OTE FAQs (Policy for EM Classes only)

VDEM Office of Training and Exercises Policy FAQs

Who is eligible to take OTE courses?

All courses are free and open to the public unless otherwise specified in the training announcement.  If prerequisites are required, the student must follow instructions in the course description to certify eligibility.  Students who do not submit prerequisite certificates within the timelines specified in the course description are subject to disenrollment.

How are courses scheduled?

Courses are scheduled based on needs identified during regional Improvement Planning Workshops conducted in the fall of each year, and the State Training and Exercise Planning Workshop conducted during the early spring of each year.  A secondary consideration is the Advanced Professional Series.  Each Advanced Professional Series course taught by the state of Virginia is scheduled in each of VDEM’s seven regions at least once every three years.

How do I find out what courses are available?

Students are encouraged to sign up for the VDEM’s EM Update, an e-newsletter that promulgates all training for the upcoming quarter every two weeks.  The link to sign up for the EM Update can be found at http://www.vaemergency.gov/news/em-update.  Other options to find available courses include browsing the VDEM training calendar and/or the Commonwealth of Virginia Knowledge Center for VDEM courses.

My locality needs a course not on the training calendar.  What do I do?

Localities who have identified a training need and wish to host a specific course not already on the calendar should submit their request in writing to vdemtrainingandexercises@vdem.virginia.gov.  Sixty days advance notice is required.  These requests should include desired course, reason for requesting the course, several sets of possible dates, requested location and a statement that confirms the locality’s commitment to provide an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible facility and at least fifteen students.  Localities requesting courses must permit open advertisement of the course.

How do I enroll in courses?

Enrollment in all OTE courses is done through the Commonwealth of Virginia Knowledge Center.  Specific procedures can be found here.  To allow ample time for student and instructor travel planning, confirmation of facilities, roster generation and any pre-course work, the enrollment deadline is two weeks prior to course start.  Late requests for enrollment are discouraged, as they create an undue administrative burden.  They will be accommodated only if existing logistical arrangements will support additional students.

Some courses allow me to enroll directly while others only have a “Request Access” link.  What’s the difference?

Courses that are in a request access format have mandatory prerequisites associated with them.  In order to enroll, you must submit the prerequisite certificates in accordance with procedures contained within the course description.  You will then be approved and enrolled in the course automatically.

If more students want to take a course than there are seats, how is priority determined?

Priority enrollment is given to local governments, state agencies, non-governmental organizations, volunteer organizations active in disasters and private partners.  Specific target audiences may be identified in the course Training Announcement.  Reservists enrolled in the Advanced Professional Series certification program will receive priority enrollment.  Federal employees, students from states other than Virginia and unaffiliated individuals may receive training on a space available basis.

Why do some courses get cancelled?

Due to budgetary constraints, at least fifteen students must be enrolled to justify conducting a course.  However, each of these decisions is made on a case-by-case basis.  The final decision of whether to proceed with a class will be made by the division director at the application deadline: two weeks prior to class start

What if a prior commitment makes me miss a portion of the course?

OTE’s attendance policy is in accordance with Department of Homeland Security guidelines.  A student can miss no more than 10% of the course and still receive full credit.  Students are STRONGLY encouraged to attend the first day of multi-day courses in their entirety.

Why doesn’t VDEM allow me to keep my training manual at the end of course?

Unfortunately, VDEM’s training budget has been subject to significant cuts in recent years.  In order to maintain the same quality of instruction and answer increased demand for localized training, OTE has been forced to cut some peripheral support.  Instead of a hard copy manual, students are now given a CD with the student manual for the course attended, as well as all other courses taught by OTE of the same type.

Are VDEM courses eligible for Continuing Education credit?

Almost all VDEM courses are eligible for category two CE credit through both DCJS and Virginia EMS.  Students will receive instructions and necessary forms at the beginning of their respective courses.

How do I get my completion certificate?

Completion certificates are generated within the Commonwealth of Virginia Knowledge Center after completion of the course roster by the course manager.  Students will be sent an email with detailed instructions for accessing the certificate, usually within 1-2 business days of the end of the course.  Accessing the certificate requires the completion of a one-time course survey.  After the survey is completed, the certificate will remain resident in the system for as long as the student has an account and will not require completion of the survey for future access.

Who do I call for help?

If you have questions about OTE training programs or problems accessing the Knowledge Center, contact the LMS help desk at lmshelp@vdem.virginia.gov or via phone at 804-897-6500.