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 NIMS/ICS courses are available on-line through FEMA's Independent Study Program. FEMA has also created an ICS Resource Center where you can find more course information, job aids, ICS forms, and ICS position checklists.
WI Emergency Management (WEM) offers class-room training for the higher level ICS courses and others to develop skills for all responder types. Visit WEM's website for information on course schedules, descriptions, requirements and on-line application.
Local training: Emergency Management can apply for training grant funds for county-wide training such as EOC Operations, Public Information Officer (PIO), Critical Incident Management (CIM) and more. Prior planning well in advance is required. There are guidelines and deadlines so it is best to coordinate directly with this office.
Exercising tests and evaluates functions including response capabilities and emergency plans. It helps you learn your strengths and weaknessess so that that you can revise plans and equipment needs. This department can assist you with all aspects of conducting an exercise. Below are definitions of the types of exercises.
Tabletop Exercise: A tabletop exercise simulates an emergency situation in an informal, stress-free environment. The participants, usually people on a decision-making level, discuss general procedures in the context of an emergency scenario. The focus is on familiarization with roles, procedures, and responsibilities.
Functional Exercise: The functional exercise simulates an emergency in the most realistic manner possible in a classroom setting. Participants include personnel from the tabletop as well as key decision makers. Controllers and Simulators inject scenario messages and exercise participants respond. The outcome is reviewed among participants at the end of the exercise.
Full-Scale Exercise: A full-scale exercise is as close to the real thing as possible. It is a multi-agency, multi-discipline exercise involving functional (EOC, Command Center, etc.) and "boots on the ground" response. Observers, Controllers, and Simulators are used and a hotwash is conducted giving each group a chance to review what happened and how it could be improved, |
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