Required FEMA Courses

1. GES – All members holding a GES rating and above must take the IS-100 and IS-700 courses, which are available online at the FEMA website www.fema.gov * (see below) – In some cases, your eServices records will show your course completion. However, in case it doesn’t, always save the PDF Certificate of Completion. You never know when you’ll need it. Copies of course completion certificates must be sent to the appropriate ES Officer, as well as your PDO.
2. Command and General Staff Positions – All members having ICS/CAPF 101 position ratings (such as PIO) must take, in addition to the GES required courses listed above, the courses commensurate with their ICS positions. For PIO, these are: IS-100, IS-700, IS-200. ICS-300 and IS-800. Do yourself a favor and take the IS-702 also. This is the PIO-specific course that goes with the IS-700. — Copies of course completion certificates must be sent to the appropriate ES Officer, as well as your PDO.
   
   NOTE: Failure to provide the training certificate will preclude the member from functioning as a PIO until the training is completed and the certificate recorded or turned in.

The IC Level criteria are the minimum NIMS requirements. All PIOs are encouraged to seek additional professional development opportunities to hone their skills, such as state emergency PIO training courses and exercise training outside of CAP.

Online, available courses are:

• IS-100 – (ICS 100) Introduction to Incident Command System, ID-100
• IS-200 – (ICS 200) ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
• IS-700 – National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction
• IS-800 – A National Response Plan (NRP), An Introduction

The courses listed above may be found here…http://training.fema.gov/IS/NIMS.asp *

• ICS-300 – This Course is available via classroom instruction only.
• ICS-400 – This Course is available via classroom instruction only. Recommended for PIO, though not required. But if you take it, you’ll be just a step from qualifying as a Liaison Officer.

PIOs also need to take the following PIO-specific course:

• IS-702 – NIMS Public Information Systems http://training.fema.gov/IS/NIMS.asp *

Additionally, PIOs will probably be required to take the following resident courses:

• G-289 – FEMA Public Information Officer Awareness Course. (A recommended requirement for Technician rating. Taking the G-290 and G-291 courses gives credit for this course.)
• G-290 – FEMA Public Information Officer Basic Course. (Recommended to work missions as a PIO Assistant.)
• G-291 – FEMA Joint Information System/Joint Information Center Planning for Tribal, State and Local Public Information Officers. (Recommended to work missions as a PIO.)

For information on where to take the above courses, check with your local department of Emergency Services Training.

New document – FEMA Basic Guidance for PIOs * (Public Information Officers)