FEMA Training Roadmap - Emergency Management Resource Guide

As I have started helping new and aspiring Emergency Managers with entering and growing in this field, I have received a lot of questions on what courses someone should take.

I have also spent more time looking at and comparing emergency management graduate programs as well as FEMA programs to understand the value of emergency management education.

The more I looked into this and provided my own opinions to others on recommended courses, I realized that I could not find any guidance or recommendations for what courses someone should take. The only standard to go by seemed to be job announcements, which varied considerably on requirements and position level. There was no real consistency beyond having the Independent Study (IS) courses 100, 200, 700, and 800 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - Emergency Management Institute (EMI). These courses, while important to have I believe, are focused on response and do not adequately cover all areas of Emergency Management as we are not First Responders (excluding any volunteer and side roles we serve in).

So, as with all problems we encounter, if there is not a current solution available, you should create your own solutions and opportunities.

I began researching FEMA courses and programs to understand what the prerequisites were and worked backwards from there to understand the training progressions. The section below will show this is not a formal document or assessment, but sharing this with others has opened up the chance to learn a great deal about what other practitioners considered important in this endeavor and what gaps existed.

The ability to have a logical training progression available for free FEMA courses and programs allows future prospective students to evaluate Higher Education Emergency Management programs better by assessing what they offer compared to the free courses currently in existence.

Due to the limited availability of FEMA course attendance, there is not enough bandwidth to compete with the multitude of Emergency Management programs in Higher Education. Hopefully this will encourage programs to adhere to a standard groundwork when developing curriculum and further the journey towards becoming a profession.

This article is meant to provide a more in-depth explanation of my Training Roadmap for FEMA courses specific to select emergency management programs. It also serves as a resource guide with links to all the mentioned training courses as well as additional links to the webpages for certain topics mentioned. Depending on the course, the links will take you to either the course itself where you can take or register for the class right away; or to an informational landing page. If the latter, then you will need to search for a training opportunity link or point of contact to obtain more information.

Initial Training Progression Attempt

The wonderful engagement I got from more experienced emergency managers really highlighted the absolute need for this type of work and the critical elements not included. Their questions, suggestions, and corrections provided an incredible learning experience for myself and my network.

Education Tiers

During the design of this first progression post I didn't have a clear idea on what I wanted the tiers to be and what the final outcome should look like. Because of this, the 3 tiers were undefined and loosely based on time commitment and increase of knowledge along with the course prerequisites. However, this was not stated in the original post. Not having clear parameters for the tiers caused confusion for others which led to uncertainty on where certain courses should lie in the system.

Professional Tracks

Originally the courses were separated by colors for online, in-person, and mixed/specialty courses.

They were also listed based on overarching programs such as the Master Exercise Practitioner Program (MEPP), Emergency Management Professional Program (EMPP), Advanced Professional Series (APS), Incident Command System/ Incident Management Team, and finally, the multitude of courses provided via the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium (NDPC), Emergency Management Institute (EMI), and Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP).

This was a good first step to outlining education for Emergency Managers, but as the comments in the post above clearly reveal, there was much work to be done. The limitation to my infographic was the exclusion of paid programs such as private contractor courses, and higher education such as undergraduate and graduate degrees.

The benefit to excluding these was the ability to show there are a lot of free education opportunities available!

Version 2

You can find the link to the full post for the revised version Here.

What changes were made?

• Better defined educational tiers
• Designed with Emergency Management Core Competencies and Fundamental Knowledge as integrated and all encompassing
• Added the National Preparedness System, National Planning Frameworks and Community Lifelines
• Focus on professional tracks (color coded)
• Expanded the Emergency Management Professional Program (EMPP) into their individual academies and program sections
• Added the Continuity Excellence Series and Community Emergency Response Team courses into the professional tracks
• Removed Incident Command System/Incident Management Team (ICS/IMT), Advanced Professional Series (APS), & individual specialty courses

The Incident Command courses were not seen as part of the Emergency Managers role. While I agree that we are not field responders, I do think we need to have training and enhanced knowledge of their response operations. I am biased in this matter as I come from a field response/operations background, but I also recognize the distinction that we must have between roles.

