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All emergency management courses are offered free of charge. Students are required to attend all sessions of each course, seminar or workshop in which they are enrolled. Those who do not comply may be denied course completion certificates and reimbursement of travel expenses.
NOTE: The APS (Advanced Professional Series) or PDS (Professional Development Series) designation indicates that this course is a requirement or elective for APS or PDS certification.
Adjunct Instructor Workshop – 8 Hours
This designed workshop, by invitation only, features the latest expert training tools and newest creative facilitation ideas. Trainers will learn proven retention techniques that will result in more effective training. Participants will gain insight into their personal training style with a self-audit and will discover what it takes to motivate individuals to learn.
Basic Public Information Officer Course (G290) – 20 Hours
This course is designed for the new or less experienced Public Information Officer (PIO). Its emphasis is on the fundamental skills and knowledge needed for emergency management public information functions. Topics include: the role of the PIO in emergency management, preparing and conducting awareness campaigns, news release writing, public speaking and television interviews. Required for attendance of the Advanced Public Information Course (E388) at the Emergency Management Institute.
Coordinator's Briefing (V400) – 8 Hours
Lodging expense for one night will be direct billed to the Department of Emergency Management and meals will be reimbursed for those local Emergency Management Coordinators and Deputy Coordinators who reside 40 miles or more from the training site.
Debris Management (G202) – 8 Hours 
This course, taught by Army Corps of Engineer instructors, is designed for emergency managers and planners, public works staff and waste management personnel. Provides an overview of issues and recommended actions necessary to plan for and manage debris resulting from all types of disasters and emergencies.
EOC Emergency Management and Operations (G275) – 24 Hours
This course provides the participant with training in the methods and procedures to effectively manage and operate an emergency operations center (EOC) during crisis situations. The course identifies considerations affecting site selection and design for an effective EOC; staffing, training, and briefing EOC personnel; and operating and managing an EOC during various emergency situations. This course is especially valuable for senior emergency management officials and any individual designated to serve in an EOC during emergency events.
Incident Command System/Emergency Operations Center (ICS/EOC) Interface (G191) – 12 Hours
This course provides an opportunity for participants to begin developing an ICS/EOC interface for their community. The course reviews ICS and EOC responsibilities and depends heavily on exercises and group discussion to formulate the interface.
ICS 300: Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents (ICS 300) – 16 Hours
Intermediate Incident Command System (ICS) is intended for those who could fill supervisory level positions during an incident. This two-day course will permit the student to develop an ICS organizational structure, list staffing requirements, prepare a briefing, lead or participate in a planning meeting, identify resources, develop goals, prepare an action plan and become familiar with the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
ICS 400: Advanced Incident Command System (ICS 400) – 16 Hours
This 2-day course is designed for a multidiscipline audience of staff who would likely serve as incident commanders in an ICS structure. Topics include command and general staff, unified command, major incident management, area command, and multiagency coordination. The course includes group activities, a tabletop exercise, and a final examination. The target audience for this course is senior personnel who are expected to perform in a decision making capacity in an Area Command or Multiagency Coordination Entity.
Mass Fatalities Incident Response (G386) – 24 Hours
Brand new completely revised course. Prepares local, state, and private industry response personnel to effectively manage any incident that results in more fatalities than can be handled using local resources alone. This course is designed for a wide audience including: heads of first response agencies, emergency managers, planners, medical examiners and funeral directors.
Mitigation Planning Workshop for Local Governments (G318) – 16 Hours
This course is designed for local government emergency managers and those persons responsible for developing or implementing mitigation projects. The requirements of the Stafford Act Section 322 All-hazard Mitigation Plan development and the components of those plans will be covered. Basic principles of mitigation will be followed through the recovery process from damage assessment to successful implementation of mitigation projects. Success stories and Virginia "best practices" will be highlighted throughout the course.
National Incident Management System (NIMS) Resource Management IS 703 – replaces Resource Management G276 – 16 Hours
This interactive computer-based course provides the principles, tools, processes, and systems used in NIMS that incident managers need for timely and effective resource management during an incident. This course will supersede G-276. For those who have completed G-276 still may claim credit for it as an elective, or IS-703 will count. (Online link: http://www.training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is703.asp. This external link will open in a new browser window.)
Principles of Emergency Management (IS230) – 20 Hours 
Recently revised, this course examines the need for an emergency management system and the importance of an integrated approach to managing emergencies. Participants formulate the elements of an integrated teamwork approach and devise specific actions for improving their own contributions to their local emergency program and system. This course is intended for staff with responsibilities in all aspects of emergency management. Students must achieve a minimum score of 75 percent on the end of the course exam to receive credit for course completion. This course is strongly recommended for those new to the emergency management field.
Rapid Assessment Workshop (G250.7) – 4 Hours
This Workshop is designed to walk local communities through critical points in the rapid assessment planning process and enable community planners and others to develop rapid assessment procedures for the Emergency Operations Plans. (Note: Damage Assessment, the process of collecting, compiling, and analyzing information, is not covered in this course.)
Recovery from Disaster: The Local Government Role (G270.4) – 16 Hours
This course is designed for local disaster recovery teams such as emergency managers, city/county administrators, public works directors, building inspectors and community planners. The course focuses on the roles and responsibilities of each team member and provides guidance on developing a local disaster recovery plan. Participants are given the opportunity to develop an outline of their own recovery plan during the course.
Warning Coordination (G272) – 12 Hours
Designed for emergency managers and those responsible for disseminating timely warning to the public in the event of an emergency or threatened disaster. Participants will study the sociology and psychology of warnings gaining valuable insight into developing an effective emergency warning plan.
CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) — Train-the-Trainer (G417) – 16 Hours
This course is designed to prepare participants to institute a CERT program in their communities. Organizational topics to be briefly reviewed include: program planning, funding sources, recruiting, training, supervision, team member retention and legal concerns. Topics to be covered from the CERT course will include: disaster preparedness, fire suppression, first aid, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, animals, and disaster, and terrorism awareness. There will be a variety of hands-on practical exercises for certain topics. Note: Must provide certificate of completion for on-line or in-class CERT course AND must provide letter of recommendation from local/state government or agency with whom the student is affiliated. This information must be provided by the first day of class.
Sustaining and Expanding Your CERT and Citizen Corps Program – 16 Hours
This new two-day course is designed to assist local Citizen Corps leaders and CERT instructors with sustaining and expanding local programs. Its emphasis is on volunteer management, marketing, and program sustaining and expansion. Topics covered are: involving special needs populations, delivering training exercises and creating partnerships that foster growth and sustainment.