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. ​
• Teaches a common lexicon, vocabulary, and knowledge base that is practical and relevant for all health professionals.​
• Certifications in BDLS remain active for three years from the date of issuance.
  

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.
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Successful completion of the BDLS course is a prerequisite for attendance at the ADLS course.
​Certifications in ADLS remain active for three years from the date of issuance.

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