Instructor Guidelines

Overview

This document provides guidance for instructors in the NMT/EMRTC First Responder Training Program. The goal of this guidance is to assist instructors in meeting the expectations and standards of the NMT/EMRTC training program in all deliveries.

NMT/EMRTC has contracted qualified instructors to deliver and enrich its training programs. Each instructor is an essential component responsible for the effective delivery of their assigned courses. Instructors are expected to comply with directions from NMT/EMRTC for the successful delivery of training programs. This includes ensuring that classroom operations run according to the policies and procedures outlined in this guidance document, whether delivering training through residential, mobile/non-resident, customized, or virtual courses.

Instructor Expectations

Behavior

Instructors are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times to promote a professional teaching and learning environment reflective of NMT/EMRTC standards. Instructors should:

Treat all individuals they come into contact with in a courteous manner.
Refrain from behavior or conduct that is offensive or undesirable in nature.
Avoid anything more than casual and brief social contact with participants.

In the event of an emergency where alternative forms of transportation are not readily available, instructors may transport participants in rental vehicles. However, if this is necessary, instructors must notify a member of NMT/EMRTC’s Management Team immediately and provide details about the circumstances surrounding the emergency.

Dress and Appearance

Instructors are expected to present themselves in a professional, business-like image to participants and NMT/EMRTC staff. Acceptable personal appearance is a requirement, and any departures from conventional dress or personal grooming and hygiene standards are not permitted. Instructors should:

Dress in a Navy blue or black polo shirt (short sleeve or long sleeve), khaki, brown, or green trousers, and appropriate footwear for classroom and range operations (or as indicated for a specific venue).
- Ensure that these items are in good condition, ironed, and free from holes or noticeable fading.
Maintain clean, combed, and neatly trimmed hair.
Neatly trim facial hair, including sideburns.

Instructors may wear additional range attire as follows: NMT/EMRTC logo ball cap or full-brimmed UV protection hat, coat, and gloves.

Deviations from any portion of the dress and appearance standards due to required accommodations by an instructor must be authorized in advance. The contracted program manager should inform NMT/EMRTC’s program manager of any required accommodations in compliance with personal privacy protections.

Instructor Scheduling

Instructors are scheduled for training deliveries throughout the year in six-month increments based on availability provided by the contracted program manager. Class and module schedules are released one week prior to the classes taking place. Instructors are expected to follow the predefined schedule, and any changes must be approved by NMT/EMRTC project managers.

In the event of an emergency absence after the class schedule has been released, instructors should notify their immediate supervisor and an NMT/EMRTC project manager as soon as possible.

Classroom Management

Initial Classroom Setup

Instructors should arrive at their assigned classroom one hour before starting time on the first day of instruction to disseminate course materials to all participant stations and complete all other course preparations as outlined in course instructor guides. For all other days of instruction, instructors should arrive at least 30 minutes early before the class starting time. Scheduled class dates, start times, and end times shall not be changed unless authorized by the class EMRTC/NMT project manager.

Classroom Software and Hardware

Instructors must be or become familiar with all software and hardware used in classroom presentation/operations before their assigned class starts. For residential deliveries, NMT/EMRTC expects to have all classroom presentation/operations software and hardware ready for use by instructors before the beginning of class. However, instructors should ensure that all classroom presentation/operations hardware and software are functioning properly and report any issues as soon as possible. To maintain the integrity of the data on all devices, instructors should refrain from downloading, saving, or removing any data from classroom presentation/operations devices.

For mobile, customized, and virtual courses, where instructors use their own equipment, it is imperative that instructors are still familiar with the hardware and software and are fully prepared beforehand. During the course duration, instructors should restrict the use of their personal devices exclusively for teaching purposes.

Professional Behavior

At the beginning of each class, instructors must inform students and emphasize that they, along with the instructors, are expected to conduct themselves professionally both in the classroom and after hours. Harassment, whether directed towards another student or someone from the community, will not be tolerated from any individual. Such behavior is grounds for dismissal, and a report of the incident will be sent to the individual's leadership.

Participant Testing

Instructors will administer pre- and post-test knowledge assessments for courses where the instructor guide indicates to do so. Instructors must give participants the full testing time as indicated in the course or test before continuing. It is crucial to adhere to established testing procedures and maintain a controlled testing environment to ensure that all participants have a fair and consistent testing experience.

Participant Testing: Residential Courses

Unless otherwise stated by the course instructor guide, instructors should:

Allow participants 30 minutes to complete the pre-test knowledge assessment.
Allow participants 40 minutes to complete the post-test knowledge assessment.

Instructors must ensure the full testing time period elapses before continuing with classroom operations. Consistency in adhering to these guidelines is essential for a fair and standardized assessment process.

Learning Accommodations

Instructors must notify participants, either during the introductory module/portion of a course or where indicated by the course, of the following:

New Mexico Tech will make reasonable accommodations, including learning accommodations, for persons with disabilities. Participants are encouraged to notify instructors of any disability-related needs.
These accommodations extend to participants experiencing hardship when reading or testing. Any such notifications must be promptly communicated to NMT/EMRTC project managers to ensure timely accommodations.
For non-resident mobile deliveries, instructors should guide participants to the venue host/manager for accommodation inquiries.

Course Evaluations

Course evaluations provide a direct communication channel between participants and NMT/EMRTC staff regarding the delivery of training courses and instructor presentations. They offer participants the opportunity to identify both positive and negative aspects of NMT/EMRTC training delivery.

