Domestic Preparedness Equipment Technical Assistance Program (DPETAP)
Delivered by Pine Bluff Arsenal (PBA), through General Physics Corporation
Program Description
In partnership with the United States Army's
Pine Bluff Arsenal (PBA), the Department of
Defense's (DoD) center of expertise for
chemical and biological defensive equipment
production and support, the Office for
Domestic Preparedness (ODP) has
established a comprehensive, national
equipment technical assistance program for
emergency responders.
The Domestic Preparedness Equipment
Technical Assistance Program (DPETAP)
assists responders to better select, operate,
and maintain their radiological, chemical and
biological detection and response equipment
by providing detailed technical information
and hands-on equipment operations and
maintenance training.
DPETAP Mobile Technical Assistance
Teams provide, at no cost to the jurisdiction,
on-site technical assistance and training to
assist emergency response personnel in the
operation and maintenance of their domestic
preparedness detection equipment.
Eligibility
This program is offered to any jurisdiction
which has received funding from the Office
for Justice Programs to purchase domestic
preparedness equipment. Assistance is
targeted towards emergency response
personnel in the following disciplines:
and who have responsibility for:
Each jurisdiction will determine its program
participants.
Courses Offered
DPETAP offers a total of 20 courses and
exercises that range from 45 minutes to three
hours in length. A course certificate is issued
for each completed course. Courses include:
WMD Detection Technologies: This 3-hour
course covers detection technologies
primarily associated with Weapons of Mass
Destruction (WMD); the capabilities and
limitations of these technologies; the types of
equipment that employ these technologies;
and the chemical, biological, and
nuclear/radiological material that can be
detected. This course is designed as a
refresher for personnel having prior
knowledge of WMD related detection
technologies. This course is a prerequisite
for attendance in all other DPETAP courses.
The optimal class size for this course is 12-24 responders, however additional
responders may be accommodated with prior
arrangement.
Operation and Maintenance (O&M)
Courses: These 1 to 3 hour, hands-on
courses cover the capabilities and limitations,
pre-operation, operation, preventive and
corrective maintenance of the following
detection equipment:
These courses are designed for emergency
response personnel having training,
equipment operation and/or maintenance
responsibilities. To enhance the learning
environment class size for each of these
courses is restricted to 6 to 12 responders
per course.
Tabletop Practical Exercises: The DPETAP
program offers four 45-minute exercise
scenarios tailored to the relevant threat
applicable to the jurisdiction. These practical
exercises present responders with potential
WMD event scenarios that require teams to
evaluate conditions, determine the most
effective detection equipment for use for the
situtation, and how to employ the selected
equipment. Upon completion of the exercise
scenario the teams present their findings to
the class. A group "hot wash" and
discussions follow the team presentations.
These exercises are presented on the last
day of training and are designed for all
personnel who have attended the courses
previously presented during the technical
assistance visit. To enhance the learning
environment class size for each of these
courses is restricted to 6 to 12 responders
per course.
Scheduling of a DPETAP Technical
Assistance Visit (TAV)
To schedule a TAV contact the following
personnel:
Gil Wendt, Project Manager
(757) 428-6251
(757) 636-9875, Cell
(757) 428-6251, FAX
gwendt@genphysics.com or
gilwendt@aol.com
Chris Foreman, Logistics Support Supervisor
(870) 540-2366
(501) 349-5781, Cell
(870) 540-2350, FAX
For More Information
For more information concerning DPETAP,
information on WMD detection equipment,
and other detection equipment technologies,
you may contact the DPETAP Helpline at 1-800-232-5741. The Helpline is staffed
Monday through Friday from 8:00am to
5:00pm CST, and is available to answer
questions regarding detection equipment
costs, operational capabilities of detection
equipment, and repair and maintenance of
detection equipment.
You may also learn more about other ODP
programs by visiting the ODP website .