Training Opportunities
Training resources for Marion County, Illinois public safety personnel — emergency management, fire, EMS, law enforcement, and volunteer responders. Courses are organized by source (FEMA, IEMA, state-level partners) and delivery (online / classroom / specialty). All MCEMA staff are required to complete NIMS / ICS prerequisites; see Section 11 of the EOP for full role-based requirements.
1. Required NIMS / ICS Training
All Marion County EMA personnel must complete the following per FEMA HSPD-5 and EOP Section 11. Position-specific minimums are in the table.
Foundation course on Incident Command System organization and operating principles. Self-paced, free, FEMA EMI online.
National Incident Management System overview — doctrine for unified, all-hazards response.
Builds on IS-100; covers ICS application during initial response. Required for Section Chiefs and Command Staff.
Federal response framework — how local, state, and federal capabilities integrate during a national-level response.
Two-day classroom course. Required for Command and General Staff and any responder likely to be assigned to a Type 3 incident management team.
Two-day course covering complex incidents, area command, and multi-agency coordination. Required for the EMA Director / Deputy.
2. FEMA Emergency Management Institute (EMI)
FEMA EMI hosts hundreds of free, self-paced Independent Study (IS) courses online. Recommended courses beyond the NIMS/ICS prerequisites:
Mission areas, lifelines, planning, response, recovery, and mitigation. Strong foundation for new EMA staff.
For staff coordinating spontaneous, affiliated, and registered volunteers under MCHD Annex 20.
Maps to MCHD Annex 28 (FAN/at-risk populations).
EOC organization, activation levels, and the EOC Skill-Set series. Required for EOC Operations group (1650-series IDs).
For all county staff and partner agencies; covers Run-Hide-Fight and bystander response.
Continuity of government and operations planning — relevant to EOP Section 8.
Multi-day in-residence courses at the National Emergency Training Center (NETC). Travel and lodging often paid for selected attendees.
Browse the full Independent Study course list — 200+ free courses across hazmat, mitigation, planning, recovery, and special topics.
3. Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA)
IEMA delivers state-funded classroom training across Illinois, often hosted by host counties. Marion County partners with IEMA Region 9 (southern Illinois).
State-recognized credential for emergency managers. Course series + exam through IEMA. Required for tenured EMA Coordinators.
Hands-on planning and exercise design. Often delivered as multi-day workshops at the IEMA Building (327 S Hotze Rd, Salem) or other Region 9 hosts.
FEMA-funded state-delivered courses (G-141 Instructional Presentation, G-191 ICS/EOC Interface, G-205 Recovery, G-300, G-400). Continuing-education credits available.
Self-paced courses on Illinois-specific protocols (STARCOM21, Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, Illinois Mutual Aid Plan).
4. Fire & EMS Training
Statewide fire service training arm of the University of Illinois. Hosts classes across Illinois, including some in Region 9. Topics: structure, hazmat, technical rescue, leadership.
State certifications — Firefighter II/III, Officer I/II, Hazmat Operations/Technician, Driver/Engineer.
Mutual Aid Box Alarm System hazmat technician program. Pre-positioned response for Patoka pipeline scenarios.
Free pipeline-emergency awareness for first responders. Aligns with the 2024 IL Pipeline Emergency Quick Reference.
EMT-B/AEMT/Paramedic continuing education and specialty courses (PHTLS, AMLS) through IDPH Region 4.
5. Law Enforcement Training
Mandatory officer training, in-service, and specialty certifications.
Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System — mutual aid for civil unrest, mass casualty, search ops.
Federal partner training for command-level officers. Some courses delivered locally through Region 9 hosts.
Texas State University Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training. Free online plus periodic regional classroom delivery.
6. Cybersecurity & Critical Infrastructure
Pre-built scenarios for ransomware, water-system attack, election infrastructure, school shooting, and more. Run with your partners.
Vulnerability scanning, phishing simulation, and assessment services for state/local/tribal/territorial governments.
Center for Development of Security Excellence — free cyber awareness, OPSEC, insider-threat, and physical security courses.
Free CISA-hosted cybersecurity training for state/local government employees. Hundreds of courses on incident response, malware, networks.
Pipeline operator training programs — coordinated through PHMSA. Critical for Patoka response readiness.
7. Public Health Preparedness
Free public-health preparedness courses including epidemiology, mass vaccination, and outbreak response. Maps to MCHD Annexes 20 & 24.
Hospital coalition exercises, point-of-dispensing (POD) drills, and mass-care training led by IDPH Region 4.
Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange for healthcare emergency preparedness.
8. Volunteer / Community Training
Annual basic + advanced training delivered by the National Weather Service St. Louis (the office that issues warnings for Marion County / ILZ070). See the 2026 Spotter Training schedule (StoryMap) for in-person and webinar dates. National program: weather.gov/skywarn.
FEMA-sponsored ~20-hour course on disaster preparedness, fire safety, light search and rescue, and disaster medical operations. Online prerequisite: IS-317.A — Introduction to CERT (free, ~2 hr). Marion County does not currently host a registered CERT. Standing one up is a natural EMA committee initiative — neighboring Williamson County is a useful model. Find or join a CERT.
DoD-sponsored bystander hemorrhage-control training (tourniquet, wound packing, direct pressure). The Illinois Terrorism Task Force distributed 7,000+ Stop the Bleed kits to Illinois schools beginning in 2019 — a useful precedent for any County Board push to fund kits in public buildings (2019 IL announcement).
Basic life support for staff, volunteers, and the public. Two main providers in southern Illinois: American Red Cross and American Heart Association. Both offer CPR, CPR+AED, and First Aid certifications, in classroom and blended formats.
Amateur Radio Emergency Service training for volunteer radio operators supporting EOC backup communications. Marion County (IL) ARES/RACES coordination is via the ARRL Illinois Section. (Marion County, Indiana is a separate group.)
Sheltering, mass care, casework, mental health, and damage assessment training for Red Cross disaster volunteers.
9. Post a Training Opportunity
Have a training course, drill, or exercise to share with the Marion County response community?
Email details to crose@marionco.illinois.gov with: course title, date, location, host agency, registration link, and target audience.
Posted opportunities will appear in this section.