"I couldn't believe there was a four-day course just to put a seat in," Officer Caravaglia said.

A four-day course with instruction in English, meals and lodging runs $2,100 to $2,300, depending on the time of year.

A four-day course on wines and truffles priced at $1,850 will begin Oct. 17.

The school will offer its first program, a four-day course beginning June 2, with enrollment limited to 40 students.

A basic four-day course can run as low as $430.

There is another mode of restraint, meanwhile, that doesn't cost $200 or require a four-day course to master: seat belts.

Xigris, which costs about $8,000 for a four-day course of treatment, generated controversy even before federal regulators approved it in November 2001.

The four-day courses run from Tuesdays to Fridays 10.00 am to 5.00 pm at various times throughout the year.

It also serves as a fantastic taster for the full-time training, which some students are invited to join following the four-day course.

Each volunteer must take a four-day course, complete a probationary period of six months, then sign on for at least a year.