The Advanced Professional Series (APS) is not readily available in most states and thus hard to declare it as a recommendation when most people will never be able to take it. It also seems that states have/are swapping this out for their own state sponsored Basic Certification, which include some the Fundamental Knowledge courses I listed (Keep reading for more!). Some states are also putting together their own Emergency Management certifications which are meant to follow the Associate Emergency Manager (AEM) and the Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) credentials from the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM).

Emergency Management Core Competencies

This revision was designed with the idea that Core Competencies and Fundamental Knowledge should be integrated and all encompassing to a successful emergency manager. Even though this area falls into Tier 1, it should be seen as the starting point to build from before entering other professional tracks. This is why the surrounding and separating spaces between the tiers is the same color as the Core section to reflect that it should be before, during, and after all educational and performance activities.

Core Competencies and Fundamental Knowledge should be integrated and all encompassing to a successful emergency manager.

Two outstanding documents for Emergency Management Core Competencies (linked below) were reviewed and included because they are essential to our successful pursuits and are not strictly isolated to the emergency management field. Adoption of these competency frameworks by organizations and practitioners at large will be a critical step in ensuring Emergency Management moves from being a job field to a recognized profession.

1. The Next Generation Core Competencies for Emergency Management Professionals: Handbook of Behavioral Anchors and Key Actions for Measurement 
2. Civil Defence Emergency Management Competency Framework

The two documents are both similar in nature regardless of the terminology and identifiers used. Next Generation Core Competencies has 13 Competencies each composed of Behavioral Anchors (58 in total) and their associated Key Actions. Civil Defense & Emergency Management Core Competencies has 8 Key Areas composed of Competencies (32 in total) and their associated Indicators.

Currently the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) lists 4 separate Core Competency documents for Emergency Management which is split into 4 levels based on practitioner experience and job position. These documents that do not allow ease of use for reviewing or comparing different experience levels. My recommendation would be to blend the 2 documents noted above and use the layout design from the Civil Defense & Emergency Management Core Competencies document. This would allow ease of use as a reference document while taking a futurist perspective, addressing the needs and issues that current and upcoming Emergency Manager's will increasing deal with.

Emergency Management Fundamental Knowledge

The Fundamental Knowledge courses are ordered in a sequence to reflect a logical progression through the different knowledge areas. It is important that all Emergency Managers have a clear understanding of the national systems and frameworks in place so we are all operating with the same knowledge and terminology. The lists below provide links to the courses and webpages for more information.

National Preparedness System and the 5 Mission Area National Planning Frameworks

• IS-2000 National Preparedness Goal and System Overview
• IS-2500 National Prevention Framework, an Introduction
• IS-2600 National Protection Framework, an Introduction
• IS-2700 National Mitigation Framework, an Introduction
• IS-800 National Response Framework, an Introduction
• IS-2900 National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) Overview

Notice that the other Mission Areas/National Planning Frameworks are numbered around the original IS-800 so when it is updated it is possible that it will be updated as IS-2800 to fit with the new numbering sequence.

Following the planning frameworks is the key addition of IS-2901 Introduction to Community Lifelines. We tend to have a good understanding of the Emergency Support Functions (ESF's) within the coordination and communication arena. This course allows us to understand the key elements to the general public and what areas are of the greatest need for them. Check out the webpage on FEMA's Community Lifelines for more information.

Then the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and component courses.

