Office for Domestic Preparedness 

U.S. Department of Homeland Security 

Washington, DC 20531

ODP Information Bulletin 

No. 151 February 23, 2005 

TO All State Administrative Agency Heads 

 All State Administrative Agency Points of Contact 

 All Core City/Core County Points of Contact 

 All State Homeland Security Directors 

FROM: Matt Mayer 

 Acting Executive Director 

SUBJECT: Urban Search and Rescue Training (US&R) Clarification 

The Office for Domestic Preparedness (ODP) in the Office of State and Local Government 

Coordination and Preparedness (SLGCP) encourages States, territories, and Urban Areas to use 

funds to enhance the capabilities of State and local emergency preparedness and response 

personnel through development of a State homeland security training program. Allowable 

training-related costs under SLGCP grant programs include: 1) establishment of chemical, 

biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives (CBRNE) terrorism and cyber security training 

programs through existing training academies, universities or junior colleges; and 2) overtime 

and backfill costs associated with attendance at SLGCP-sponsored and -approved CBRNE and 

cyber security training courses. 

On September 1, 2004, ODP issued Information Bulletin #132 on the Interagency Security 

Planning effort. In this bulletin, ODP expanded the allowable use of grant funds to support 

additional training in the areas of search and rescue, SWAT, and medical trauma provided 

certain requirements were met. ODP further issued Information Bulletin #144 on December 17, 

2004 providing an Update on Allowable Training Expenditures for current and previous fiscal 

years. The Office for Domestic Preparedness takes note of variances in State and local 

regulations and policies governing the certification of search and rescue teams in training 

requirements from state to state with respect to US&R training. While the identification of 

federal US&R teams and the specified training of their members is guided by the standards and 

protocols established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), there is 

significant interest in enhancing State and local capacity in response to potential WMD incidents 

by training additional personnel in search and rescue missions. Due to the hazards associated 

with such training, the following guidance is provided to address safety concerns in the context 

of providing State and local jurisdictions the flexibility to meet identified needs in a manner 

consistent with State and local statutes and training standards while preserving the integrity of 

the FEMA US&R training program http://www.fema.gov/usr/usrtraining.shtm. The following 

language found in Information Bulletin #144 is redacted: 
Only Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) courses approved by FEMA and delivered by 

FEMA-certified providers are eligible for use of SLGCP funds. A list of these courses

and providers will be maintained by SLGCP in coordination with FEMA. 

and superceded by the following: 

Only search and rescue courses approved by the state fire service training agency and 

delivered by state fire service training agency approved providers are eligible for use of

SLGCP funds. A list of these state fire service training agencies is available at 

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/pocs/

The training must not supplant existing resources, but rather must build additional capabilities 

above and beyond those that currently exist. Any additional capabilities pursued through these 

training opportunities must meet a specific need identified through the homeland security 

assessment process and must comport with the State or Urban Area Homeland Security Strategy. 

If the search and rescue course fully addresses the fire service and or hazardous materials

sections included in the ODP Emergency Responder Guidelines and the ODP Homeland Security 

Guidelines for Prevention and Deterrence, no additional CBRNE-specific training is necessary

for eligibility purposes. However, if the search and rescue course does not fully address these 

sections included in the ODP Emergency Responder Guidelines and the ODP Homeland Security 

Guidelines for Prevention and Deterrence, then the student must also complete follow-on

CBRNE awareness training within a reasonable timeframe in order for the search and rescue

course to be considered an allowable use of SLGCP funds. 

These search and rescue courses are intended to build a critical capacity at the State and local 

levels. The execution of this training in the stated capacity-building context is unrelated to

designation of national Urban Search and Rescue teams. Therefore, States and UASI 

jurisdictions may not request such designation based on training.

States and Urban Areas shall ensure that search and rescue training supported with SLGCP funds

is in compliance with: 

 

• NFPA 1670, Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Rescue and Search 

Incidents

• NFPA 1006, Standard for Rescue Technician Professional Qualifications 

State Administrative Agencies wishing to fund such training should coordinate with their 

Preparedness Officer and submit the appropriate attendance information via the training section

of the ODP website (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/training.htm) using the web form at the following

link: http://198.104.156.52/ODP_Webforms/Attending_Non_Form.asp. 

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