The APRIL course is divided into two scenarios. Scenario A is about a chemical release and Scenario B is about a radiological release. Each scenario is intended to take about 3 hours to complete. One or more expert mentors will be available to guide you through the course.

The basic structure of both scenarios is similar. Each is composed of a sequence of tasks (4 in Scenario A and 6 in Scenario B). In each scenario you will complete two or more cycles of reading and interpreting a predictive plot, deciding what actions to take to protect the public, and answering press questions. Each scenario concludes with a reflection activity to help you (and your teammates) think about and discuss the key learnings from that scenario: what went well, what could have gone better, how you will apply what you’ve learned, etc. You will also have the opportunity to ask your mentor(s) any additional questions you may have.

You (and your team, if applicable) will work through each task in order. These tasks will exercise your ability to make informed decisions about how to handle emergencies involving the release of dangerous chemical and radiological agents into the atmosphere. Each task includes one or more documents you will need to produce. When you’ve completed all the documents for a task, you should submit your work to your mentor, then proceed to the next task as directed by your mentor.

Your mentor will review your documents and provide detailed feedback - either in written format or verbal format. To get the most out of this course, you should carefully review the feedback you receive and use the opportunity to ask questions of your mentor to help you better understand the material.

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