Training & Certification

Thank you for your interest in teaching for the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management. We strive to provide the best training available to our State and rely on our instructors to achieve this goal. In order to ensure the best instruction is provided, certain requirements have been established for one to become an instructor for us. We hope the following information is helpful, and we look forward to working with you in the future.

All Instructors wishing to instruct for Emergency Management must submit a General Instructor application and proof of completion of the minimum requirements. The minimum requirements for General Instructors are as follows:

• Course completion of course wishing to instruct
• Formal adult instructor training (40 hour minimum) through accredited agencies and or institutions (college courses, NWCG Facilitative Instructor M-410 course, EMI E/L/or K-141 Instructional Presentation and Evaluation Skills, DHS OGT Instructor Training Certification Course, or an equivalent such as OSFM General Instructor Level II or equivalent).
• Instructional Prerequisites per individual course A course may have prerequisites other than the minimum requirements. Those prerequisites are usually found in the Instructor Guide for the individual course.

For those wishing to teach ICS classes, a separate ICS application must be filled out. Please fill out the corresponding application, and attach proof of completion of course, proof of methodology and proof of any other prerequisites and send it to your county Emergency Management office who, after approval, will in turn send the application to your state area coordinator.

General Instructor Application

For additional questions, please contact NCEM Training at NCEMtraining@ncdps.gov

Thank you for your interest in teaching ICS for the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management. We strive to provide the best training available to our State and rely on our instructors to achieve these goals. In order to ensure the best instruction is provided, certain requirements have been established for one to become an instructor for us. We hope the following information is helpful, and we look forward to working with you in the future.

All Instructors wishing to teach Incident Command System (ICS) classes for Emergency Management must submit an ICS Instructor application and proof of completion of the minimum requirements. The minimum requirements for an ICS Instructor can be found with the ICS application and detail exactly how to complete the application and submit it. Different pre-requisites that fall in line with Federal requirements have been established to teach ICS classes and therefore the application packet for an ICS instructor differs from a General Instructor.

For additional questions, please contact NCEM Training at NCEMtraining@ncdps.gov

Agency and Institution Responsibilities:

• If an agency or institution wishes to utilize grant funds provided by NCEM, it is the Agency or
• Institution’s responsibility to verify through NCEM Training that the Instructor is eligible to instruct a course.

ICS Instructor Application

The Emergency Management Institute (EMI), a dependent of the National Disaster and Emergency Management University (NDEMU) is responsible for the content of the All
Hazards Position Specific Courses. North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) works in partnership with EMI to deliver the All-Hazards curriculum within the boundaries on North Carolina.

For delivery of the All-Hazards Position Specific Courses in North Carolina, the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management is responsible for ensuring that the policies and procedures created by EMI are strictly followed.

Request for Course

Agencies wishing to offer All-Hazards Position Specific courses within their jurisdiction will submit their request (Attachment A) to the NCEM AHIMT Training Coordinator, or the NCEM State Training Officer via this (completed) form. Classes will not be recognized for the purpose of either receiving credit in the national database or receiving EMI Certificates of Completion
unless this form is completed and then forwarded to EMI for administrative registration. Completed request forms are to be transmitted to NCEM at a minimum of 45 days prior to the start of the requested class.

Approval of Course

Once NCEM Training receives the request, NCEM Training will verify the listed instructors (a minimum of two for each course) are authorized to instruct the requested course in NCEM’s approved instructor database. Requests for courses which utilize instructors not approved in NCEM’s database will be denied (Note: It is the instructor’s responsibility to apply for approval to instruct a course). Requesting individuals or agencies can find NCEM approved instructors in NC TERMS (http://terms.ncem.gov/TRS/), NCEM’s Learning Management System. NCEM Training will forward the request to the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) for administrative processing. NCEM Training will verify with EMI the requested course meets all administrative requirements. Once the requirements are verified, NCEM Training will give final approval to conduct the course and enter the course into NC TERMS.

