Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) Course

Did you know that deaths from terrorism increased by 22% to 8,352 in 2023, the highest level since 2017? This alarming statistic from the Global Terrorism Index 2024 underscores the critical need for comprehensive HEAT training.

Course Overview

The Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) Course by Rcademy is meticulously designed to equip humanitarian and development workers with essential skills needed to operate safely in complex and hostile environments. This comprehensive programme delves into modern security challenges, providing participants with a robust understanding of how to assess risks and implement effective survival strategies.

Without specialised HEAT training, professionals working in high-risk areas may struggle to identify and mitigate threats effectively. The Global Terrorism Index 2024 shows that over 90% of terrorist attacks and 98% of terrorism deaths in 2023 occurred in conflict zones, highlighting the strong link between conflict and terrorism.

For organisations, investing in this training enhances overall safety protocols and reduces vulnerability to security incidents. The Global Terrorism Index 2024 reports that terrorism is becoming more concentrated, with the number of countries recording a death from terrorism falling to 41, considerably lower than the peak of 57 countries recorded in 2015.

Individuals who complete this course will benefit from enhanced operational capabilities as they become more resilient in challenging environments. This is particularly important given that the lethality rate of terrorist attacks increased to just under 2.5 fatalities per attack in 2023, compared to 1.6 in 2022.

Enhance your hostile environment expertise – Join industry leaders in our specialised training programme by Rcademy!

Who Should Attend? 

• Humanitarian workers who work in high-risk areas or places with civil unrest
• Development workers whose area of operation is faced with political instability or threat to life and properties
• Journalists who provide media coverage to some of the most challenging areas 
• Corporate workers with organisational presence in conflicting regions
• Any other personnel operating in a hostile or potentially hostile environment 

What are the Course Objectives?

This course by Rcademy aims at achieving the following objectives at the end of the course:

• Working knowledge of the security issues inherent in the field environment
• Rapid assessment of danger and risk level of such danger
• Adequate knowledge about communication tools for personal safety and contact with law enforcement officers
• Judicious application of communication and navigational aids
• Understand the importance of codification and special language 
• Administration of first aid successfully and other basic medical practices
• Conduct individual and group flight plans from a hostile environment 
• The formulation of individual and team-based tactics
• Be able to implement basic steps to prevent the build-up of hostility

How will this course be presented?

The HEAT Course by Rcademy employs a comprehensive and innovative approach to ensure maximum knowledge retention and skill development. The course is handled and delivered by world-renowned experts in security and managing hostile environments. The facilitators ensure that the course is well-curated to cover all essential aspects of HEAT and bring up recent cases and practice for safety guidance.

Rcademy brings about a rapid training course that is fully packed with all the HEAT course requirements. Participants are placed at the training centre by detailing the course and dividing it into different sections. The participants also gain extensive knowledge and hands-on skills for escaping or surviving a hostile environment.

What are the Topics Covered in this Course?

Module 1: Introduction to HEAT Course

• Overview of global security challenges
  • International 
  • Domestic 
  • Local
• Situational awareness
• Risk overview of the area
• Personal security or behaviour 

Module 2: Communication

• Introduction to effective communication
• Means of communication 
• Emergency contacts
  • Constant companion
  • Friends and family
• Alert systems 
  • Crisis or emergency communication
  • Protocols for communication for field missions

Module 3: Technological Devices for Communication

• Communication equipment
  • HF
  • VHF
  • BGAN
  • Sat phones
• Communication over radio
  • Protocols and procedures 
  • Call codes and signs
  • Phonetic alphabet
• Satellite systems
  • Phones
  • BGAN
• The GPS function of Satphone
• Asset tracking
  • Person and tracking systems

Module 4: First Aid

• Introduction to first aid services
• Availability of first aid kits
  • Offices
  • Homes
  • Vehicles
• Assessing location 
  • Checking for further threats
  • Securing the area
• Victim evaluation
• First aid application
  • Bleeding
  • Airway obstruction
  • CPR
  • Burns
  • Fractures
  • Trauma
  • Venoms
• Call for help

Module 5: Negotiation Skills

• Introduction to negotiation
• Theories of negotiation
• Communication skills
  • Verbal
  • Non-verbal
  • Interpersonal 

Module 6: Risk Assessment

• Threats, vulnerabilities, hazards and risks
• Risk
  • Perceived 
  • Real
• Risk level assessment
  • Low risk
  • Medium risk
  • High risk
  • Extreme risk
• Vulnerability
  • Individual vulnerability
  • Organisational vulnerability 
• Risk mitigation strategies
• Residual risk

Module 7: Sexual Abuse and Violence

• Gender-Based Violence (GBV)
  • Sexual harassment
  • Sexual aggression 
  • Rape
• Zero tolerance
• Prevention
  • Individual measures
  • Organisational policies
• Response procedures 
  • First aid
  • PEP kits

Module 8: Security of Organisational Location 

• Organisational location 
• Protection measures
• Deterrence measures
• Emergency procedures
  • Emergency escape
  • Emergency tools
• Residence safety and security

Module 9: Civil Unrest

• Civil unrest context
  • Context awareness
  • Global and local civil unrest
• Prevention
• Response

Module 10: Armed Assaults

• Common forms of weapons
  • Pistols
  • Rifles, assault rifles
  • Machine guns
  • Knives, daggers
• Explosives
  • RPG
  • Hand grenade
  • Bombs
  • Artillery
• Armed robbery
  • Prevention
  • Response
• Carjacking
• Aerial attacks
• Landmines
• Behaviour when under attack

Module 11: Kidnapping

• Forms of abduction
  • Hostage-taking
  • Kidnapping
• Aid/Humanitarian workers risk
  • Global situation
  • Local risk
• Captivity survival techniques
  • Prevention techniques
  • Agency policy
  • External influence 
  • Self-care
  • Force rescue
  • Support post-release
  • Recovery  

Module 12: Field Missions

• Roles and responsibilities 
  • Mission preparation
  • Rules and procedures
• Transportation logistics
  • Air travel
  • Vehicle movement in a hostile environment
• Hotel or accommodation security
• Trip documentation
• Communication protocol
  • Emergency procedure

Module 13: Defusing Anger

• Introduction to anger management
• Types of aggression
• Causes of aggression 
• Managing aggression 

Training Impact

The impact of HEAT training is evident through real-world data, which demonstrates the effectiveness of structured programmes in enhancing safety and operational efficiency in hostile environments.

Case Studies and Real-World Data

According to the Global Terrorism Index 2024:

• Deaths from terrorism increased by 22% to 8,352 in 2023
• Over 90% of terrorist attacks and 98% of terrorism deaths in 2023 occurred in conflict zones
• The number of countries recording a death from terrorism fell to 41 in 2023
• The lethality rate of terrorist attacks increased to just under 2.5 fatalities per attack in 2023.

These statistics highlight the critical importance of comprehensive HEAT training in preparing personnel for operations in hostile environments.

Enhance your hostile environment expertise – Join industry leaders in our specialised training programme by Rcademy!