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The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) board recently approved using a $335,000 U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant to implement a training program for the region’s emergency responders.

Designed to help responders better manage pedestrian and vehicular traffic after Metrorail station evacuations, the day-long course will be offered to 1,500 area police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and transportation department officials, and WMATA employees.

The program will address ways to get first responders to an emergency — such as a fire, train accident or terrorist act — and help evacuated passengers travel to the next station.

Classes will begin later this month and run through November.