AFC Hazardous Materials Worker Training

通过此申请，阿拉巴马州消防学院（AFC）请求补充资金，用于对公共安全人员（包括医护人员和其他被认为是COVID-19应对期间必不可少的工作人员）进行针对COVID-19的健康和安全培训。根据目前的劳工统计局，该地区有超过55.6万名公共安全和医疗人员在工作，包括那些将提供病人运输或应急响应小组成员的人员，以及需要他们应对COVID-19大流行等传染病爆发的人员。这些人员大多数在农村地区或医疗服务不足的地区工作，这使他们及其所服务的病人面临更大的风险。所有这些目标人群都有可能通过直接接触感染者以及通过表面污染或其他污染材料接触COVID-19和其他新出现的传染病感染者。

With this application, the Alabama Fire College (AFC) requests supplemental funding to conduct COVID-19 specific health and safety training with public safety personnel, including healthcare workers and others that are considered essential workers during the COVID-19 response. Using current Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are over 556,000 public safety and healthcare personnel working in the region including those who will provide patient transport or are members of emergency response teams and have roles which will require them to respond to an infectious disease outbreak such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of these personnel work in rural areas or medically underserved areas which put them and the patients they serve at greater risk. All these target populations have in common the potential for exposure to persons infected with COVID-19 and other emerging infectious diseases, through direct contact with infected individuals as well as through surface contamination or other contaminated materials. Alabama and Mississippi contain many medically underserved areas, health professional shortage areas, health department with limited budgets and limited ability to conduct contact tracing, and limited access to professional occupational safety and health training programs. Unfortunately, federal funds for preparedness assistance have not reached public safety and healthcare professionals in the amounts sufficient to meet their needs for training. AFC and it’s partner, UAB, will develop and implement evidence-based training tools that are locally-relevant and consistent with the NIEHS WTP Coronavirus Bio-safety Initiative and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), as well as other recognized health professionals. The proposed project will bring critical training to over 400 participants in webinar, virtual simulation, YouTube video, and limited in-person training. Courses will also be available through AFC’s learning management system to Native American tribes and other responders and essential workers, adding many potential trainees through distance education.