Student Registration

Students are required to register for the course via NC TERMS. Once registered, applicants will be waitlisted for review by the Course Manager. The Course Manager will have final determination of application status. Students will also be required to complete a NETC Admissions Online Application via the Emergency Management Institute site.

Student Selection

The basic requirement for attendance at All-Hazards Position Specific training is completion of the NIMS 100, 200, 300, 400, 700 & 800 courses. For All Hazards General Staff courses, applicants must complete at least one subordinate All Hazard Position Specific Unit Leader Course in the functional are prior to completing the corresponding All Hazards General Staff Position Course( Resource Unit Leader prior to Planning Section Chief), . In addition, students should be members of ‘Type 3’ Incident Management Teams or be working toward becoming members in the future. Applicants will be prioritized in the following order:

1. Member of a NC AHIMT Type 3 Team or higher
2. Member of a NC IMT Type 3 Team or higher
3. Applicant who submitted an AHIMT Application to the North Carolina All Hazard Incident Management Qualification Committee and awarded full credential
4. Applicant who submitted an AHIMT Application to the North Carolina All Hazard Incident Management Qualification Committee and awarded provisional credential
5. Applicants who submitted an AHIMT Application to the NC North Carolina All Hazard Incident Management Qualification Committee and are awaiting response
6. Member of a Type 4 or Type 5 IMT

Student Evaluation

At the end of the course, the students will complete the federal evaluation forms utilizing a FEMA issued Student Identification (FEMASID) number. It is the Instructor’s responsibility to ensure all students complete the NETC Admissions Online Application and federal evaluation. Once verified, the Instructor will compile all the grades, EMI sign ins sheets and the federal evaluation forms and submit to NCEM Training. NCEM Training will forward the documentation to EMI. In addition, the student will be responsible for evaluating the course via NC TERMS. Once EMI receives and processes the course, the student will receive an EMI Certificate of Completion.

Mission

The mission of the North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) Training Program is to
facilitate, coordinate, and provide training support and quality instructional training courses in
order to better equip emergency management and response professionals to prepare for, respond
to, and recover from disastrous incidents while protecting lives, property, and the environment, as members of deployable teams. NCEM provides effective training coordination to meet the needs of the State’s 100 counties and tribal reservation.

Vision

To meet the training and professional competency needs of emergency management and response professionals across North Carolina through a diversified and responsive program in coordination with local partners and in support of local, state, and federal requirements.

Purpose

The primary goals of the North Carolina Emergency Management Training Program are to provide identified and mandated training to first responders and stakeholders throughout the state so they may achieve a high level of operational readiness to respond to any hazard. Additionally, the Program will manage the Department of Homeland Security training grants to ensure all Federal requirements are met, and grant funds are expended in a way that best suits the needs of North Carolina’s first responder agencies and their partners. The Training Program strives to coordinate training to address hazards and threats that affect the state which are identified in the State Hazard Mitigation Plan (SHMP).North Carolina Emergency Management’s Training Program was established to provide innovative and professional training to state and local emergency management personnel, elected and appointed officials, emergency responders, members of volunteer organizations active in disasters, and other professionals who prepare for and respond to emergencies in order to address the critical need of providing advanced, up-to-date training for North Carolina’s public safety and emergency management professionals.

The NCEM Training Program works to train personnel to a standard high enough to obtain critical credentialing and or obtain positions of greater responsibility within the emergency
management/emergency response career fields, to maintain the excellence of the current emergency management/emergency response professionals through continuing education and professional development training, and, to develop a professional volunteer base trained in disaster response and incident management.