• IS-700 an Introduction to the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
• IS-2200 Basic Emergency Operations Center Functions
• IS-100 Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS 100
• IS-200 Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response, ICS 200

The Professional Development Series (PDS) is an excellent starting point for any Emergency Manager and includes:

• IS-120 An Introduction to Exercises
• IS-230 Fundamentals of Emergency Management
• IS-235 Emergency Planning
• IS-240 Leadership and Influence
• IS-241 Decision Making and Problem Solving
• IS-242 Effective Communication
• IS-244 Developing and Managing Volunteers

Some limitations to all these courses are that they are geared toward Emergency Managers based in the United States of America. To move beyond this silo, universal training should be designed to meet the Core Competencies and be made available internationally. I believe this would mean using already existing training for business professionals and promoting those courses/ skills with an Emergency Management viewpoint. This would reduce the barrier to enter the field and lay a common groundwork for practitioners.

Education Tiers

I spent some time rethinking the tiers to align with the training courses and to better define them. There are 3 tiers just as before but now I separated the tiers and training courses/programs based on approximate experience of the individual, level of knowledge gained, format of curriculum, and investment of time to complete each individual course/ program. Not every aspect of the tier definitions will match with each course but it is a better guide than before.

I deliberated over the idea of having a fourth tier that would be for mastery over its respective area but the prerequisite experience was not consistent across the different programs for Master, Advanced, and Executives titles. Master programs ranged from no requirements listed to 3-5 years of experience. Yet Advanced programs needed 5 years or no required experience even though its title is presumed to be lower than Master. Executive is the only program that clearly stood out on its own which required 10 years of experience before consideration to be accepted.

Tier 1

• Entry level
• Beginner knowledge
• Online courses
• Minimal time commitment

Tier 2

• Early career
• Foundational knowledge
• In-person courses
• Moderate time commitment

Tier 3

• Mid career
• Advanced and Mastery knowledge
• In-person courses
• Significant time commitment

Professional Tracks

When I redesigned the Roadmap, I included not only major required courses, but also those that were recommended or would be deemed beneficial (without including every single course). Also included in this list, is recognition of courses that count for American Council of Education (ACE) credits which will be noted beside each course/ program as applicable. ACE credits only apply if the institution in question accepts them. Just because a course qualifies for ACE credits, does not mean that they will be accepted as part of your degree program. Because of this, please thoroughly review all FEMA courses to understand their benefits and requirements before registering for a program.

Tracks are separated into the Master Exercise Practitioner Program (MEPP), Emergency Management Professional Program (EMPP), Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) Continuity Excellence Series, and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

So why the color coding? I wanted a visual distinction and not only a textual one. By adding different colors I prevent the monotony of a plain image and allow the eyes to follow the logical progressions between courses more easily. Gray was chosen for the Core Competencies and Fundamental Knowledge courses because it is a neutral color and needed to be surrounding all aspects of the image and job field. This is the same reason I added in the directional arrows so it would not be seen as isolated to one part of the field. Gray is also the same color used in the text of the professional tracks to symbolize that Core Competencies and Fundamental Knowledge are a direct part of any training or undertaking in Emergency Management.

Master Exercise Practitioner Program (MEPP)

• IS-130 How to be an Exercise Evaluator
• IS-139 Exercise Design and Development
• Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
• Master Exercise Practitioner Program (MEPP) - 9 ACE Credits

While IS-130 and 139 are not required for HSEEP, and IS-139 isn't required for MEPP, I highly recommend taking them to gain a better understanding of Exercises so that your time in HSEEP and MEPP can be better spent focusing on the application of those skills and not spent on understanding the foundational theory for them. HSEEP can be taken at the FEMA Emergency Management Institute directly, or it can be scheduled locally through your state emergency management agency. The link for HSEEP only takes you to the EMI course catalog. From there you can look up the full name or acronym of HSEEP or the course code: E0146.

Emergency Management Professional Program (EMPP) which includes:

National Emergency Management Academies

• National Emergency Management Basic Academy (NEMBA) - 8 ACE credits
• National Emergency Management Advanced Academy (NEMAA) - 9 ACE credits
• National Emergency Management Executive Academy (NEMEA) - 3 ACE credits

NEMBA is the only academy with an education prerequisite which is why you must start in the exercise track before applying to the basic academy. Both NEMAA and NEMEA can be taken independently of education requirements as they only have a minimum experience requirement. Thus, they are not directly connected to any other programs or courses in the infographic.

