FEMA launched the Continuity Excellence Series professional certification program Level I - Professional Continuity Practitioner, and Level II - Master Continuity Practitioner in April, 2008. The professional certification program was designed to help create a highly qualified corps of continuity professionals throughout the federal government, and among our partners at the State, local territorial, and tribal governments. To obtain either the Level I or II Certifications, candidates must complete a rigorous program consisting of both coursework and practical application. Continuity Excellence Series Fact SheetFact Sheet Continuity Excellence Series Level I . COOP Awareness Course . Introduction to COOP . Effective Communication . COOP Manager’s train-the-trainer Course . COOP Planner’s train-the-trainer Workshop . Intor ot Incident Command System (ICS) . Principles of Emergency Management . Intro to National Incident Management System (NIMS) . A National Response Framework (NRF), an introduction . Exercise Development Course/ Exercise, Design Course/or COOP Exercise Design/Development train-the-trainers course . Complete attendance in continuity exercise Determined Accord . NARA/CoSA Vital Records Training (optional, recommended) Continuity Excellence Series Level II . COOP Awareness Course . COOP Awareness Course . Applicants must be certified Conti- nuity Excellence Series – Level I, Professional Continuity Practitio- ner . Exercise Evaluation and Improve- ment Planning Leadership and Influence . Devolution Training . Building Design for Homeland Se- curity T-t-T Course for Continuity of Operations . Instructional Delivery for Subject Matter Experts . Instruct COOP Manager’s T-t-T Course . Facilitate COOP Planner’s T-t-T Workshop . Written Comprehensive Exam Continuity Excellence Series Benefits The Level I and II programs combine emergency management, continuity, leadership, and instructional development courses and opportunities to recognize those individuals committed to continuity planning and provide them with a wide variety of tools necessary to continue government operations and further efforts in continuity and emergency management in this day and age. Recent Accomplishments Since the inception of the program on April 16, 2008, 20 individuals have attained a Level I, Professional Continuity Practitioner status, with several more pending certification. With the piloting of the Devolution Training and the Written Comprehensive Exam in January 2009, at least 35 individuals are expected to attain Level I and 20 individuals attain Level II, the Master Continuity Practitioner, by June 2009. COOP Awareness The one-hour Continuity of Operations (COOP) Awareness course is designed for all public sector employees. The course provides a fundamental understanding of COOP, terms, objectives, and benefits to public sector departments and agencies. It gives a brief overview of the elements of a viable COOP capability. This awareness course provides information on how a COOP event might affect employees, the department or agency, and an employee's family. Introduction to Continuity of Operations (COOP) This five hour web-based course is designed for a broad audience - from senior managers to those involved directly involved in COOP planning efforts. The course provides a working knowledge of the COOP guidance found in Federal Continuity Directive 1 (FCD 1), Federal Executive Branch National Continuity Program and Requirements, Effective Communication Being able to communicate effectively is a necessary and vital part of the job for every emergency manager, planner and responder. This course is designed to improve the continuity practitioner’s communication skills. It addresses basic communication skills, how to communicate in an emergency, how to identify community-specific communication issues and using technology to as a communication tool, effective oral communication and how to prepare an oral presentation. COOP Manager’s T-t-T Course This course is designed to provide continuity of operations training for Program Managers. The course identifies the processes, resources and tasks necessary to implement and manage a successful COOP program. COOP Planner’s T-t-T Workshop The goal of this workshop is to provide continuity practitioners the tools and practical experience they need to improve their federal department or Agency COOP plans. Introduction to Incident Command System This course describes the history, features and principles, and organizational structure of the Incident Command System (ICS). It also explains the relationship between ICS and the National Incident Management System (NIMS). Principles of Emergency Management The goal of this course is to introduce the fundamentals of emergency management as an integrated system, surveying how the resources and capabilities of all functions at all levels can be networked together in all phases for all hazards. Fact SheetFact Sheet FEMA leads and supports the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation, to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the nation from all hazards including natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other man-made disasters. National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) This course explains the purpose, principles, key components and benefits of NIMS. The course also contains “Planning Activity” screens to give students an opportunity to complete some planning tasks during this course. National Response Framework This course introduces students to the concepts and principles of the National Response Framework. The course also describes the roles and responsibilities of entities as specified in the National Response Framework. Exercise Design This course provides fundamentals of exercise design. It is designed to prepare continuity practitioners to design and conduct a small functional exercise for their organization. Determined Accord The goal of the Determined Accord tabletop exercise is to assist in increasing a Department or Agency’s continuity readiness for a pandemic event. It also focuses on mitigating vulnerabilities during a continuity influenza pandemic outbreak and identifying gaps or weaknesses in pandemic planning in organization continuity plans, policies and procedures. NARA - Emergency Planning and Response for Vital Records and Essential Information This course provides the knowledge and skills required to identify, protect and make readily available the vital records in the event of a disaster. It also teaches students how to incorporate records emergency planning into agency continuity plans. Exercise Evaluation and Improvement Planning This course introduces the basics of emergency management exercise evaluation and improvement planning. It also builds a foundation for exercise evaluation concepts as identified in the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP). Instructional Delivery for Subject Matter Experts This course is designed for Subject Matter Experts. Participants will learn how to account for room design, material organization and the impact of the instructor/presenter on the environment. Leadership & Influence This course is designed to improve the student’s leadership and influence skills. It addresses topics such as how to lead from within, how to facilitate change, how to build and rebuild trust, and using personal influence and political savvy. Building Design for Homeland Security This course outlines a methodology to determine the risk of a building’s infrastructure and related critical functions against various terrorist threats, and highlights potential protective measures. Continuity Excellence Series FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. Fact SheetFact Sheet