THE ORGANISATION OF AMERICAN STATES (OAS) EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT FOR INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT OFFERS FREE INTERACTIVE WEB-BASED COURSES IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Relations informs of the call for the Organisation of American States (OAS) Executive Secretariat for Integral Development free interactive web-based courses in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. These courses are offered through the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency Management Institute (FEMA EMI).

DESCRIPTION AND BENEFITS OF THE COURSE

The Community Emergency Response  Team (CERT) Programme educates individuals about disaster preparedness and trains and organises teams of volunteers that can support their communities during disasters. The CERT Programme offers training in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, and disaster medical operation. With proper CERT training, you can help protect your family, neighbors, and coworkers if a disaster occurs.

IS-317.A: Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams

Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), IS-307.A, is an independent study course that serves as an introduction to CERT for those interested in completing the basic CERT training or as a refresher for current team members. https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-317.a

IS-315.A: CERT and the Incident Command System (ICS)

The Incident Command System (ICS) is a proven management system used by emergency managers. Applying ICS during a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) activation will help maintain the safety of disaster workers, provide clear leadership and organizational structure, and improve the effectiveness of rescue efforts. This course will cover the principles of ICS and help learners understand how to effectively apply the principles through interactive real-life scenarios. https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-315.a

REGISTRATION WITH FEMA EMI

To register with FEMA for the above course, you must first register for a Student Identification Number (SID) if you have not already done so. To register, go to https://cdp.dhs.gov/femasid and follow the steps listed. Instructions on applying to the FEMA independent study course could be accessed via this link:

https://training.fema.gov/apply/#HowToIS

SUGGESTED TIMELINE

Participants should be guided by  the following timeline to complete the course:

REGISTERING CERTIFICATES WITH THE OAS:

After successfully completing the course, participants will receive a certificate of completion. Participants should complete a profile and include a copy of the certificate along with a copy of a government-issued ID (passport or national ID Card) in the OAS Fellowship Management System through this link by July 31, 2020:

https://www.oas.org/fms/Announcement.aspx?id=1090&Type=4&Lang=eng

Notes:

• The certificate and ID must be combined into one (1) single PDF file (no larger than 5MB).
• Questions about this announcement should be sent to scholarships@oas.org with the subject " OAS-CERT Program".