PIO Training Opportunity

Mark E. Brady

Chief Spokesperson/PIO

Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department

9201 Basil Court #452

Largo, MD 20774

240-508-7930

PIO Training Opportunity

An opportunity to apply for the E953 NIMS ICS All-Hazards Position Specific, PIO, train-the-trainer class is currently open.  The weeklong class will be taught at the National Emergency Training Center (NETC) in Emmitsburg, Maryland, starting on March 14, 2016.  Pete Piringer, PIO for the Montgomery County, MD, Department of Fire and Rescue Services and myself will be the Instructors for this class. 

All-Hazards Position Specific training should be completed by personnel who are currently members of IMT’s and/or by persons seeking credentials or certification for Incident Command System (ICS) command, general staff, or unit leader positions.  The primary goal of Position Specific train-the-trainer classes is to prepare the student to teach the class in the field as a member of a two-person team of instructors.  As such, student teaching is an integral part of the class and each student will be expected to teach a portion of the curriculum during the program.

Basic prerequisites for the class include:

·         IS/ICS 100, 200, 700 & 800

·         ICS 300 & 400

·         Prior completion of the course for which the student is applying for train-the-trainer, or demonstrated experience in the position to include completion of a Position Task Book

·         Qualified as an instructor

·         Possess a thorough knowledge of the National Incident Command System (ICS)

·         Documented experience in serving on an Incident Management Team (IMT)

Persons interested in applying should submit a completed FEMA application form 119-25-1 through their State Training Officers or (for Federal employees) their NIMS Compliance Officer to NETC Admissions. These classes generally do fill up, so I would suggest making application as quickly as possible to avoid being wait-listed. All students except Federal employees who attend resident classes at EMI are eligible for student stipend reimbursements. This program will reimburse students for their travel costs, as well as provide lodging on campus at no cost. Federal employees who wish to attend classes should request a Travel Authorization from their respective agency.

Images from a recent PIO Class in Columbia, South Carolina