Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Assurance and administered by the National Energy Technology Laboratory, this effort seeks to establish the cornerstone of the ODOD SEP Fuel Cell project, namely, to ensure that DG devices are brought on-line by a trained cadre of “first responders” during Homeland Security breeches and to have operational monitoring teams (most likely CERT volunteers) in place as well. Such personnel would have emergency roadway access when otherwise trained operators may not be able to reach their respective facilities where DG equipment resides. The education and training needs of first responders will be assessed to provide the basis for developing curriculums needed to ensure that a community’s DG capability is brought on-line safely and appropriately in response to Homeland Security breeches. To be assessed are existing knowledge levels relative to DG and grid interconnection, scope of CERT training to date, availability of "quick start" instructions for DG devices, emergency load requirement guidelines and training logistics issues. A blueprint for the training program model will be developed.