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State Training Program

Program Overview

Emergency management training equips individuals with the knowledge to effectively respond, minimizes risk, and enhances coordination across agencies – leading to better decision-making, faster recovery, and the overall protection of lives, property, and resources during a crisis.

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management’s (OEM) Training Program works to improve operational readiness and capabilities to protect, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies or disasters regardless of cause. To ensure comprehensive emergency management training delivery across the State of Oregon, the training program coordinates with federal, state, local, private partners, and the nine federally recognized tribes of Oregon on an ongoing basis. Additionally, the program helps encourage and provide guidance for individual professional development in the emergency management field.

The OEM State Training Program coordinates the delivery of all FEMA emergency management trainings within the state, including OEM managed courses, FEMA Emergency Management Institute (EMI) courses, and FEMA National Training and Exercise Division (NTED) training consortium partner courses. 

To contact the OEM Training Program, please email oem.training@oem.oregon.gov.


OEM Training Program Projects




Oregon State Qualification System (SQS) Guidance

Oregon SQS Historical Recognition

OneResponder Personnel Qualifications Management System

2024 Integrated Preparedness Plan


Training Course Requests

The OEM Training Program strives to meet all course requests requested, but dependent on available resources, requests are filled based on need. Use the following form to request to host a course.


 

Independent Study (IS) Program

The FEMA Emergency Management Institute (EMI) offers self-paced online courses designed for individuals who have emergency management responsibilities and are available for free to the public. See the Independent Study Program for more information. To complete IS courses, you will need to obtain a FEMA Student Identification (SID) Number.


Professional Development Series (PDS)

The Professional Development Series​ is a foundational certificate program comprised of seven EMI Independent Study courses that provide a well-rounded set of fundamentals for those in the emergency management field.


Oregon Basic Applied Practices Series (BAPS)

The Basic Applied Practices Series consists of several required courses and four elective courses. The intent of the BAPS is to provide a professional development step in between the PDS and APS (below). It is made up by courses needed by all emergency service providers for successful field operations. Note: Courses in the PDS cannot be used to meet BAPS elective requirements.


Advanced Professional Series (APS)

FEMA’s Advanced Professional Series, certificated by Oregon Department of Emergency Management consists of five required courses and five elective courses. The intent of the APS is to provide skills in emergency operations and management needed to perform essential work in a disaster. These skills may be developed through this series of courses that offers “how to” training focused on practical information. This series emphasizes applied skills in disaster operations, management and coordination.


Emergency Management Professional Program (EMPP) 

The EMPP academies provide a structured and progressive framework for emergency managers to acquire the knowledge, skills, and abilities to progress through their professional development and meet the challenges of a dynamic and complex emergency management environment.


Planning Practitioner Program (PPP)

The Planning Practitioner Program (PPP) mission is to improve the capabilities of emergency management planning. This program of instructor-led courses allows planners to further develop their knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform effectively as lead planners and planning program managers. PPP candidates will apply the concepts learned in the classroom to improve planning activities conducted within their jurisdiction and strengthen the vertical integration of emergency management planning at all levels of government.


Master Exercise Practitioner Program (MEPP)

The Master Exercise Practitioner Program (MEPP) is a program designed for advanced exercise practitioners in emergency management exercise design, conduct and evaluation. Participants refine and practice skills critical to performing the phases of the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) cycle. The Master Exercise Practitioner Program (MEPP) is the pinnacle program in the National Standard Exercise Curriculum offered by FEMA’s National Disaster & Emergency Management University (NDEMU).


Continuity Excellence Series (CES)

FEMA National Continuity Programs (NCP) established the Continuity Excellence Series (CES) – Level I, Professional Continuity Practitioner​ and Level II, Master Continuity Practitioner – to address the full spectrum of requirements to support a viable continuity capability. The series is designed for continuity professionals throughout the federal government and among our state, local, tribal and territorial governmental partners, private-sector owners of critical infrastructure/key resources, and non-governmental organization disaster response entities.


Climate Adaptation & Hazard Mitigation (CAHM) Certificate Program

The Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Certificate offers a dynamic and specialized program designed to empower emergency management professionals to effectively navigate, plan for, and respond to the impacts of climate change. This certificate program, tailored for State, Local, Tribal, and Territory professionals, is structured to provide a balanced blend of foundational knowledge, elective specialization, and practical application through a capstone project.


Oregon Certified Emergency Management Specialist (ORCEMS)

The ORCEMS​ program​ is in place to raise and maintain professional standards in emergency management and to certify achievement of those standards within the profession in Oregon. The program is maintained by the Oregon Emergency Management Association. OEMA also offers a secondary program, the Associate Oregon Certified Emergency Management Specialist (A-ORCEMS) for part-time or newer emergency management professionals.


Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) / Associate Emergency Manager (AEM)

The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Certified Emergency Manager (CEM)​ designation is a nationally and internationally recognized professional certification that will sharpen your skills, deepen your knowledge, and give you a competitive edge. The AEM certification provides a solid foundation for those who are starting their career in emergency management.​


Instructor Credentialing

Interested in instructor emergency courses on Incident Command, EOC Operations, the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program, or Public Information course? Please don’t hesitate to apply! Submit your completed OEM Certified Instructor Application to oem.training@oem.oregon.gov. Note: Please download this document to be able to fill out electronically. 

Once your application has been approved, you will be asked to watch a brief instructor training and complete the OEM Instructor Attestation Form. For requirements, expectations, and guidance for instructors, please review the OEM Instructor Guidance​

Course Delivery Information

The Course Delivery Procedures provide guidance for the delivery of training courses across the state of Oregon. The procedures cover the following topics: how to request a course, course coordinator expectations, close-out procedures, certificates, and more.

If you are a credentialed instructor and need access to course materials, please contact OEM Training at oem.training@oem.oregon.gov