Date: October 2006

Course Information:
FEMA previously created an online training course for the topic of special event contingency planning for an audience of federal, state, and local emergency management personnel and special event planners across the country. FEMA understands that planners nationwide may need to come together to discuss these issues prior to planning an event and wanted to make this knowledge and courseware available in an instructor-led course. FEMA’s goal is for groups of all sizes planning any type of special event to work together before and during the event to ensure the safety of all involved so that the event will run as smoothly as possible.  This instructor-led course will provide universal guidelines regarding contingency planning for special events of all sizes, and will provide instruction for how to use the Incident Command System (ICS) as an efficient way of managing special events.

Course Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, special event planners will be able to:

1. Define a special event.
2. Identify strategies for successfully planning a special event.
3. Identify the hazards and associated risks that jurisdictions must address when planning for any event.
4. Identify critical operational considerations associated with a special event..
5. Identify the advantages of using ICS during a special event.
6. Determine when specific types of events require special planning considerations.

Course Length:
2 days.

Target Audience:
One audience is the team of individuals within a particular community who are planning a special event together.  This team could take the course together and use it as a way of preparing for the event.  Another audience consists of individuals who have roles to play in a special event and want to learn more about how to prepare for and manage the event.  Some of the specific types of target audience include:

• Special event planners/coordinators
• Special event promoters and sponsors
• State, local and community officials
• Local Emergency Planning Committees
• Law enforcement, Public works agencies and utility companies.

To Access this Course:
The course is delivered by the training office in State emergency management agencies.  Visit FEMA’s website at http://www.fema.gov/about/contact/statedr.shtm for contact information.

Online Version:
The web version, IS-15.A, is available for independent study at http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/IS15a.asp.

Questions:
Contact the course manager, Tom Gilboy, at
(301) 447-1535 or by email at Tom.Gilboy@dhs.gov.