BUTLER TWP — This fall, two new programs at Butler County Community College address public safety issues that gained national interest after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

One is a degree program developed with other regional colleges. The other is a computer-based simulation that trains first responders to communicate with each other during a disaster.

Degree program

After 9-11, the federal government began to promote national security education, including training at the local level.

To accomplish that, the federally created Region 13 Counter Terrorism Task Force met with members of colleges and universities and others to develop training.

The training is for law enforcement, security officers and others who need to be aware of terroristic threats and deterrents.

“9-11 was significant because homeland security became a part of everyone’s life,” said Bill Miller, BC3 dean of humanities and social sciences, who developed the program along with Frances Spiegelmyer, vice president for academic affairs.

The training begins with the program offered at Butler, Allegheny, Beaver and Westmoreland county community colleges. From there, students may go on to receive a bachelor’s in homeland security from the University of Pittsburgh or a master’s from Penn State Greater Allegheny in McKeesport.

There are about 33,000 emergency service employees in 13 southwestern Pennsylvania counties who might take advantage of the program.

“The program is being marketed toward persons working full-time, who might want to get credits to advance their career,” Miller said.

The seven students enrolled in the courses at BC3 will be taught by military strategist Robert Morabito, who runs the JROTC program at Penn Hills High School.

Miller expects the number of students to grow with the introduction of online courses.

Disaster simulator

The public safety program’s advanced disaster management simulator is to help first responders from different agencies communicate with each other during crises.

The software, which was bought with a $1.16 million grant from the Department of Justice, provides first responders with 10 different scenarios and variations to simulate the challenges they can face.

The scenarios include terrorist attacks, “shooters,” plane crashes, fuel farm disasters, a hazardous material incident, and highway accidents.

The scenes require police, fire and other responders to communicate solutions to a program commander, who then advises a facilitator about what actions need to be taken.

As in a real crisis, only the commander can give an order to take action.

Bill Rooker, program manager, said there is a role for public workers and the media in the training, too.

“First responders must learn each others’ concerns so they can all work together,” he said, and each takes a turn at the command.

The software is used with National Incident Management Systems disaster planning required for agencies that receive federal funds.

“During emergencies and disasters there are always two things that go wrong,” Rooker said, “communications and information.”

This simulator works to correct that.

Public safety received an additional $1 million grant to enhance training.

After each 20- to 40-minute scenario is done, participants evaluate students’ actions and their results. Some results may create additional problems just as they do in life, Rooker said.

“Life safety is always the most important consideration in any disaster, including the safety of emergency personnel,” Rooker said.