FEMA's National Continuity Programs (NCP) has designed the nation's continuity training program to address the full spectrum of requirements to support a viable continuity capability. Courses are available for students at all levels, from individuals new to the Continuity community to program managers who have been involved with continuity for many years. Through training events, personnel are provided the opportunity to develop and enhance their continuity knowledge and expertise.
Continuity Excellence Series - Professional & Master Practitioner Continuity Programs
The FEMA Administrator established the Continuity Excellence Series - Level I, Professional Continuity Practitioner and Level II, Master Continuity Practitioner on April 16, 2008. This effort is dedicated to enhancing the excellence in the development and implementation of Continuity programs and emergency management.
Applicant must complete the following courses and activities in any order from Level I or Level II unless specified as prerequisite to another course on the list.
Level I - Professional Continuity Practitioner Requirements
Complete all of the following:
- IS 546.a: Continuity of Operations Awareness Course
- IS 547.a: Introduction to Continuity of Operations
- IS 242.a or equivalent E/L/G course: Effective Communication
Complete one of the following:
- E/L/G 548 or IS 548: Continuity of Operations Program Managers T-t-T Course
- G 549: Continuity of Operations Program Manager Course
- MGT 331 University of Maryland Preparing the States Continuity Course
Complete one of the following:
- E/L/G 550 or IS 524: Continuity of Operations Planner’s T-t-T Workshop
- L 552: Continuity of Operations for Tribal Government Course
Complete one of the following:
- IS 100.b: Intro to Incident Command System (ICS)
- ICS 100: Introduction to Incident Command System (ICS)
- ICS 200: Incident Command System (ICS)
- IS 200.b: Incident Command System (ICS) for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
Complete all of the following:
- E/L 549 or IS 545: Reconstitution Planning Workshop
- IS 248: Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) for the American Public
- IS 230.d: Fundamentals of Emergency Management or equivalent E/L/G course: Principles of Emergency Management
- IS 700.a: Intro to National Incident Management System (NIMS)
- IS 800.b: A National Response Framework (NRF), An Introduction
Complete one of the following:
- IS 120.a: Introduction to Exercises
- E 136: Exercise Development Course (limited to EMI Resident MEPP candidates)
- IS 139: Exercise Design
- E/L 547: Continuity Exercise Design Course (CEDC) or IS 550: Continuity Exercise Design Course
Complete one of the following:
- E/L 554: Pandemic Influenza (PI) Determined Accord Workshop
- IS 520: Introduction to Continuity of Operations Planning for Pandemic Influenzas and IS 522: Exercising Continuity Plans for Pandemic Course (both Independent Study courses are required)
- E/L 553 or IS 523: Resilient Accord Cyber Security Planning Workshop
- E/L 556 or IS 525: Guardian Accord Terrorism Awareness Workshop
- E/L 557 or IS 526: MEF Workshop
- NARA/CoSA Vital Records Training (optional, recommended) – www.nara.gov
Level II - Master Continuity Practitioner Requirements
- Applicants must attain a Continuity Excellence Series – Level I, Professional Continuity Practitioner
- IS 130: Exercise Evaluation and Improvement Planning or E 132 (limited to EMI Resident MEPP candidates) or G130 Exercise Evaluation
- IS 240.a or equivalent E/L/G course: Leadership and Influence
- E/L/G 551 or IS 551: Devolution Planning Workshop
Complete one of the following:
- E/L 156 or IS 156: Building Design for Homeland Security T-t-T Course for Continuity of Operations
- E/L 153: Building Design for Homeland Security for Continuity of Operations
Complete one of the following:
PER 266: Instructor Training Certification (ITC)
- E/L 262: Instructional Delivery for Subject Matter Experts
- G 265: Instructional Delivery Skills (formerly G 261: Instructional Presentation Skills)
- E 605: Instructional Delivery
- E/L 141: Instructional Presentation & Evaluation Skills Course
Instruct/Facilitate one of the following:
- *E/L/G 548: Continuity of Operations Manager’s T-t-T Course
- *E/L 550: Continuity of Operations Planner’s T-t-T Workshop
- *E/L/G 551: Devolution Planning Workshop
- *E/L 554: Determined Accord Pandemic Preparedness Workshop
- *E/L 553: Resilient Accord Workshop
- *E/L 556: Guardian Accord Workshop
- *E/L 549: Reconstitution Planning Workshop
- *E/L 557: MEF Workshop
*Written Comprehensive Exam (150 questions) – Applicants are eligible to take the comprehensive exam once they have completed all Level I and Level II requirements. A score of 70% is required for passing.
* Please send email to FEMA-Continuity-Practitioner@fema.dhs.gov for additional information.
Previous EMI versions of courses listed are acceptable in lieu of current course version.
All Independent Study (IS) courses can found at //training.fema.gov/is and by clicking on ISP COURSE LIST.
Request Continuity Practitioner Certificates
- Emergency Management Institute will issue all certificates
- Level I and Level II requests must be accompanied by copies of all required course certificates or an official EMI transcript
- Send certificate requests and copies of certificates or official EMI transcript to mailbox
FEMA-Continuity-Practitioner@fema.dhs.gov or mail to:
DHS/FEMA/NCP/COOP
Attn: Training Manager
500 C Street SW, Room 5NW 1005
Washington, DC 20472-3154
- Please include your name, organization, work address or home address, email address and phone number
- Expect to wait up to 6 weeks to receive your certificate
Request to take Written Comprehensive Exam (150 questions)
- You must have completed all requirements for Level I
- You must have completed all requirements for Level II
- Facilitating/Instructing Requirement – Provide an email or letter from Lead Instructor with Course Title, Dates, and Course Location
- Send copy of your Level I certificate, copy of Level II course certificates or official EMI transcript, and Facilitating/Instructing email or letter to mailbox FEMA-Continuity-Practitioner@fema.dhs.gov or mail to:
DHS/FEMA/NCP/COOP
Attn: Training Manager
500 C Street SW, Room 5NW 1005
Washington, DC 20472-3154
Once all requirements are verified, a date to complete the Written Comprehensive Exam will be provided.