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 increasing out of necessity, and skilled job seekers will be able to choose from opportunities in both the public and private sector.

This multimedia-rich program addresses all phases of emergency management: the social and environmental processes that generate hazards, hazard and vulnerability analysis, hazard mitigation, emergency response, disaster recovery, and emergency planning. You'll gain a solid understanding of emergency management principles and practices.

Emergency Management Training for First Responders is a highly interactive program that uses a combination of online presentations, interactive activities, animation, and reading assignments. Presentations provide basic concepts and information. Animated scenarios lead you through a disaster, allowing you to assume different roles while answering questions about how to proceed through the scenario. The reading assignments provide you with additional information needed to complete activities. You'll also work one-on-one with an expert facilitator on essay-style activities that require personal, in-depth responses to example emergency situations. The end result is an excellent understanding of the field of emergency management.

As part of this program, you'll receive five top emergency management textbooks that you'll use extensively during this program.

Upon registration, you'll 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.

Upon successful completion of this program, you'll be able to:

• React effectively to threats from the environment
• Write a professional emergency plan, with understanding of 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
• Protect lives in the initial steps of hazard detection, warning, evacuation, and sheltering
• 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
• Apply appropriate mitigation tools and techniques to reduce vulnerability

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, an Animated Scenario
   8. Professional Accountability
2. Emergency Planning
   1. The Formal Planning Process
   2. Essay Activity: Mudslides in California
   3. Mandates, Structures and Guidelines, an Information Scenario
   4. Patterned Human Behavior in Disasters, an Information Scenario
   5. Preparing for Hazard Adjustments, an Information Scenario
   6. Fostering Successful Emergency Planning
   7. Essay Activity: Risk Communication
   8. Hazard Awareness Programs, an Information Scenario
   9. Fostering Successful Emergency Planning
   10. Essay Activity: Sierra Vista, Arizona
3. Hazard Mitigation and Preparedness
   1. Building a Culture of Preparedness
   2. Essay Activity: Community Sustainability
   3. Identifying Hazards, an Information Scenario
   4. The Chairperson, an Information Scenario
   5. Hazard Mitigation Planning
   6. Essay Activity: Seaside, Oregon
   7. The Hurricane, an Information Scenario
   8. Hazard Mitigation at the Local Level, an Information Scenario
   9. Local Land Use Powers, an Information Scenario
   10. Essay Activity: National Flood Insurance Program
4. Technology in Emergency Management
   1. Using Technology, an Information Scenario
   2. Emergency Management and the Internet, an Information Scenario
   3. Networks in Emergency Management, an 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, an Information Scenario
5. Disaster Response and Recovery
   1. Approaching Response and Recovery Operations: Alternative Management Theory
   2. Overcoming Typical Challenges
   3. The Vista Marina Earthquake, an Animated Decision-Making Scenario
   4. Dealing With Future Disasters

A high school diploma or GED are required to complete this program.

This program is for you if you'd like to learn the skills needed to get an entry-level position in the emergency management field. For instance, you could work at the federal, state, or local levels, in the private sector with business-continuity planning, or in other sectors, such as emergency services and public health. You don't need any experience or specialized knowledge to take this program.

This program is compatible with the Windows XP and later operating systems and IE 7 and later browsers.

Adobe Flash Player and Adobe Acrobat Reader are required for this program.

Click here to download the Acrobat Reader.
Click here to download the Flash Player.

ed2go will provide the following textbooks:

• Wiley Pathways: Emergency Planning by Ronald W. Perry, Ph.D., Michael K. Lindell, Ph.D.
• Wiley Pathways: Introduction to Emergency Management by Michael K. Lindell, Ph.D., Carla Prater, Ronald W. Perry, Ph.D.
• Wiley Pathways: Technology in Emergency Management by John C. Pine
• Wiley Pathways: Hazard Mitigation and Preparedness by Anna K. Schwab, Katherine Eschelbach, David J. Brower
• Wiley Pathways: Disaster Response and Recovery by David A. McEntire

Patrick L. Cote has over 30 years of law enforcement and emergency management experience. He was a full-time criminal justice instructor for Central Carolina Community College in Sanford, North Carolina, for three years. He was also a licensed private investigator in the State of North Carolina, and has ten years of experience teaching part-time at Tunxis Community College in Farmington, Connecticut, at Central Arizona Community College in Coolidge, Arizona, and at Aims Community College in Fort Lupton, Colorado.

Patrick was in law enforcement for 30 years, the last 11 as police chief in Florence, Arizona, and in Somersworth, New Hampshire. He began his career in Bristol, Connecticut, and rose through the ranks to attain the rank of captain. He was with the Bristol department for eighteen years. Most recently, Patrick served as the director of public safety for more than two years in Fort Lupton, Colorado, before retiring in 1999.

Patrick holds a Master's of Science degree in criminal justice management from the University of New Haven, West Haven, Connecticut; a Bachelor's of Science degree in criminal justice administration from Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, Connecticut; and an Associate's of Science degree in criminal justice from Tunxis Community College, Farmington, Connecticut.