To reduce risk to the nation's critical infrastructure, the CISA's Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) develops and delivers a diverse curriculum of training and awareness products to build nationwide counter-improvised explosive device (IED) core capabilities and enhance awareness of terrorist threats.
CISA's Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) offers bombing prevention training through multiple platforms to meet stakeholder needs: direct delivery in-person in a traditional classroom setting or in-residence at the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), online through a virtual instructor-led training (VILT) platform, and through independent study training (IST).
A FEMA Student ID (FEMA SID) is required to participate in OBP course offerings. To obtain a FEMA SID, visit the FEMA SID Registration Webpage.
Download a printer-friendly fact sheet for Counter-Improved Explosive Device (C-IED) Training and Awareness.
Download a printer-friendly fact sheet for Counter-Improved Explosive Device (C-IED) Awareness Products.
Available Training Courses
Awareness
- AWR-333: IED Classification and Construction*
- AWR-334: Introduction to a Terrorist Attack Cycle*
- AWR-335: Response to a Suspicious Behaviors/Items*
- AWR-337: IED Explosive Effects and Mitigation*
- AWR-338: Homemade Explosive (HME) and Precursor Awareness*
- AWR-340: Protective Measures Awareness*
- AWR-348: Bombing Prevention Awareness
- AWR-940: Surveillance Detection Principles*
- AWR-945: Bomb Threat Assessment for Decision Makers*
Performance
- PER-312: Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) Detection
- PER-336: Protective Measures
- PER-339: Improvised Explosive Device Search Procedures
- PER-346: Surveillance Detection for Bombing Prevention
Management
- MGT-450: Bomb-Making Materials Awareness Program (BMAP) Community Liaison
- MGT-451: Bomb Threat Management Planning
*Primarily available through VILT. To learn more about our VILT courses, click here.
VILTS are available in-person only by special request. To learn more about our in-person training, click here.
Independent Study Training (IST)
Awareness
- AWR-341: IED Awareness and Safety Procedures
- AWR-349: Homemade Explosives and Precursor Chemical Awareness
- AWR-903: Bomb Threat Preparedness and Response
- AWR-911: Bomb-Making Materials Awareness: Your Role
- AWR-921: Bomb-Making Materials Awareness Employee Training
Training Video Series (TVS)
Awareness
- What to Do: Surviving a Bomb Attack
- What to Do: Suspicious or Unattended Items
- Be Bigilant: Vigilant Neighbor
- Be Bigilant: Vigilant Manager
- Be Bigilant: Vigilant Employee
-The OBP also offers a variety of products such as trifold brochures, posters, cards, and other awareness resources on the TRIPwire Bombing Prevention Resources section.
How Is Training Offered?
Resident and non-resident C-IED training is delivered by subject matter experts in-residence at FEMA's CDP or by a mobile training team that come to your location. These courses build nationwide counter-IED capabilities and increase awareness of IED threats by providing information to prevent, protect against, respond to, and mitigate bombing incidents. All courses are provided free of charge.
- Resident Training at the CDP - All OBP resident training are conducted at the FEMA's CDP in Anniston, Alabama through and interagency agreement and training partnership. The CDP is the United States DHS's only federally chartered Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) training center. All training cost for state, local, tribal, territorial, governmental, or private sector participants are completely funded by DHS at no cost to the individual or jurisdiction/organization. To learn more about C-IED's in-person classes are offered, click here.
- Mobile Training Team (MTT) - Through an intra-agency agreement, OBP established a MTT who travel to the participant's jurisdiction or organization to deliver C-IED Training. These teams are made up of expert practitioners with military and law enforcement backgrounds who bring real world experiences into the classroom and provide unique insights which reinforce the training content and principles. These experts facilitate all in-person courses and VILT. The MTT has the capability to deliver up to five in-person training events each week in all U.S. states and territories, and to some international partners.
This program provides general C-IED information to a broad audience via online training with a live instructor using the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) connect platform. Perfect for participants with limited availability constraints, most classes are approximately an hour in length. These courses are accredited by the International Accreditors of Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and participants receive certificates with contact hours. All courses are provided free of charge.
This program provides self-paced, web-based courses designed for a broad audience to provide general awareness-level C-IED information to public and private sector partners to enhance awareness of and response to IED threats. These courses are accredited by the IACET and participants receive certificates with contact hours. All courses are provided free of charge.
These are instructional videos that communicate the threat posed by IEDs, explain C-IED concepts, and demonstrate bombing prevention procedures. The videos show the audience how to react to a bombing attack and deal with a variety of explosive threats such as bomb threats and suspicious items. All videos are free to view on YouTube.
Train-the-Trainer (TtT)
The Empowered Training Initiative is a TtT program managed by OBP, designed to build the C-IED training capabilities of public and private stakeholders by providing trainers with the essential knowledge and support required to effective deliver OBP's C-IED and risk mitigation training in their local jurisdiction and/or their individual organizations using accredited curriculum and learning management system.
The TtT program is offered for the following courses
- AWR-348: Bombing Prevention Awareness (BPAC)
- PER-312: Vehicles-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) Detection
- PER-336 Protective Measures
- PER-339: IED Search procredures
Download a printer-friendly fact sheet for the Train-the-Trainer fact sheet.
Who Can Attend?
Courses are administered free of charge and provide easy to understand basic bombing prevention guidance. They provide individuals or large audiences with general awareness to prevent, protect against, and mitigate the IED threat. Courses are appliable to a broad audience that includes:
- Municipal officials
- Emergency managers
- State and local law enforcement
- Other emergency services
- Critical infrastructure owners and operators
- Security staff
- Public and private sector participants
Accreditation and Certification
All training courses offered by the OBP are available at no cost and are accredited by the IACET. IACET has done in-depth research on the learning process and has a nationwide network of experts to help continuing education providers to develop a framework for continuous improcement and a superior learning experience. OBP complies with the American National Standards Institute/IACET Standard, which is recognized internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices. As a result of this accreditation, OBP issues IACET Continuing Education Unit (CEU).
The Peace Officer Standards and Training program is used by participating states to enhance public safety responders annual professional development. The Office for Bombing Prevention partners with participating states to parlay CEUs from OBP's accredited C-IED training courses.
Contact Information
Please contact OBPTraining@cisa.dhs.gov or fill out the training request form under the contact us found here with any questions. Someone will get back to you shortly.
Helpful Links
- FEMA's National Training Education Division (NTED)
- FEMA
- FEMA's Emergency Management Institute (EMI)
- Federal Emergency Management Agency Independent Studies (FEMA IS)
- FEMA Student Identification System (FEMA SID)
- National SAR Initiative (NSI SAR)
- Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP)
- International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET)
- Federal Virtual Training Environment (FedVTE)