FEMA offers training to state, local, and nongovernmental Partners on setting up Points of Distribution 

FEMA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), in collaboration with the States of Texas, Washington and Florida, have developed a training program to help state, local and non governmental partners successfully execute a Points of Distribution (PODs) mission. PODs are centralized locations where the public picks up life sustaining commodities following a disaster or emergency, including shelf-stable food and water. 
The training was developed to assist all partners and stakeholders in planning for the execution and subsequent deactivation of PODs in support of disaster relief efforts. It details the staffing required and procedures to be followed in the setup and deactivation of a POD. This training will help communities, states and tribes work in better coordination with federal and non-governmental partners as they provide much needed supplies to the public, in a timely and consistent manner during and after a disaster event. 
The training is self-administered and includes several user-friendly tools including an independent study course, a video and guide. FEMA and USACE developed these materials with input from several states and incorporated best practices and lessons learned from the experiences of recent hurricane seasons.

The independent study training materials provide an overview into the planning, operations, and demobilization stages needed for a state or local community to successfully execute a POD mission. The guide also includes key operational practices such as how to address safety, equipment management, and resource accountability, and highlights the innovative “Adopt a POD” program being used by the state of Washington. 
FEMA is offering the training video to state, local and nongovernmental partners in disasters on its multimedia site at www.fema.gov/medialibrary. The video is downloadable and also easily embedded on the websites of the state and local partners. 
The DVD, POD guide and online exam are available at http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is26.asp. Both the DVD and POD guide may also be ordered, at no cost, for mail delivery through the FEMA Publications Warehouse 1-800-480-2520. 

In an additional step, FEMA is also developing a “Train the Trainer” course that will be held at the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) to provide detailed hands-on experience to state and local emergency managers and key voluntary agencies who can then go back to their communities to train others. State and local emergency managers and key voluntary agencies are being invited to participate in a focus group hosted at FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) to develop the “Train the Trainer” course. FEMA expects to have this portion of the effort completed by December 2009.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.