NIMS Training

NRF Integrated Emergency Management Course (IEMC)

The Integrated Emergency Management Course, offered by the Emergency Management Institute of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), places public officials and emergency personnel in a realistic crisis situation within a structured learning environment. Early in the course, an emergency scenario begins to unfold in sequence with classroom-style lectures, discussions and small-group workshops. As the course progresses, scenario-related events of increasing complexity, threat, and pressure occur. Participants develop emergency policies, plans, and procedures to ensure an effective response. The course culminates in an emergency exercise designed to test participant knowledge, awareness, flexibility, leadership, decision-making, and interpersonal skills under extreme pressure in the EOC environment.

Participants are challenged to use the new ideas, skills, and abilities in addition to their own knowledge and experience. In this way, the Integrated Emergency Management Course allows individuals to rehearse their real-life roles in a realistic emergency situation, while at the same time identifying additional planning needs.

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NIMS Five-Year Training Plan

A critical tool in promoting the nationwide implementation of NIMS is a well-developed training program that facilitates NIMS training throughout the nation, growing the number of adequately-trained and qualified emergency management/response personnel. Closely related to the training, core competencies will form the basis of the training courses’ learning objectives and personnel qualifications that validate proficiency. IMSI is charged with the development of NIMS core competencies, training courses, and personnel qualifications.

Released in February 2008, the Five-Year NIMS Training Plan (PDF 530KB, TXT 140KB) describes the operational foundations of these efforts; defines NIMS core competencies, training courses, and personnel qualifications as part of the National Training Program for NIMS; assembles and updates the training guidance for available NIMS courses (organized as a core curriculum); and lays out a plan for the next five years to continue development of the National Training Program

The Five-Year NIMS Training Plan (PDF 530KB, TXT 140KB) compiles the NIC’s existing and on-going development of NIMS training and guidance for personnel qualification. Previous guidance on NIMS training has been updated and is issued as Appendices of this document. The National Training Program for NIMS will develop and maintain a common national foundation for training and qualifying emergency management/response personnel. To accomplish this, the Five-Year NIMS Training Plan describes a sequence of goals, objectives, and action items that translates the functional capabilities defined in the NIMS into positions, core competencies, training, and personnel qualifications.

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NIMS Courses

Currently, there are six courses that are required in order for an individual or organization to be considered NIMS compliant through FY 2007. To determine what level of training an individual needs according to their level of responsibility during a multi-jurisdiction, multi-agency, multi-discipline incident, click here: www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nims/TrainingGdlMatrix.pdf

NIMS-required training courses:

* ICS-300 and ICS-400 courses are courses conducted in a classroom.  Both the Emergency Management Institute and the National Fire Academy sponsor NIMS compliant ICS-300 and 400 training.  Please contact your local or State's Emergency Management Agency or State Fire Academy for details about when and where these courses will be available. 

Additional NIMS-related recommended online courses are:

Questions concerning NIMS and related training issues may be directed to: FEMA-NIMS@dhs.gov.. Please contact the Emergency Management Institute Independent Study Office directly at (301) 447-1200, via email at independent.study@dhs.gov, or through the ISP Office inquiry page if you have questions about any of the following:

Independent Study Program Office hours are 7:30a.m.-7:30p.m. (EDT)

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Emergency Management Institute

The Emergency Management Institute (EMI), located at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, MD., offers a broad range of NIMS-related training. EMI online courses are located at: www.training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/crslist.asp

NIMS-related Courses Offered online by EMI:

For more information on the Emergency Management Institute, please click here: www.training.fema.gov

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United States Fire Administration - National Fire Academy

The National Fire Academy (NFA) offers a broad range of training that addresses key elements of NIMS within an all-hazard environment. The numerous command and control courses, for example, support provisions of the NIMS ICS. NFA also has courses that address incident-specific areas, including hazardous materials and terrorism emergency response and emergency medical services. NFA offers courses in preparedness planning, training and management as well as resident, field and self-study courses.

The NFA offers the following NIMS-required courses online:

They are located at: www.usfa.dhs.gov/training/

For more information on the National Fire Academy, please click here: www.usfa.dhs.gov/training/nfa/

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Fact Sheets and FAQs

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Last Modified: Thursday, 10-Jul-2008 14:46:24 EDT