Training

Course Description

The requirement to access broadband data during incidents or events has increased exponentially in recent years.  This has spurred the need for personnel with highly specialized knowledge and expertise to be included in the Incident Command System (ICS) during planned events and incidents.  In 2018 and 2019, CISA introduced the Information Technology Service Unit Leader (ITSL) course, and SAFECOM and the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (NCSWIC) have coordinated with the FEMA National Integration Center and other organizations focused on public safety communications to establish the best way to integrate the ITSL into the ICS12.  The ITSL is needed to provide information management, cybersecurity, and application management for the many critical incident/event related functions, to include:  Incident/Unified Command Post, Incident Communications Centers, and various tactical operations centers, joint information center (JIC), staging areas, and field locations.  However, the coordinated sharing of this data across agencies and jurisdictions is significantly less mature than radio communication and poses a significant interoperability challenge.

To meet this need, CISA has developed the ITSL course.  The ITSL course targets federal, state/territory, tribal, urban, local, and emergency response professionals, and supports personnel in all disciplines with a communications background and an aptitude for and extensive experience in information technology.

The ITSL course provides an overview of the ITSL components including the Unified Help Desk (inclusive of both communications and IT support), IT Infrastructure Manager, Network Manager, and specialist roles. It provides an in-depth overview of their responsibilities and includes exercises for the ITSL's major functions to ensure reliable and timely delivery of IT services to participating agencies and officials 

This course is four days long (8 hours each day) and is limited to 20 students.

Class Prerequisites

To attend this course, applicants must have the following prerequisites:

• Personal experience:

• A public safety background with experience in field operations and/or experience providing information technology solutions to support public safety operations

• Awareness of fundamental public safety broadband and wireless communications technology

• Completion of the following FEMA online training courses*:
  

• IS-100, Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS 100
  

• IS-200, Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response

• IS-700, National Incident Management System (NIMS), an Introduction

• IS-800, National Response Framework (NRF), an Introduction  
  

• Completion of the following FEMA in-person training courses:

• ICS-300: Intermediate Incident Command System for Expanding Incidents
  

• Additional RECOMMENDED training:

• ICS-400: Advanced Incident Command System for Complex Incidents
   

Course Dates and Location

This ITSL course will be offered 17 – 20 October 2022 in Salem, OR.  There is no charge for this training, and course materials will be provided by CISA ECD. All travel/per diem costs are the responsibility of the individual student or their sponsoring agency. 

Registration

Normal registration has closed but we are accepting students for late registration and the waiting list. Register here.

Please note that registration is not complete until copies of all pre-requisites are submitted to SWIC.OR@DAS.Oregon.gov and the student receives a confirmation email back.