Release Date: 4/11/2008

Course Description:
The National Response Framework (NRF) presents the guiding principles that enable all response partners to prepare for and provide a unified national response to disasters and emergencies – from the smallest incident to the largest catastrophe.  As part of the NRF, Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) are primary mechanisms at the operational level used to organize and provide assistance. This series of courses is designed to overview each of the 15 ESFs.  This course provides an introduction to ESF #8 - Public Health and Medical Services

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

1.   Describe the overall purpose and scope of ESF #8.
2.   Identify the supplemental assistance ESF #8 provides to State, Tribal, and local governments. 
3.   Identify typical actions accomplished by ESF #8 resources and teams.
4.   Describe the types of partnerships formed between ESF #8 and other response agencies and organizations.

Prerequisite:
IS-800, National Response Framework, An Introduction (note: IS-800, IS-800a or IS-800b are acceptable).

Course Length:

Target Audience:
This course is intended for government executives, private-sector and nongovernmental organization (NGO) leaders, and emergency management practitioners.  This includes senior elected and appointed leaders, such as Federal department or agency heads, State Governors, mayors, Tribal leaders, and city or county officials – those who have a responsibility to provide for effective response.

Continuing Education Credits:
N/A

Location:
Online

To Apply:
This course is available at http://training.fema.gov/IS.  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 the results.  If you successfully complete the test, a link will be included in the email for you to access and print your course certificate.