Air Land Emergency Resource Team

The Air Land Emergency Resource Team (ALERT) is a Christian service ministry and training organization located in Big Sandy, Texas at the former campus of Ambassador College.

Training

The first phase of ALERT instruction is Basic Training, a 9-week program modeled after military boot camp. It combines intense physical training with spiritual leadership development through rigorous hikes, drill and ceremony, survival training, and strict uniform and living area inspections. The goal of basic training is to equip the Recruits with the skills and discipline to be more godly men. In order for the Recruit to promote to the rank of Responder (the first ALERT rank) he must pass these inspections, maintain a daily journal, pass minimum physical standards, demonstrate character, and memorize the New Testament book of 1 Peter in the King James Bible.

After Basic Training, each Responder undergoes Emergency Response Training, which incorporates Basic Fire Fighting, Wildland Fire Fighting, Basic High-Angle Rescue, Rescue Systems One, Sawyer, Search-And-Rescue, Open Water Diving, Advanced Open Water Diving, and Underwater Recovery as a Special Response Diver (certified with the National Academy of Police Diving).

As a training organization, ALERT is a vocational technical school, with advanced programs in aquatics, auto mechanics, aviation, leadership, emergency medical technician (basic and paramedic), emergency services operations, firefighting, law enforcement, property and facility care, and water treatment apprenticeship.

Public service

As a disaster relief organization, ALERT is deployed at the request of government officials. Its officers and students serve locally and internationally in response to natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and ice storms.

As a public service organization, ALERT Responders use their dive recovery training, sawyer, and land search and rescue training to serve local authorities on a volunteer basis. They respond upon request from government officials. In addition to specialized skills, ALERT units have volunteered to serve in projects including cemetery cleanup, playground construction, children's camps, and community improvement.

ALERT has deployed over 900 times since its founding in 1994, including the Oklahoma City Bombing,^[1] the Columbia Shuttle Recovery,^[2] and multiple hurricanes including Katrina, Dennis, Irene, and Sandy. International deployment destinations have included Brazil, Mexico, Mongolia, South Korea, Haiti, Russia, Venezuela, Honduras, Romania, Peru, Belize, and the Bahamas.

Organizational Ties

ALERT was founded under the auspices of the Institute in Basic Life Principles, a non-denominational ministry based in Oak Brook, Illinois. ALERT was incorporated as a separate entity in 2002, but remains under the guidance of IBLP's board of directors.

References

External links

• The International ALERT Academy Official Website
• Academy Turns Boys Into Men CBN News
• List of Texas Disaster Services