
Instruction in structural collapse, urban search-and-rescue, structure stabilization, shoring techniques, and patient extrication. Download Syllabus
Sawyer (1 week)
Instruction in the proper use of the chainsaw, as well as chainsaw maintenance and safety procedures. The skills gained in this course will find important practical application on disaster deployments and local service projects.
Search-And-Rescue (SAR) (½ week)
A 20-hour course on Search and Rescue techniques, lost person behavior, hasty and night searches, and interaction with Law Enforcement and Incident Command structure personnel. Upon completion, the men should be competent in working together as a team and be able to thoroughly cover areas assigned them at an incident.
Special Response Diver (1 week)
Training in underwater search and recovery with certification through the National Academy of Police Diving (NAPD). Topics include search patterns, vehicle recovery, body recovery, and underwater crime scene investigation. Prerequisite: Advanced Open Water SCUBA diving or equivalent certification from another nationally recognized agency. Proof of certification must be provided at registration. Download Syllabus
Wilderness Care and Survival (1 week)
Training in First Aid and CPR according to the American Red Cross. Includes instruction in a variety of outdoor crisis with instruction in the in-field care and treatment of wilderness emergencies. Download Syllabus
Service Elements
Disaster Response
In response to a call from an authority, ALERT will deploy a team on short notice to a disaster-stricken area to assist that authority with the needs in his jurisdiction. ALERT’s goal is to make leaders successful while presenting the love of Christ through flexible, selfless public service.
Local Response
Applying the search-and-rescue skills taught in Basic Training, men are placed on response teams which are on-call with local sheriffs to assist in emergency situations, such as lost-person searches.
Service Projects
Service to others is an opportunity to exercise the heart of a servant and to build vital qualities. ALERT service projects may take place at the ALERT Headquarters, at IBLP training centers, in local communities, or even internationally in the form of humanitarian aid.
