U.S. Department of Justice
                                                                                                                        Bureau of Justice Assistance


Office of the Director                Washington, D.C. 20531


Dear Public Safety Official:

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are pleased to offer this first responder training program to the men and women of the nation's fire and emergency services agencies. With the passage of the anti Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, Congress established this training program targeting the largest 120 metropolitan jurisdictions and charged the Department of Justice with the program's development and implementation. The BJA was designated as the Justice Department agency to administer the program. Through a unique partnership between BJA and FEMA's National Fire Academy, this program was created.

The Emergency Response to Terrorism: Basic Concepts curriculum is the result of over 18 months of planning an development by the National Fire Academy. Through a series of focus group meetings involving county and municipal fire and hazardous materials experts and a rigorous testing and review process, the Emergency Response to Terrorism: Basic Concepts has been, from its inception, grounded on local experience and needs.

It is our collective hope that your participation in this historic training program will provide you and your peers throughout the country the knowledge and practical insights which will help first responders to terrorist and other dangerous incidents recognize and react to those hazards posed in a more informed and safe manner. The prime goal of this initiative is to make your jobs less dangerous in such instances.

BJA and FEMA look forward to a continuing role in developing and implementing first responder training for local public safety personnel that builds on this initial offering. We are committed to continuing the critical involvement of the people we are mandated to help, the fire and emergency services professionals at the municipal and county levels, in development of all future training programs.

Your commitment to serving the citizens of this nation is greatly appreciated and serves as a constant reminder of the value and importance of public service. We at BJA and FEMA are equally committed to providing the most contemporary and effective training programs available to help reduce the threats you face daily as first responders.

Sincerely,

Nancy E. Gist
Director
Bureau of Justice Assistance

James L. Witt
Director
Federal Emergency Management AGency