NERRTC affiliations leverage, expand homeland security training capabilities

COLLEGE STATION – TEEX’s National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center (NERRTC) is leveraging and expanding its existing core competencies in homeland security by partnering with other academic institutions that have nationally recognized specialized expertise and capabilities.

TEEX recently solidified an affiliation agreement with the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) at the University of Southern Mississippi. This agreement builds on an existing relationship in which training is developed and delivered to provide improved safety and security for sports and special events venues, said Rebecca Tate, NERRTC Training Manager.

“Together, TEEX/NERRTC and USM/NCS4 have already developed and begun delivery of a management level course that leverages our emergency management competency and training development and delivery expertise with our partner’s experience and reputation with a specialized audience in spectator sports,” Tate added.

TEEX has also agreed to partner with the Kostas Research Institute for Homeland Security (KRI) at Northeastern University in Burlington, MA, which focuses on building greater resilience in the face of disruptive risk. TEEX/NERRTC’s affiliation agreement with the Kostas Institute specifically supports the goal of Presidential Policy Directive 8 (PPD-8): to improve national resilience for communities, infrastructure, and campuses.

“This partnership is especially important because it allows TEEX/NERRTC to leverage the Northeastern University Burlington campus and the Kostas Institute as a training site for the Northeast region,” she said.

Both of these partnerships strengthen TEEX/NERRTC’s existing core competencies and open the door for future work in homeland security-related projects. Possible projects include additional courses in sports and special events, a certification program for emergency managers in special venues, and an expanded cyber-security program that leverages current NERRTC training with the research and expertise at the Kostas Research Institute.

As TEEX/NERRTC grows its cyber-security competency, future partnerships are being developed with the University of Texas San Antonio’s (UTSA) Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS), the University of Arkansas System Criminal Justice Institute (CJI), and the University of Memphis (UM).

About NERRTC
The National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center (NERRTC) was established in 1998 to enhance the capabilities of emergency responders and local officials nationwide to prepare for, respond to, and recover from catastrophic events resulting from natural events, man-made accidents, or terrorist attacks. NERRTC was the founding member of the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium. Since its inception, NERRTC has provided local, state, and federal jurisdictions with high-quality, hands-on, scenario-driven leadership training, exercises, technical assistance, and strategy development.