Online Incident Command System Review Courses Available to First Responders

Dec. 13, 2006
The nation's first responders now can take two new incident command system (ICS) review courses online through the National Emergency Training Center (NETC) Virtual Campus.

The new, scenario-based courses are intended as a review of fundamental ICS concepts and principles for responders planning to take intermediate or advanced ICS training, or for those who need a refresher in ICS.

"The U.S. Fire Administration continues to move forward, in our efforts to ensure the Nation's first responders have available to them, the most current ICS body of knowledge," said Acting United States Fire Administration (USFA) Administrator, Charlie Dickinson. "Our firefighters and first responders face numerous challenges in their communities and these courses further ensure the effectiveness and safety of our response and recovery responsibilities."

The USFA, the Emergency Management Institute and the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, in cooperation with the DHS National Incident Management System (NIMS) Integration Center, jointly have developed ICS 100-400 courses based on standard learning objectives. ICS 300 and ICS 400 are classroom-based courses.

All of the ICS courses are based on standard learning objectives and are considered equivalent in terms of meeting NIMS requirements; NFA's courses are geared toward ensuring that operational responders can perform ICS functions in an emergency or incident environment.

Information concerning the National Fire Academy (NFA) versions of ICS 300 and ICS 400 is available through state fire training agencies. New ICS courses include:

Q-464 - Fundamentals Review for ICS 300: This course can be used as a pre-course module or as remedial training for the classroom version of ICS 300; this course alone does not meet the training requirements for ICS 300.

Q-466 - Fundamentals Review for ICS 400: This course can be used as a pre-course module or as remedial training for the classroom version of ICS 400; this course alone does not meet the training requirements for ICS 400.

The two new courses follow the precedent set by the popular on-line interactive ICS training offered on the NETC Virtual Campus, specifically designed for operational responders. Two of the courses often used by responders to meet NIMS ICS training requirements include Q-462 - ICS 100, Introduction to ICS for Operational First Responders and Q-463 - ICS 200, Basic ICS for Operational First Responders.

The courses may be found on the NETC Virtual Campus - select the "Online Training (NETC Virtual Campus)" link located under Quick Links.

About the Author

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.

Sponsored Recommendations

Unleashing the Power of Stories: Level-up Safety Culture with Three Easy Storytelling Tools

Jan. 3, 2025
Effective storytelling can shape a workplace culture and improve safety, especially in times of change when risk soars, hazards multiply and human factors threaten to derail progress...

4 Resources to Get Better Safety Performances From Supervisors

Jan. 3, 2025
Here is an overview of four of the best safety resources that safety folks can use as they consider how to get better safety performances from supervisors and workplace leaders...

4 Often Overlooked Types of New Workers—and the Different Dangers They Face

Jan. 3, 2025
This blog post is an adapted excerpt from the safety guide Fitting in Fast: Making a Safe Workplace for New Hires, which examines data and best practices regarding the protection...

4 Ways Frontline Supervisors Influence Workplace Safety

Jan. 3, 2025
These four areas determine whether frontline supervisors are having a positive or negative effect on workplace safety.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!