NCEM’s Training Program serves professionals in the following fields:

• Emergency Management
• Fire Service
• Law Enforcement
• Emergency Medical Services
• Public Works
• Public Health
• Hospital Staff
• Business and Industry
• State and Federal Agencies
• Utility Representatives
• Volunteer Service Organizations
• Cooperating Agencies

General

Courses are available to anyone involved in emergency management or response at the local, state, or federal levels. Eligible attendees include individuals with responsibilities in the fields of public policy, emergency management, emergency response, volunteer organizations, public health, public and private schools, universities, first response organizations, public utilities, health care organizations or other relevant public and private sector groups. There are no direct instructional costs for those eligible to attend training courses. Student handbooks and other supporting materials are provided when dictated by course requirements. Specialized courses requiring payment by the student to attend will be clearly identified on the course offering to alert the student of the cost prior to registration and attendance. Courses may be cancelled at the discretion of North Carolina Emergency Management staff and/or the instructors or facility due to low enrollment or other extenuating circumstances. Efforts will be made to notify students as quickly as possible in advance by email of a course cancellation, when possible.

North Carolina Emergency Managements serves as the liaising entity for all National Domestic Preparedness Consortium (NDPC), Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium (RDPC), and Emergency Management Institute (EMI) course applications. Prior to completing an application for one of these courses, students should contact the North Carolina Emergency Management Training Branch for more information concerning application guidance and the approval process.
NCEM strongly encourages interested students to take advantage of these great opportunities.

Eligibility of Student Reimbursement Policy

North Carolina Emergency Management may reimburse travel expenses related to lodging and meals for courses that are deemed critical and fully funded by North Carolina Emergency Management. These courses will be clearly labeled in the “Offering Specific Information” section of the course that NCEM will offer reimbursement for lodging and meals. To be eligible for this reimbursement, travel must involve a destination location at least 50 miles from the student’s regularly assigned duty station or home, whichever is less. An overnight stay must be included, and a receipt for lodging must be provided along with a completed travel reimbursement form.

Travel reimbursement forms must be submitted within 10 calendar days of the last day of class for processing to the NCEM Training Branch (training@ncdps.gov). Reimbursements will no longer be accepted via mail. If the forms or receipts for travel are submitted outside of the 10 calendar days, students must submit an appeal via email within 20 calendar days of class completion explaining the reason for delay. Those reimbursements will be reviewed for approval although payment is not guaranteed.

An eligible student is limited to three stipend reimbursements per calendar year unless:

• The student is a paid employee of a local or tribal office of emergency management; or a waiver is requested by the eligible student’s agency administrator in writing. The waiver must include the student’s name, class name, date of class, and a description of how the agency will benefit by the student attending.
• The waiver request must be received by the NCEM Training Branch Manager no later than 10 business days prior to the start of the course. If the waiver is denied, the agency administrator may appeal to the NCEM Planning Section Chief in writing no later than 5 business days prior to the start of the course.

Frequent Absentees

Students who exhibit a pattern of not attending classes for which they have registered (2 or more in a single year) may have their ability to register for future courses restricted. Students may appeal to the NCEM Training Branch Manager to have their registration privileges restored after showing cause for the absences. Attending training paid for by North Carolina Emergency Management is a privilege, not a right. All training provided is funded by North Carolina Emergency Management grant funding and must be stewarded carefully.

Dress Code for Training

While participating in training, NCEM requires both a professional look and the ability to move
safely. Participants (both instructors and students) are asked to remember that they are representing their agency and North Carolina Emergency Management. It is also suggested to consider weather conditions when preparing for training and bringing additional clothes as needed. Examples of the dress code are outlined below.

• Shirts – Collared polos, casual shirts, sweaters, turtlenecks
  • Inappropriate items include tank tops, halter-tops, t-shirts (unless worn under another blouse), shirt, jacket, or jumpers.
• Pants – Slacks, tactical pants, jeans (no rips or holes)
  • Inappropriate items include sweatpants, wind suits, shorts, bib overalls, leggings, and spandex.
• Dresses and Skirts – Casual dresses and skirts, and split skirts at or below the knee
  • Inappropriate items include dress and skirt length shorter than four inches above the knee, miniskirts, thin-strap dresses.
• Footwear – Loafers, boots, tennis shoes, flats, dress sandals, open-toed shoes, clogs, and leather deck shoes
  • Inappropriate items include flip-flops and slippers.

