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To best support emergency management agencies throughout all phases of disaster, municipal department heads, local elected officials and directors of NGOs and private sector organizations should be trained and knowledgeable in disaster response and recovery.

Roger Jolliff, emergency manager for the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Area Emergency Management Agency, is a strong proponent of training a broad range of stakeholders. “If any community is simply assigning disaster training, response and recovery to the emergency manager and not giving them any active support, they’re falling behind,” says Jolliff.

Use these tips from Jolliff to ensure your locality has a cadre of trained local and external partners to support emergency management during a disaster.

Encourage or require that anyone who will have a role in disaster response or recovery enroll in FEMA training.

• Municipal department staff should examine their roles and self-define what courses they need.
• Jolliff recommends that municipal department heads take ICS 300 and ICS 400 classes, IS 700 and IS 800 level classes and any additional courses courses that apply to an agency’s specific support functions.

Stress the importance for department heads, NGOs and private sector organizations to enroll in FEMA’s continuity courses. 

• “If you’re running a department you need to know what it’s going to take should your facilities and personnel be severely impacted,” says Jolliff. “How are you going to carry out your mission to serve others?”

Mandate that local elected officials or their direct reports enroll in FEMA training.

• Jolliff recommends they enroll in in FEMA’s Professional Development Series (PDS) and Advanced Professional Series (APS). “Elected officials or their direct reports should take these courses to give the elected officials the advice they need,” Jolliff says. “If they take these courses they will better support emergency management programs.”

Outline NIMS in your emergency operations and individual response plans.

• “Disaster plans should reflect NIMS as part of your culture and how you manage your events,” says Jolliff. “Work to institutionalize NIMS and increase the number of local agencies trained in NIMS.”

Conduct seasonal training sessions that focus on upcoming seasonal perils.

• Review and exercise plans for the natural disasters most apt to occur in the upcoming season.
• Focus on preparing new staff members and integrating them into your locality’s disaster response and recovery teams.

Hold city or countywide training initiatives to build awareness and preparedness for specific topics.

• Task those involved in training with action items to better prepare their agency. For example, Jolliff held an initiative with the city of Tulsa to build continuity operations (COOP) plans. “As a result, many municipal departments, NGOs and private sector organizations are taking the COOP courses, reflecting on the workshops and writing their plans,” Jolliff says.
• Use this COOP plan template to get started.

Every municipal department should have a disaster operations plan.

• “Make it a priority, if local agencies don’t invest in it now they’re going to pay for it on game day,” Jolliff says.
• Encourage departments and organizations to enroll in FEMA’s basic emergency planning course, and see more tips from IBTS on integrating a wide range of local agencies into disaster planning.