Department of Emergency Management and Public Administration

Overview of issues related to disaster management, including a history of the field, key legislation impacting the field, comprehensive emergency management and integrated emergency management, and current issues in the field.

An overview of the administrative, legislative, and operational elements of homeland security programs and processes, including a review of homeland security history, policies, and programs.

This course will focus on the potential use of Weapons of Mass Destruction by terrorists and the proper preparedness and response by communities and jurisdictions. This course is appropriate for members of the emergency response community, emergency management, and members of the general population desiring knowledge about the real and ever-present danger of terrorist activity within the United States.

Prerequisite(s): EM 301.

Methods and techniques used to lessen the potential impact of disasters. Approaches related to policy, sustainability, public education, disaster exercises, programming, and the built environment are all considered.

Study of information security and digital forensics using practical case studies. Emphasis is on developing security policies, security management and practices, utilization of digital forensic tools and techniques, risk management, security project management, and protection mechanisms. Major components of the course are hands-on projects on digital forensic investigation and security management case studies. (EM 325 is cross-listed with CS 307, but only one course can be counted for credit.)

Prerequisite(s): EM 301.

Documents and analyzes the social construction of vulnerabilities to disaster. Methods to reduce vulnerabilities and build local capacity are covered.

Introduction to the legislative underpinnings of domestic homeland security and emergency management processes. Significant legislation will be reviewed with special consideration for the concepts that define legal duties and consequences for first responders and emergency managers.

An in-depth study for emergency medical responders that focuses on chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) incident management; treatment of victims of exposure to chemical, biological, and radiological hazards, as well as explosions. Hands-on training modules provide the emergency medical responder with the knowledge and skills to perform triage operations while in personal protective equipment (PPE) and to perform decontamination of victims. Students are required to complete the FEMA resident course PER-267 at the Center for Domestic Preparedness.

An in-depth study that provides healthcare personnel with a foundation of knowledge in healthcare emergency management. The course focuses on standards, regulations, and organizations affecting healthcare entities and the integration of government agencies and stakeholders; disaster preparedness planning; staffing and personnel; emergency management issues for healthcare; personal protective equipment (PPE) and decontamination; evacuation, isolation, and quarantine; ethical issues; financial issues; public affairs; and training, drills, and exercises. Students are required to complete the FEMA resident course AWR-900 at the Center of Domestic Preparedness.

An in-depth study designed to provide medical operation guidance to healthcare professionals who may become involved in a mass casualty incident (MCI) as a result of a natural, accidental, or intentional event. The course focuses on safe and effective emergency medical response to MCI. Students are required to complete the FEMA resident course PER-902 at the Center for Domestic Preparedness.

An in-depth study of safe and effective response to radiological incidents. Topics include radiological concepts, radiological response team operations, commercial nuclear power facilities, plume modeling, radiological instrumentation, PPE and decontamination. Students are required to complete the FEMA resident course PER-904 at the Center for Domestic Preparedness.

The history, methods, and philosophy of terrorism are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on extremism as a foundation for terrorist behavior, types of terrorism, and how governments, and law enforcement agencies respond to terrorism. Case studies of terrorist activities and implications of emergency response issues are highlighted.

Prerequisite(s): EM 301.

Examination of key legislation regarding storage, handling, and transportation of hazardous materials, and review of the emergency management community plans, responds, and recovers when hazardous material incidents occur.

A review of the skills needed to effectively deal with the public and media before, during, and after an emergency event. Topics will include role and responsibilities of the Public Information Officer, understanding the roles and responsibilities of the media, conducting awareness campaigns, writing news releases, public speaking, granting interviews, media management, and dealing with high-profile incidents.

Overview of the history and evolution of social media in emergency management. Provides an understanding of social media and its uses in all aspects of emergency management. Students will conduct research of better practices and how to grow an agency's social media presence. Additional topics addressed will include: identifying challenges and how to overcome them, choosing the best social media avenues for an agency and topic, and using private sector practices to enhane public sector outreach and effectiveness.

Prerequisite(s): EM 301.

Focuses upon the role of local, state and federal government in time of disaster. A history of key legislation related to disasters and how it has impacted the emerging profession is provided.

Open to all majors across the disciplines. Overview of how individuals, groups, families, organizations, communities, and countries handle disasters before, during, and after they occur.

Prerequisite(s): EM 301.

