NGO Hostile Environment Awareness Training Level 4/Level 5

Within today’s unstable and increasingly volatile world the humanitarian aid and development community faces increasing challenges as it operates in remote, dynamic and often challenging environments. The risks of crime, LGBTQIA and gender-based violence, civil disorder, the actions of hostile governments, corruption and extortion, terrorism and insurgency, the presence of mines and UXO in post-conflict environments, natural disasters, disease and poor medical infrastructures, as well as road traffic accidents all place people and the wider interests of the organization at significant risk. This makes personal safety and security awareness central to an effective duty of care program – protecting people by building knowledge and developing practical and real-world skills through highly interactive and immersive learning programs.

RSM has invested over $650,000 into a specifically designed NGO training facility [Pandora] so that participants enter into a truly immersive learning environment. This will be the only training center of its kind, with a tented refugee camp, a village with shops, a community center, a restaurant and medical center, customs and militia checkpoints, a military base, a UN base, market stalls, hamlets, and a bullet penetration stand and a UXO and IED stand. RSM has also invested over $100,000 in training aids, inert munitions, remnants of war and gunfire and explosive simulations.

Level 4: Two (2) day blend of classroom and outdoor scenario-based HEAT course

The two day RSM HEAT course includes an initial day of training addressing a mixture of theory and practical based lessons, discussion groups and practical training on international travel risk management, personal safety and security awareness, hotel and guest house security, land-based risk management, female security awareness, LGBTQIA risk awareness, active shooter and armed aggressor threats, operational and information security, leadership under high stress conditions and small team cohesiveness, and remote casualty stabilization theory. The second day of training is field focused, addressing reactions to gunfire, illegal checkpoints, mines, booby-traps, UXO and indirect fire threats, carjacking risks, escaping from restraints, emergency driving techniques, remote casualty scenarios, searching vehicles for explosives, self-defense techniques, and kidnap and ransom scenarios.

Level 5: Three (3) day classroom and practical-based HEAT course

The three day RSM HEAT course includes an initial day of training addressing a mixture of theory and practical based lessons, discussion groups and practical training on international travel risk management, personal safety and security awareness, hotel and guest house security, land-based risk management, female security awareness, LGBTQIA risk awareness, active shooter and armed aggressor threats, operational and information security, leadership under high stress conditions and small team cohesiveness, and remote casualty stabilization theory. The second day of training is field focused, addressing reactions to gunfire, illegal checkpoints, mines, booby-traps, UXO and indirect fire threats, carjacking risks, escaping from restraints, emergency driving techniques, remote casualty scenarios, searching vehicles for explosives, self-defense techniques, and kidnap and ransom scenarios. The third day requires groups to plan for a field-deployed mission, and then implement various tasks within a local community which is then subject to a series of stress-inducing scenarios – testing the participants planning and management of various threats under realistic conditions.