Introduction to Emergency Management
Emergency management is an important activity at all levels of government, including schools. Not only must public and private entities prepare for emergencies, they must also train their employees in all aspects of their emergency preparedness plans, which include knowledge of the Incident Command System (ICS), Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS), and National Incident Management System (NIMS). These systems are comprehensive, local, state, and national approaches to incident management. They are applicable at all jurisdictional levels and are designed to provide flexible frameworks that apply to all phases of incident management, regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity.
Basic training for public employees on all three systems is required and normally consists of either a combined course or separate courses and exams. This course has been designed as a brief overview to capture the most basic and pertinent information (from ICS, SEMS, and NIMS) necessary for those employees who respond to an incident to assist or support the organization, but do not have experience with emergency situations. Personnel with greater responsibilities within their organization who may be required to supervise others or play a role in the emergency operations center at their district will need to attend more advanced Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) courses, as required by the regulations.