LAKEPORT, Calif. – Two local first responders have completed an educational course to help them respond to terrorist incidents.

Last week Lakeport Police Officer Ryan Cooley and Lakeport Fire Protection District Firefighter Brandon Morin successfully completed the Federal Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings Course, or IRTB, at New Mexico Tech Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center in Socorro, New Mexico.

This training was paid for under the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency Homeland Security National Training Program Cooperative Agreement.

Officer Cooley and Firefighter Morin joined approximately 50 other law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency management personnel from throughout the United States in the IRTB course, which provides first responders with the knowledge and skills necessary to safely respond to terrorist incidents involving explosives.

The IRTB course focuses on first responder health and safety by addressing personal protection issues that arise when responding to terror incidents involving commercial and homemade explosives.

Additionally, the course includes information on the recognition of improvised explosive devices; terrorist organizations, both foreign and domestic; and lessons learned from past terrorist incidents. This information better prepares first responders to safely recognize and respond to terrorist bombing threats.

In addition to classroom training, Cooley and Morin spent considerable time on the bomb range where various small and large scale explosive devices were detonated to train students.

Cooley and Morin are now certified to conduct explosive response awareness safety training for other law enforcement, fire, emergency management and school staff.

Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen and Lakeport Fire Chief Rick Bergem both said that they were appreciative to have local public safety staff who can now coordinate and train others in safely responding to these types of incidents should they occur in our community.