When a hurricane hits, a train derails with toxic chemicals, or terrorists strike, it’s important for local law enforcement personnel, EMS, firefighters, civic leaders and other government agencies work together to protect the public.

Last week representatives from those agencies attended a training session in Beeville where they learned the ins and outs of the Intermediate and Advanced Incident Command System.

Founded under the Department of Homeland Security, the courses are designed to teach peace officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, city and county officials and department heads, what roles they play when an incident or emergency arises.

David Morgan, the emergency management coordinator for Bee County, taught the two courses last week.

He said the four-day training course teaches local emergency responders and civic leaders how to coordinate their efforts with state and federal agencies.

“The classes went well,” he said. “We had people here from all over South Texas and I believe they left with a good understanding of the emergency operations and command system.”

City and county personnel are required to attend the training course in order for the cities and counties to continue to receive Homeland Security funding, Morgan explained.

He said the courses basically teach students the structure of the Incident Command System — who plays what role and why — and teaches students a common language to be used by federal, state and local responders during an incident.

“They learn a common language so everyone is on the same page when they’re communicating,” Morgan said. “They learn command terminology so they know what is being said.”

Twenty-four students attended the Intermediate Incident Command System course, held at the Justice Center last week.

Nineteen students attended the Advanced Incident Command System course, he said.

Those attending included peace officers, EMS, firefighters, city and county officials and department heads and representatives from state and federal agencies such as the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

The classes included students from Orange Grove, Bishop, Beeville, Bee County, to name a few.

The command system is also helpful during other non-emergency incidents, such as community festivals, or larger venues such as the Olympics.

Morgan said almost 90 percent of local first responders have completed the required training.

He said the training came in handy when Hurricane Ike threatened the lower Texas Gulf Coast last summer.

“We opened the operations center here (at the Justice Center) and everybody performed their parts perfectly,” he said. “It went like clockwork.”