Public Information Officer Programs

• IS-29 Public Information Officer Awareness
• Basic Public Information Officer
• Joint Information System/ Joint Information Center Planning for Tribal, State, and Local Public Information Officers

These 3 courses can be taken independent of each other but are all required to move forward into the below courses following the training progression.

• Advanced Public Information Officer - 3 ACE credits
• Master Public Information Officer

Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) Continuity Excellence Series

• IS-1300 Introduction to Continuity of Operations
• IS-520 Introduction to COOP for Pandemic Influenza
• IS-545 Reconstitution Planning
• IS-247 Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) for Alert Originators or IS-248 IPAWS for the American Public 
• Level I Professional Continuity Practitioner (PCP) - 2 ACE credits
• Level II Master Continuity Practitioner (MCP)

The Continuity Excellence Series is not a strict program but rather a structure of course options depending on your needs. For this reason, I have only listed the initial required courses and not all the options available to students. Anyone wishing to obtain the designation of PCP or MCP must carefully review the course options.

Due to space limitations in the infographic I could not list the Independent Study (IS) courses for the Master Continuity Practitioner (MCP) in Tier 1. I did not want to misplace them in Tier 2 where space was available as they would not meet the definitions of that tier. When looking at the courses required for Master Continuity Practitioner MCP you find that IS-130 is an option but I did not want to try and connect the Exercise Track to Continuity Track for one crossover course.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

• IS-317 Introduction to CERTs
• CERT Basic Training course
• IS-315 CERT and the Incident Command System
• E/G 427 Community Emergency Response Team Program Manager - 1 ACE credit
• E/G 428 Community Emergency Response Team Train-the-Trainer - 2 ACE credits

The full CERT Basic Training course, which is offered locally, needs to be taken before the program manager or train-the-trainer options. Both E/G 427 and 428 are offered sequentially in the same week, but you have the option to take them individually if desired. For more course information, you can find them via the links above and search the course catalog using their title or course code. You can also look at the course schedule for any available options.

Core Competencies and Fundamental Knowledge are a direct part of any training or undertaking in Emergency Management.

My ultimate goal for this project is to provide a starting point for those seeking Emergency Management education and to be a reference point for Higher Education when developing their degrees. There are free options available for professional development, this means any paid program should seriously evaluate the value they bring students and work to not only unify education standards, but enhance the students capabilities beyond mere knowledge.

By listing the 2 Emergency Management Core Competency documents and the inclusion of Fundamental Knowledge courses, I hope to have them accepted and recognized as the standard starting point for Emergency Management job postings, educational programs, and practitioners.

To accomplish this, I need not only practitioners as a whole to recognize this addition as a step towards becoming a profession, but for organizations, agencies, and jurisdictions having authority to formally adopt these recommendations. Key partners that can ratify and publish a standard for Emergency Managers and Program Coordinators in the United States for all industries are:

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• International Association of Emergency Managers - USA Council (IAEM-USA Council)
• National Emergency Management Association (NEMA)
• Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP)
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

To continue to engage and learn with other Emergency Management Practitioners and my content, reach out with a connection request and a message so we can be the change we want for the future.

Collection of Supplemental Resources

• FEMA Training Roadmap Infographic
• Course List Handout for FEMA Training Roadmap
• Emergency Management Code of Ethics
• Emergency Management Principles
• The Next Generation Core Competencies for Emergency Management Professionals: Handbook of Behavioral Anchors and Key Actions for Measurement 
• Civil Defence Emergency Management Competency Framework
• FEMA Emergency Management Institute Core Competencies based on practitioner experience and position
• FEMA Core Competencies and Curricula collection