Covers how people, groups, organizations, communities and governments manage disaster in the immediate aftermath and long-term including social, physical, business, and infrastructure problems as well as intra- and inter-organizational issues. (EM 411 is cross-listed with CS 412, but only one course can be counted for credit.)

Introduction to the fundamentals of exercise design, development and implementation. Includes a review of the different types of exercises, how they are used, and how they are conducted. Provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and conduct disaster exercises that test a community's emergency response plan and capabilities.

Prerequisite(s): EM 301 and EM 411.

Reviews structure and functions of health care delivery systems in massive casualty situations with specific attention to intra and inter-organizational management, ranging from emergency response triage to inter-organizational systemic management issues.

Introduction to the history and evolution of cyber terror, including a review of real and perceived threats of cyberterrorism, the protection of critical infrastructure information, and the effectiveness of response actions. Considerations will be made for the protection of sensitive and high value business and individual information and future requirements to obviate disaster.

Integration of emergency functions, response structures, technology use, information management, and decision-making. The National Response Plan and the National Incident Management System will be addressed.

Prerequisite(s): EM 301.

Reviews and critiques actual plans and engages students in components of effective disaster planning within and across various jurisdictions.

Identifies what constitutes critical infrastructure including cyber as well as physical infrastructure. Evaluation of strategies for promoting vulnerability assessments and risk reduction, and protection of critical infrastructures will be examined. (EM 461 is cross-listed with CS 461, but only one course can be counted for credit.)

Prerequisite(s): Permission of Department.

Integrates prior coursework in an applied and experiential framework through case studies, exercises, applied research, and analytical activities. Should be taken in last term of program of study. (Writing Intensive Course)

The examination of current issues and concerns with Homeland Security including upcoming National Special Security Events that mandate comprehensive security planning and response capabilities. Challenges of implementing and maintaining homeland security will be covered.

Overview of how research is done and how to understand scholarly work including, reading, understanding, and applying studies from the field of disaster research. (Writing Intensive Course)

Introduction to the process of assessing and enhancing preparedness for terrorism for organizations and communities. Topics include technical and organizational requirements, risk and vulnerability assessments, continuity of operations, communication and information management, capacity building needs, funding strategies, and recovery systems. Particular attention is given to coordination requirements for incident management for first responder agencies, healthcare systems, and public and private sector response systems.

Prerequisite(s): Approval of instructor and department head.

Prerequisite(s): EM 301 and approval of instructor and internship coordinator.

Provides direct experience and application of principles, concepts and theories acquired in coursework to a real world setting.

An introduction to telephone and radio communications skills, interpersonal communications, and basics of call handling, legal issues in public safety communications and technologies for the telecommunicator. This course will provide the information necessary to understand the job of a public safety telecommunicator and is the foundation to begin working in police, fire, EMS or combined service communications center.

This course is designed to prepare the student to receive a call requesting assistance for emergency medical services (EMS) and allocate community resources in response to such request. Upon course completion, the student will be qualified to provide pre-arrival medical instructions to the caller, and post-dispatch information to the responding agencies.

This course is designed to provide the sutdent with the principles required for critical thinking to deal with a hostage situation until a highly trained negotiator assumes control.

Introduction to the basic concepts of interpersonal communications and oral communications necessary for the public safety telecommunicator to interact with public safety personnel and citizens of the community. Techniques to overcoming barriers, achieving effective communications, handling difficult callers, listening effectively, and resolving conflicts will be addressed.

An overview of legal issues impacting the public safety communication and telecommunication industry. The course will present a series of case studies which present a rational prospective of the liability exposure of the public safety telecommunicator. The course shall provide the legal principles and processes that, when adhered to, should guide toward minimizing liability exposure.

The critical principles in support of crisis intervention and techniques for handling domestic violence, potential suicide, hostage, and civil unrest situations as a public safety communicator.

The basic principles needed to respond to a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) event. The course will present the role and responsibilities of the public safety telecommunicator in recognizing and dispatching assistance for aid while maintaining documentation of calls for assistance resulting from a WMD incident.

An overview of Human Resource Management issues including principles of human resources, federal employee regulations, and Americans with Disabilities Act.

An overview of basic management principles, including organizational theory, operational models, supervision, evaluations, and steps for effective leadership.

An introduction to the basic concepts for professional writing. Emphasis on writing skills necessary for the preparation of standard operating procedures, training documents, and related materials.