State DOTs have called for assistance in security and emergency preparedness, with training or other professional capacity building (PCB) efforts a particularly high priority. AASHTO and its Special Committee on Transportation Security (SCOTS) worked closely with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Research and Innovative Technology Administration's Volpe Center to identify states' highest priority needs in five areas: (1) positioning a DOT to respond to a disaster; (2) building a security/emergency response program; (3) using existing operations to enhance security/emergency response; (4) considering security/emergency response in engineering and construction; and, (5) including security/emergency response in transportation planning. The partnership developed a comprehensive plan to address those needs through training, technical assistance, peer exchange, and other forms of professional capacity building. Early in 2006, SCOTS passed a resolution supporting implementation of the plan. As part of that implementation, FHWA is leading the development and delivery of various resources, including a series of regional workshops on emergency response coordination (in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security), a training database, and peer exchanges. To complement these efforts, FHWA is now seeking a partnership with states to scope and oversee the development of training resources in a number of critical areas.

The objective of the Transportation Security and Emergency Preparedness PCB Pooled Fund Study is to develop a suite of training materials for state DOTs to enhance their capacity in emergency transportation operations, infrastructure risk management, and evacuation planning. For each of up to four courses, participating states will receive instructor manuals, student workbooks, and a train-the-trainer session (web-enabled audio conference) for their agency staff.

Depending on the level of commitments to the pooled fund, the study will develop training materials for some or all of the following: * Guide for Emergency Transportation Operations - This Transportation Research Board (TRB) product provides strategies for the development of a comprehensive, coordinated, performance-oriented approach among the transportation, public safety, and emergency management communities in responding to traffic incidents, natural disasters, and other types of emergencies. The Guide has been published and can be accessed via http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=5345 * Guide to Risk Management of Multimodal Transportation Infrastructure - Another TRB product, this guide provides state DOTs and other transportation entities with a risk management methodology that can be used to conduct threat, vulnerability, and criticality assessments of their facilities and to determine cost-effective countermeasures to prevent, detect, and reduce threats to assets on a multimodal basis. The Guide is currently under final review, with publication expected late in 2006. For more information, go to: http://www4.trb.org/trb/crp.nsf/e7bcd526f5af4a2c8525672f006245fa/4f66b8813755221c85256fbf00521f7f?OpenDocument * The Evacuation Planning Primer Series - Developed by the FHWA Office of Operations, this series provides emergency managers, public safety officials, political authorities, and transportation professionals with guidance to meet the challenges of evacuation planning under diverse scenarios, including (1) conducting planning activities for evacuations that will be primarily road-based and given advance warning, (2) finding effective ways to integrate rail, air and waterway transport into road-based evacuation planning, and (3) using highways in the case of no-notice events requiring spontaneous evacuations. The draft Primer is under review, with final delivery expected in early 2007. * FHWA Bridge and Tunnel Security Workshop - This workshop focuses on the threats against bridges and tunnels, their vulnerabilities and the actions that can be taken to reduce risk. FHWA has delivered the workshop periodically, but there is interest in a much wider delivery. The pooled fund will support synthesizing the materials and experiences from the workshops and developing training products that conform to adult instructional design standards. The products could then be made available to states for delivery by their trainers, or possibly adapted by the National Highway Institute and offered for delivery along with all other NHI courses. For more information on the workshop go to: http://www.tfhrc.gov/focus/may06/01.htm. Participants in the pooled fund will - set priorities among the four training needs, - define learning objectives, - recommend appropriate formats for the training, and - review major deliverables. Pooled fund participants may meet occasionally for planning meetings and to review deliverables; funding may be used in part to subsidize travel expenses for this purpose. All materials will be developed by an agency or contractor with appropriate experience in transportation security, emergency response, and adult learning principles. The final deliverables will include: - student workbooks - instructor manuals, including specifications for how to deliver the training (recommendations regarding class size, room layout, etc.) - train-the-trainer sessions for participating states The training materials will be designed to respond to the needs of all states that participate in the pooled fund. However, materials will also be designed so that they can be further adapted to the particular needs of a given state. The deliverables will be developed such that they can be adapted to meet adult instructional design standards by the National Highway Institute or a comparable agency.

The total commitment amount for developing all possible training resources is $550,000. FHWA has committed $50,000. It is expected that the contribution from each state will be in a range from $50,000 to $100,000. However, commitments outside of this expected range are possible. The number of training efforts or their scope may have to be modified depending on the final total commitment level. Note that Section 5204(e) of SAFETEA-LU allows states to use 100% of federal funding from five core programs for workforce development activities, such as employee education and training and other career outreach and preparation initiatives to develop the future transportation workforce. The five core programs are Surface Transportation Program (STP), National Highway System (NHS), Interstate Maintenance and Bridge Programs, and Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality (CMAQ). Funding from these five programs can be used for a commitment to this pooled fund. Contact the FHWA Office of Professional and Corporate Development for further details or questions regarding use of funds under Section 5204(e).