The growing number of disasters in recent years has placed the field of emergency management in the spotlight. The demand for skills in this field is growing out of necessity and provides many opportunities in both the public and private sector for job seekers.

This multimedia-rich program reflects the practitioner and applied knowledge base, particularly lessons learned at local and state government levels. It is an emergency management program to address all phases of emergency management—the social and environmental processes that generate hazards, hazard/vulnerability analysis, hazard mitigation, emergency response and disaster recovery, emergency response, disaster recovery, as well as emergency planning.

This highly interactive program will give you a solid understanding of emergency management principles and practices. It uses a combination of online presentations, interactive activities, animation and reading assignments. Presentations provide basic concepts and information. Animated scenarios lead through a disaster where you assume different roles and answer questions about how to proceed through the scenario. The reading assignments provide you with the additional information needed to complete the activity. Students will also work one-on-one with their expert facilitator on essay style activities that require personal in-depth responses to the scenario based emergency situations.

The end result is an excellent understanding of the field of emergency management.

In addition to the online program access and expert facilitator, each student will receive five top Emergency Management textbooks which will be used extensively to complete the program. Upon registration, you will be given six months to complete this program. If you need more time, a six month extension is available upon request at no additional charge.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Assess the pre-impact conditions that produce disaster vulnerability within communities.
• React effectively to threats from the environment.
• Write a professional emergency plan, understanding the components of the plan, the principles that guide the planning process, and resources that can be used in the planning process.
• Assemble an emergency planning team, motivate the team members, and train the team.
• Balance local needs with federal laws and requirements.
• Protect lives in the initial steps of hazard detection, warning, evacuation, and sheltering.
• Best care for those who have been affected by disasters.
• Manage public relations, donations, and volunteers during a disaster.
• Explore the role of technology in the support of emergency planning, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts.
• Identify the major categories of disasters.
• Assess risk and vulnerability and identify hazards.
• Follow the process for hazard mitigation planning.
• Apply appropriate mitigation tools and techniques to reduce vulnerability.

Module 1 Introduction to Emergency Management
1. Introduction
2. Stakeholders
3. Structures
4. Risk Perception and Communication
5. Emergency Response
6. Implementing Disaster Recovery
7. The Somersfield Man-Made Disasters – Animated Scenario
8. Professional Accountability

Module 2 Emergency Planning
1. The Formal Planning Process
2. Essay Activity - Mudslides in California
3. Mandates, Structures and Guidelines - Information Scenario
4. Patterned Human Behavior in Disasters – Information Scenario
5. Preparing for Hazard Adjustments – Information Scenario
6. Fostering Successful Emergency Planning
7. Essay Activity – Risk Communication
8. Hazard Awareness Programs – Information Scenario
9. Fostering Successful Emergency Planning
10. Essay Activity - Sierra Vista, Arizona

Module 3 Hazard Mitigation and Preparedness
1. Building a Culture of Preparedness
2. Essay Activity – Community Sustainability
3. Identifying Hazards – Information Scenario
4. The Chairperson – Information Scenario
5. Hazard Mitigation Planning
6. Essay Activity – Seaside Oregon
7. The Hurricane – Information Scenario
8. Hazard Mitigation at the Local Level – Information Scenario
9. Local land Use Powers - Information Scenario
10. Essay Activity - National Flood Insurance Program

Module 4 Technology in Emergency Management
1. Using Technology – Information Scenario
2. Emergency Management and the Internet – Information Scenario
3. Networks in Emergency Management – Information Scenario
4. Global Information Systems and Global Positioning Systems
5. LandView and Marplot
6. Data Representation – Activity
7. Geocoding
8. Hazard Analysis and Modeling
9. Hazard Modeling Systems – Activity
10. Warning Systems – Information Scenario

Module 5 Disaster Response and Recovery
1. Approaching Response and Recovery Operations: Alternative Management Theory
2. Overcoming Typical Challenges
3. The Vista Marina Earthquake – Animated Decision Making Scenario
4. Dealing with Future Disasters