Similar to the USFA Coffee Break Training Program; a FEMA Coffee Break Training Program would foster an common awareness and understanding of important emergency management and homeland security laws/regulations, principles, history, definitions, etc. This fast growing discipline it is essential to provide a common framework that all EM professionals can agree upon. The EM Coffee Break Training could provide this platform through weekly dessimination of one page lectures that would roughly take 5-10 minutes (long enough to finish a cup of coffee) to read. Each lesson could be reviewed individually or as a group and could provide supplemental information for further research or suggestions. Furthermore, a combination of lectures could be combined and the knowledge tested for CEU credits. This would provide busy professionals with another means of receiving points towards certifying or recertifying for credentials like the CEM.
EM Coffee Break Training
Tags: professional development
Comments (18)
Great Idea, I also get the Coffee Break Emails. Good system.
Coffee break e-mails is a great idea to get emergency preparedness information out to everyone in a business. I am an emergency preparedness manager for a hospital and would like to know what we need to do to get this idea in place
I have adapted what I have seen from the USFA Coffee Break stuff, and have created a series of one page lectures covering everything from EM history, terms, principles, to specific hazards or threats: WMD, hazmat, etc. The Emergency Response Guidebook can be done over a series of 8-10 one page lectures. I send a lecture based coffee break training once a week.
The second part I have created is a micro drill that is intended for departments or whomever. These are released monthly and essentially serve as a small table top exercise drill that is intended to drive home the lessons learned from the previous lectures.
Lastly we have developed a quarterly knowledge test that we are currently working on receiving accreditation for so that we can issue CEUs.
I have also prepared short training e-mails but it would be great to have a pool of pre-made informational documents on very small topics. Could be a real time saver and I am a big fan of one minute training.
Nick, I am highly interested in the information you have provided. Would you mind emailing me at shelbey-thompson@utc.edu or provide an email address for yourself? I think what you are doing is a great way to implement emergency management on our campus. I would be happy to receive any information you can provide. Thanks!
Like the concept, is there an authoritative source for material? I see this as adaptable to the traditional tool box and tailgate safety meetings programs.
Excellent idea. I also get/use USFA Coffee Break emails - good stuff. I also like the idea of "Drill of the Month" (MFRI does these) and the idea above for "micro-drills". These could be on the scale where a specific office or division can tabletop on their own, and examine their specific needs/actions/etc that can help inform those of us who work on the agency level whether our agency plans and actions are helping or hindering subordinate components. Having a pool of these mini-trainings/drills that government & private entities can draw from would be a great help!
I think it is a great idea. I don't get the coffee break emails *yet* - am fixing to go subscribe to them in a minute.
Gordon Graham has a program like this for Risk Management that he brings to law enforcement organizations around the nation. I thought it was a brilliant idea when I heard him talk about it and I think it is brilliant now.
These seems like a reasonable answer to a problem I face all the time in EmOps...getting understanding and buy-in from folks outside of our discipline. I'd love to use this approach for a regular series to my governmental group as well as (modified) for our tribal citizens.
Please let me know when you get this up and running. I think it is a great idea that I can share with my EMDs in Southwest Missouri!
I've been doing this off and on for the last year or so. It has been received well. I am trying to get 75-100 of these done before I start reusing them
I have been involved in Emergency Management for 14+ years and I see too little information passed between the federal and county/local levels of government. It is also very hard to find out what other county directors are doing in other states. This idea of a "coffee-break" would bring all types Emergency Management Professionals together from Federal, state, county, local and tribal governments, as well as, private industry. It could be highly useful not only as a teaching/information tool, but it may also help in creating new ideas within the EM network, sharing of planning and preparedness tips/ideas or even sharing of plans that are already in place for that matter. I am all for it and can see the value of such a training.
By focusing on one topic the "Coffee-break" e-mails sre direct, to the point and very informative. As Nick proposed, every week a new topic would be covered providing everyone with "food for thought". As a Health & Safety Coordinator for RSVP I'd cover these highlights during Emergency Preparedness programs at local Senior Centers. Great Idea...Nick
NFPA Coffee Break series are great enhancements and help me threw empowerments on a day to day basis. If anyone is doing any type of refreshers course or lectures, I would accept the opportunity.
Working in long-term care for the past 29 years, I can tell you that short programs and the coffee break series idea would be well-recieved.
Just received word that the EM Coffee Break Training idea is going to be adopted and implemented by FEMA. Thank you all for your kind words and support.
To make this work for those wanting jumpstart this GREAT idea create a plug and play set of EM Coffee Break Training cards. Make them accessible and fun with an app! The biggest problem with great ideas is getting them to spreas and close the loop with implementation. There is NO reason to reinvent the wheel. There is huge talent out there to make this happen. Make it a contest!