Participants complete course evaluations either after completing the post-test knowledge assessment or after the full testing time period has expired. Instructors play a crucial role in this process by encouraging participants to provide honest and comprehensive feedback through the completion of evaluation forms. Instructors are requested to assist participants in understanding that their evaluations are anonymous and will be reviewed by NMT/EMRTC.

If any issues are identified through this process, NMT/EMRTC will contact instructors or the contracted program manager for resolution.

Additional Instructors (Residential Courses Only)

Instructors designated as "Additional Instructors" by NMT/EMRTC project managers play a crucial role in providing support. They assist by teaching course material in multiple classrooms and facilitate field laboratory walkthroughs with an assigned group. Additionally, Additional Instructors may be tasked with fulfilling specific requests related to classroom operations as directed by NMT/EMRTC.

Curriculum Guidelines

Instructors will receive course training material for each assigned and scheduled course. It is the instructor’s responsibility to save their copy/copies of the course material. Instructors must exclusively use the most recent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) certified version of any course material/s. Importantly, instructors are prohibited from modifying, adding, or removing material from any course in any manner.

Residential Course Range Management

Overview

Instructors will receive relevant information concerning specific course range operations for the training day from NMT/EMRTC project managers/range safety officers. The following sections provide instructors with an overview of range guidelines to follow and enforce.

Range Restrictions

The following restrictions apply to both instructors and participants and to be strictly enforced by instructors.

Electronic Devices	Mobile phones or electronic devices are strictly prohibited at the range and must be kept in the classroom or stored in a secure location. If any electronic device(s) are inadvertently taken onto the buses or vehicles used for transportation to the range, they will be turned off and given to the program driver before entering the main security gate to the range training site. Participants will have these items returned upon leaving the range training site.
Tobacco/Vaping Products	The use of tobacco/vaping products, including vaping devices and e-cigarettes, is strictly prohibited at the range.
Weapons/Firearms	Weapons/firearms are prohibited at the range, including during transportation to the range, and must be securely stored in a designated location prior to leaving the classroom.

Range Safety Guidelines

The following guidelines apply to both instructors and participants and to be strictly enforced by instructors.

Eye Protection	Eye protection must be worn at all times. Instructors/participants may opt to wear prescription eye-glasses instead.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)	Additional necessary PPE where deemed appropriate must be worn/used at all times.

Range Operational Guidelines

Group Assignment and Participant Count:
- Instructors must assign groups with an equal number of students per instructor before departing the classroom. A participant count will be conducted on the buses before departure for the range. If the tally does not match the total count, instructors will consult the student roster to identify missing students. The NMT/EMRTC project manager/range safety officer will decide whether to wait or proceed to the range for the field lab. This procedure applies to multiple modes of transportation.
On-Range Participant Count:
- Once on the range and before any movement, the instructor(s) assigned to the bus(es) will conduct a count to ensure all participants are present. They will then notify project managers/range safety officers that all participants are accounted for.
Field Lab Activity:
- During any field lab activity, instructors are responsible for controlling participant movement, assisting in various scenarios, and promptly removing participants from situations posing potential injury risks.
Material Handling:
- Instructors should maintain physical control of materials during pre-blast or post-blast presentations. Materials must not be manipulated, removed, or added during any range exercise.
Participant Interaction:
- Participants are not allowed to touch or remove any items from the range unless authorized by an NMT/EMRTC project manager/range or safety officer.
Instruction Authority:
- Instructors shall not delegate instruction to an NMT/EMRTC team member, another instructor, or a student on the range. While questions can be directed to the ordnance technician when appropriate, the transfer of instruction authority is not allowed.

Safety Observation Bunker

Bunker Layout:
- The safety observation bunker at the NMT/EMRTC Explosive(s) Range consists of individual bays separated by partitions.
  - During Field Lab 1 of RBI and PRSBI, instructors must ensure that students do not occupy the last (west) bay, as it contains the ordnance technician’s equipment.
Head Count Procedure:
- Instructors will conduct a final head count of participants once they are all under the cover of the safety bunker. Two identified instructors will personally receive the bunker counts. Upon confirming the correct number of participants, instructors will report “all present” and notify the project manager/range safety officer of the total number. Instructors should be evenly distributed under the bunker to ensure participants stay undercover until released by the project manager/range safety officer.
Misfire Protocol:
- In the event of a misfire, the project manager/range safety officer will hold all instructors and participants in place while conferring with the ordnance technician and following NMT/EMRTC Standard Operating Procedures.

Emergency Response

NMT/EMRTC maintains stringent safety standards for all transportation and field lab activities. Despite these measures, accidents are always a possibility. In such instances, instructors may be required to take immediate action to ensure participant safety. The project manager/range safety officer may call upon instructors to assist in directing, escorting, and possibly guiding participants to a safe location.

Instructor Certification

Instructors must be certified following the process outlined in the NMT/EMRTC Instructor Certification and Evaluation Program. This certifying process involves meeting course requirements, completing training sessions, passing a teach-back evaluation, and completing the Instructor Standards Expectations and Excellence (ISEE) course.

Please see additional documentation for the full details of the certification program.

Communication

Communication between instructors and NMT/EMRTC is encouraged and all comments and suggestions are welcome. Keep in mind that:

For operation-related emergencies or issues requiring an immediate response, instructors should continue to direct their concerns to project managers.
Instructors are advised to regularly check their email inboxes for notices from NMT/EMRTC regarding updates to this document or other policies and procedures.