training offered annually

Disaster Site Response Training for Instructors (DSRT)

From respirator use and mold remediation to GPS navigation and traumatic stress management—participants gain skills that save lives.

Comprehensive 5-Day Curriculum

A one-week, hands-on “Train-the-Trainer” program supported by NIEHS, preparing instructors to obtain safety authorizations for public & private disaster site responders and workers.

  • OSHA’s Disaster Site Worker (15hr) safety awareness training
  • Hazardous Awareness
  • Incident Command
  • Characteristics of a Disaster
  • and More!
Download Program Guide

Practical Skills for Real Emergencies

From respirator use and mold remediation to GPS navigation and traumatic stress management—participants gain skills that save lives.

  • Instructors completing DSRT return to their communities to train and prepare others.
  • Graduates are pre-qualified for NIEHS disaster response mobilizations.
  • Stay connected through NPETE’s annual instructor conferences, refresher “StayFreshers,” and national peer network.

Frequently Asked Questions

Participants are prepared through a 5-day program to obtain required safety authorizations for public and private disaster site responders and workers. 

Course work includes:
OSHA’s 15-hour Disaster Site Worker (DSW) safety awareness training
Hazardous Awareness and Communications
Incident Command System

This training covers two components:
OSHA’s Disaster Site Worker Outreach Training Program (15 hour) provides necessary training to workers who provide skilled support or clean-up services in response to natural and/or human-made disasters. All workers at disaster sites need to be aware of the differences between disaster sites and regular construction or demolition worksites.  They must also be able to inspect, don, and doff air-purifying respirators.


NPETE Disaster Response Training Institute is delivered by NPETE Master Trainers covering the following hands on interactive topics: Characteristics of a Disaster, PPE, hand/power tools, Health Hazards, Risk Management, Stop the Bleed, Site Assessment, Incident Command, Search and Rescue, Utility Safety, Resiliency & Stress Management, Traffic Control, Fire Extinguisher Performance, clean out/muck out/segregate, Chemical Hazard Identification, Debris Management, Mold/Asbestos, & Hazmat Disaster Preparedness Training Plan.


Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive an NPETE DSRT Participants Card & Certificate as well as an OSHA Disaster Site Worker card, not to be confused with the OSHA Disaster Site Worker Train-the-Trainer authorization.

NPETE offers this one-week DSRT annually in conjunction with Barton County Community College (KS) held at the Indian River State College Treasure Coast Public Safety Training Complex in Ft. Pierce, FL.  This program is designed to prepare up to 20 disaster response workers across the country. Applications are available online. Join our mailing list to receive notification when applications open.


ICS 100 Introductions to ICS (Incident Command System)
ICS 700 NIMS Awareness Training
Complete NPETE Online Modules

A signed document from your physician stating that you are capable of wearing respiratory protection

Upon completion of the Disaster Site Response Training for Instructors (DSRT) successful participants will be able to provide necessary training to workers who provide skilled support or clean-up services in response to natural and manmade disasters to identify, avoid, control and prevent hazards.

Training Topics:
Inspect, don, and doff air purifying respirators.
Explain potential safety and health hazards at disaster sites:
Describe debris removal safety requirements.
Demonstrate residential mold remediation techniques.
Describe personal protect methods for common biological hazards, including bloodborne pathogens.
Select and use appropriate disaster cleanup personal protective equipment (PPE)
Determine personal hygiene and decontamination needs.
Conduct level C isolation decontamination.
Recognize the effects of traumatic incident stress and measures to reduce this stress.
Describe the characteristics of a disaster.
Describe protection methods for tool and equipment hazards.
Demonstrate the use of specialty and powered tools for cutting and breaching metal and wood.
Identify common types of fire extinguishers and demonstrate the proper use of a dry powder fire extinguisher.
Demonstrate the use of basic hand tools and hydraulic devices for search and rescue operations, including proper use of cribbing.
Categorize hazard controls using the hierarchy of controls.
Describe the guidelines for balancing risk when determining courses of action.
Describe mechanical advantages and tying basic knots.
Describe basic functions of GPS and demonstrate how to apply GPS use in disaster sites.).