EMI Grams

2008 EMI Gram: 729 - IS120.A: An Introduction to Exercises

Release Date: 1/30/2008

Course Information: IS120.A An Introduction to Exercises introduces the basics of emergency management exercises. This independent study (IS) course also builds a foundation for subsequent exercise courses which provide the specifics of the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) and the National Standard Exercise Curriculum (NSEC). The IS120.A replaces the IS120 An Orientation to Community Disaster Exercises on this date of issuance.

Independent Studies will continue to accept OPSCAN answer sheets for the original IS 120 examination until March 15, 2008. For new students, you are required to complete the IS 120.A examination to ensure student learning.

Pre-requisite: None

Course Length: The overall length of the course will vary for each individual. IS120.A takes approximately 5.0 hours to complete.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs): The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) awards 0.5 CEUs for successful completion of this course.

Audience: IS120.A An Introduction to Exercises is designed for local, State, trust territories, tribal nations, Federal, volunteer organizations, and private industry emergency management/response personnel with the responsibility for exercise program management and/or who serve as members of an exercise planning team.

Course Objectives: At the end of this course, students will be able to:

Identify the five phases of the exercise process.
Distinguish the tasks necessary to complete each phase of the exercise process.
Understand how exercises complete the emergency preparedness cycle.
Comprehend the role of exercises in the testing of facilities, equipment, and personnel in a performance based environment.
Recognize how exercises prepare communities to respond to and recover from major emergencies.

Course Completion: This course is available at http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/IS120A.asp. When you have completed the course, you may take the online test, fill out the student information and submit the test for scoring. FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute’s Independent Study office will notify you via email of your successful completion of the course and a link will be included in the email for you to access and print your course certificate.

Questions: You may contact the Independent Study office via email Independent.Study@dhs.gov or contact the call center at 301-447-1200. Independent Study Program office hours are 7:30a.m.-7:30p.m. (EDT). You may also contact the course manager, Lowell Ezersky, at email Lowell.Ezersky@dhs.gov , toll free at 1-800-238-3358, extension 1355 or (301) 447-1355.