HEAT
Hostile Environment Awareness Training
WELCOME TO NCA HEAT
NCA Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) is the primary risk mitigation strategy to keep staff safe in the field. We prepare staff for travel and work in high-risk and remote environments around the world. NCA HEAT provides holistic and individualized training experience to aid workers, officials, journalists, and others. We tailor the course to each participant so that they stay within their optimal “learning zone” and maximize training outcomes regardless of age, experience or personal resilience levels. The course is primarily aimed at aid workers but the knowledge, skills and tools you learn are valuable for everyone and will increase your personal safety and security.
Dates for NCA HEAT training 2026:
February 2 - 6 (Nairobi)
February 11 - 10 (Nairobi, Re-HEAT)
May 27 - 28 (Oslo, Re-HEAT)
August 31 - September 4 (Oslo)
For early warning on new training dates, send an email to sebastian.noto@nca.no
WHY CHOOSE NCA HEAT
Our highest priority is to create a safe and positive learning environment, where you feel safe and supported in stepping out of your comfort zone, making mistakes and learning from them. The main classroom is also a safe space, where nothing sudden or violent will occur, enabling you to practice your relaxed alert state during theory sessions.
HEAT training needs to be a minimum of 5 days, as proposed in the ENTRi curriculum. Anything less than 5 days should not be considered a valid HEAT course, as it is not possible to build the necessary level of understanding and confidence to manage life threatening situations in less than that.
At NCA HEAT we facilitate training tailored specifically to you as an individual, regardless of your experience, history of trauma, physical condition and resilience.
NCA HEAT Instructors are allowed on the team with one purpose only: To guide you through your HEAT journey and build your competence and confidence in meeting with life’s most difficult moments, so that you may survive and thrive.
The course will increasingly add stress to the training environment and various exercises, to train your ability to manage complex and dangerous situations. You will go through multiple hyper-realistic scenario exercises that facilitate transfer value to real life events. You will also go through short but very intense exercises alone and as a team to train your determination and will to survive and get to safety, no matter what the odds.
Leading up to the most intense training modules, you will learn step-by step the necessary skills and tools that enable you to successfully navigate very high levels of fear and stress.
Prices for NCA HEAT:
External participants: 2500 USD.
This includes food and accommodation during the course.
All other costs (travel, hotel before/after HEAT, insurance, etc must be covered by the participant).
Feedback from participants to NCA HEAT:
“The training was great, I feel it was very helpful and relevant. The practice and exercises made a solid impact on us and helps us to take the whole security issue more seriously and in a constructive manner”
Arne,
Peacebuilding Advisor
“The trainers, training materials, and the people who challenged us during simulations were all outstanding. The hotel facilities were also excellent. One aspect that also impressed me was that the interns in our Global Safety and Access department seemed more like employees than interns—please keep up this excellent culture. Overall, I am extremely satisfied with the HEAT course. A special thanks goes to the instructor team”
Adonias,
Safety Focal Point
“Please do not let anyone from Head Office travel to Sudan without this HEAT training”
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM NCA HEAT:
- Duration: 5 days, fully residential
- Location: Oslo and Nairobi
- Instructors: Instructors have mixed backgrounds and profiles, and averaging decades of experience with “skin in the game” in the deep field.
- Safety: A clinical psychologist is present during the main exercises and available for participants during most of the course.
- Health: We always have medical professionals among the instructors, both male and female, in case you experience medical issues or scratch a knee.
- No exams: We want you to learn, not worry about final exams. You will be tested continuously until we see that you have gained the skills necessary.
- Dedicated follow-up: A senior instructor will follow you and your team closely to facilitate the learning process and outcomes.
MAIN MODULES COVERED DURING NCA HEAT
Situational awareness:
How to detect and avoid potential or emerging threats in your operational environment.
Survival mindset:
How to train your mind and body for life threatening and critical situations, increasing your chances of survival, limit or prevent PTSD.
Psychological resilience and wellbeing in high-risk environments:
How we can build personal resilience and manage our stress better when working in areas/operations with high levels of pressure.
First aid in the field:
With a primary focus on preventing death from physical injury, you will learn to save your own life or someone else’s when they have been critically injured, with little medical equipment and infrastructure available.
Conflict management:
How to avoid and de-escalate human aggression by communicating clearly, using active listening and empathy in meeting with stakeholders.
How attacks happen:
How do criminals and would-be attackers think and plan, and what can we do to minimize the risk of targeted attacks against us.
Basic land navigation and wayfinding:
How to find your way to safety if you are lost in the field.
Personal Risk Profile, gender security and sexual violence.
How can we assess our personal risk profile? What can we do to prevent and mitigate the risk of sexual violence in all its forms?
Actions on:
How to appropriately respond to armed attacks and violence, explosive threats, crime, protests, and many more.
Hostage survival:
How to increase chances of survival if taken hostage or abducted.