Health and Safety

The health and well-being of all North Carolina Emergency Management employees, instructors and facilitators, and staff and students are the primary concern of the NCEM Training Program. Therefore, all members attending training events should self-monitor for symptoms and stay home if they are sick. If a student has any of the following symptoms, they are encouraged to withdraw from training and reschedule at a later date:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Headaches
• Muscle or body aches not due to arthritis or injury
• Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
• Excess or unexplained fatigue
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Nasal congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

We also ask that for the safety of everyone that you do not attend training if you have:

• Tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 10 days, or
• Have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the past 14 days, or
• Previously had symptoms, until symptoms have improved, and
• 10 days have passed since onset of symptoms, and no fever for 24 hours.

Non-Discrimination & Harassment Policy

North Carolina Emergency Management does not discriminate based on race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, or based on the exercise of rights secured by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. NCEM schedules training programs in the interest of all North Carolina state, tribal, and local officials to the extent that NCEM staff time and budget will permit. NCEM establishes the conditions of student participation. The requirements are important factors in maintaining an effective emergency management training program in North Carolina. It is the policy of North Carolina Emergency Management that no state employee may engage in conduct that falls under the definition of unlawful workplace harassment. All employees and trainees are guaranteed the right to work and train in an environment free from unlawful workplace harassment and retaliation.

Unlawful Workplace Harassment is unwelcomed, or unsolicited speech or conduct based upon race, sex, creed, religion, national origin, age, color, or handicapping condition as defined by G.S. 168A-3 that creates a hostile work or training environment or circumstances involving quid pro quo. A hostile work environment is one that both a reasonable person would find hostile or abusive and one that the person who is the object of the harassment perceives to be hostile or abusive. A hostile work environment is determined by analyzing all circumstances, including the frequency of the allegedly harassing conduct, its severity, whether it is physically threatening or humiliating, and whether it unreasonably interferes with an employee’s or trainee’s work performance.

Quid Pro Quo harassment consists of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct when (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment, or (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual.

Retaliation is adverse treatment which occurs because of opposition to unlawful workplace harassment.

Americans with Disabilities Act

An individual seeking accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act must check the disability accommodation box on the class registration page. NCEM Training staff will contact the individual to coordinate necessary accommodation.

Disruptive Behavior

North Carolina Emergency Management strictly adheres to the guidelines on classroom disruption and academic integrity. Instructors have full authority for discipline in the class sessions.

Inappropriate behavior that threatens the safety of students, instructors or others and disrupts a class or other function will not be tolerated. Vulgar or threatening language, harassment, violence, or other disruptive behavior will be handled as a disciplinary offense. The instructor may remove a disruptive student from the class for the duration and the student may be asked to leave the venue immediately. NCEM will uphold the instructor’s decisions concerning student discipline and safety. That student may also be suspended from registering or attending any North Carolina Emergency Management sponsored training for an entire year. In addition, North Carolina Emergency Management will send a disciplinary letter d tailing the students’ conduct to the student’s supervisor or agency. All participants in classroom activities must be registered in NC TERMS. Visitors must be approved by the course instructor in advance to minimize disruption to instruction. Students may not record students or instructors participating in or conducting training by NCEM without previous written approval of the NCEM Training Branch Manager.

The use of tobacco products is prohibited in class, as well as smoking and vaping within indoor locations. Students and instructors should turn off (or turn to vibrate) all cell phones/pagers while in class. Electronic devices are not to be used for personal reasons during class. The instructor has the authority to remove such devices from the classroom. Any property taken or removed by the instructor will be returned to the student at the end of the daily class session.

Weapons, to include firearms, knives (unless required for the course), etc., are prohibited in all government buildings and classes. Law enforcement officials who are required to carry a weapon may do so only if the weapon is properly secured.

Exceptions are at the discretion of the instructor.