The Core Disaster Life Support® (CDLS) course is a 3.5 hour awareness-level course aimed at a broad range of audiences (medical first responders, health professionals, health service providers, public health workers, and health support personnel) that:

  • Introduces management of disasters and public health emergencies. 
 
  • Incorporates the “all-hazards” approach.
 
  • Uses the PRE-DISASTER Paradigm™ (which applies to event mitigation and preparedness).
 
  • Uses the DISASTER Paradigm™ (which applies to event recognition, response, and recovery).
 
  • Provides participants with a common lexicon, vocabulary, and knowledge in disasters.



For additional course information:  https://www.ndlsf.org/index.php/courses/cdls
The Basic Disaster Life Support™ (BDLS®) course is a 7.5 hour awareness-level course aimed at a broad range of audience categories that share a common likelihood of providing clinical care and assistance to casualties during a disaster or public health emergency (healthcare, public health and allied health professionals; emergency medical services personnel; and other medical first responders and receivers).

  • Introduces concepts and principles to prepare for the management of injuries and illnesses caused by disasters and public health emergencies.
     
  • Focuses on incorporation of an “all-hazards” approach to mass casualty management and population-based care across a broad range of disasters.
     
  • Measures to ensure and enhance health workforce readiness.
     
  • Provides a consistent and scalable approach to workforce protection and casualty management, as well as, mass casualty triage and fatality management.

  • Engages participants through interactive scenarios and group discussions.
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  • Teaches a common lexicon, vocabulary, and knowledge base that is practical and relevant for all health professionals.



For additional BDLS course information:  www.ndlsf.org/index.php/courses/bdls
The Advanced Disaster Life Support™ (ADLS) course is an intense 15-hour course that allows participants to demonstrate competencies in mass casualty management.

  • Core education elements include:
    •  The ADLS manual
    • Live interactive lectures (Disasters and Public Health Emergencies; Triage in Disasters and Public Health Emergencies; Health System Surge Capacity for Disasters and Public Health Emergencies; Community Health Emergency Operations and Response; and Legal and Ethical Issues in Disasters).
    • Population scenarios discussion
    • Mass casualty triage tabletop and situational training exercises;
    • Surge tabletop scenario for a health care facility;
    • Personal protective equipment skills performance and decontamination video review;
    • Casualty management in small groups with simulated scenarios;
    • Emergency operations center situational training exercise.

 The ADLS course target audience includes physicians, nurses, physician assistants, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, pharmacists, allied health professionals, and students in health professional schools.

Successful completion of the BDLS course is a prerequisite for attendance at the ADLS course.


For additonal ADLS course information:  https://www.ndlsf.org/index.php/courses/adls