U.S. Fire Administration 

Emergency Medical 

Services Programs

FA-322 / June 2012
Advanced Leadership Issues in EMS (R151)

This 10-day course is designed for upper-management personnel who have organizational responsibility for EMS operations 

in their agency or jurisdiction. Situational, scenario-based 

instruction is the foundation of this course, with an emphasis 

on problem-solving and decisionmaking techniques. Leadership techniques, as they relate to establishing and directing EMS 

work teams, are also an important part of this course.

Student Selection criteria:

Individuals with upper-level management responsibility for 

part of an EMS delivery system, e.g., a fire department, a 

hospital, or a public EMS agency. Individuals with decisionmaking responsibility within an EMS system, e.g., EMS 

council membership, EMS mid- to upper-level management/

coordination, training management, medical control, etc.

PrerequiSite:

R150 completion or equivalent college-level management 

course and EMS management experience.

Emergency Medical Services Functions in the Incident 

Command System (F/W166)

During this 2-day course, students will practice use of the 

Incident Command System (ICS) in coordination with other 

public safety responders. As a followup to ICS-100 and 

ICS-200 training, this course will present scenarios requiring 

responders to structure their EMS resources within the 

guidance of the National Incident Management System 

(NIMS) ICS, as appropriate, to the needs of the different 

incident types. Through simulation and role-playing, 

students will demonstrate the implementation of EMS 

components to the ICS at medium-or large-sized incidents. 

target audience:

Emergency response personnel with responsibilities to implement the initial EMS functions to the ICS at medium- or 

large-sized incidents. 

Emergency Medical Services Incident Operations

(R147/R847)

In this 6-day course, EMS officers/supervisors are introduced 

to ICS and they study proper incident command techniques 

for management of medium- to large-sized incidents involving multiple sick or injured patients. Topics covered include 

problem-solving and EMS functions within incident command, resource management, interagency and mutual aid, 

sizeup and strategy, tactics and action plans, EMS company 

operations, preincident preparation, incident organization, 

and strategic command. 

Student Selection criteria:

Emergency response personnel with responsibilities to implement the initial EMS functions to the ICS at medium- or 

large-sized incidents. 

PrerequiSite:

IS-201 Forms Used for the Development of the Incident 

Action Plan (Emergency Management Institute (EMI))

National Fire Academy

Management of Emergency Medical Services (R150)

This 10-day course focuses on supervisory management 

practices as they relate to emergency medical services (EMS) 

in the participant’s agency or jurisdiction. This interactive 

and fast-moving course will enable participants to deal more 

effectively with day-to-day management issues that supervisory-level managers are likely to encounter. Personnel, resource 

management, and quality improvement techniques are some 

of the major components of this course. Upon completion of 

this course, the students will be able to enhance the quality 

and overall effectiveness of their EMS operation through the 

use of management techniques.

Student Selection criteria:

Individuals with management responsibility for part of an 

EMS delivery system, e.g., a fire department, a hospital, or a 

public EMS agency. Individuals with decisionmaking 

responsibility within an EMS system, e.g., EMS program 

management/coordination, field supervision, training 

supervision, medical control, etc. 

Hot Topics Research for Emergency Medical 

Services (R139)

This 6-day course provides learners with the knowledge and 

skills to identify and research hot topics in Emergency 

Medical Services to ultimately identify, promote, and 

embrace system or service improvements. This course is 

structured around how to make a persuasive justification 

through the effective collection and presentation of data with 

the use of a wide variety of research resources. Students will 

bring a topic important to their agency/community to base 

the research on, and will construct a program proposal and/

or progress report for presentation. 

Student Selection criteria:

Emergency Medical Services middle management personnel 

(including Shift Supervisor, Captain, Division/Battalion Chief, 

Crew Leader, Administrator, etc.)

Emergency Medical Services Quality 

Management (R158)

This 6-day course will provide the critical components, 

background, and principles associated with the implementation or enhancement of a department’s Quality Management 

Program. The course teaches students how to create, implement, and maintain a Quality Management Program, 

including historical examples, current models, and best 

practices of quality assurance and improvement, process 

improvement, and data collection and analysis.

Throughout the course, students work on culminating 

activities relating to the development of a Quality Management Program. Students present the culminating activity 

with classmates and instructors at the end of the course, 

allowing all students to take examples of Quality Management Programs to their departments.

Student Selection criteria:

Individuals who have department-level Quality Management 

(Quality Assurance, Quality Improvement) management, 

oversight or supervisory responsibilities.
Emergency Medical 

Services Special 

Operations (R152)

This 6-day course 

will enable EMS 

System Managers to 

prepare their organizations for major 

operations by 

identifying potential 

hazards, determining 

potential resource needs, determining how those resources 

may be acquired, and developing a plan that enables the 

effective control of these events. Events such as mass-casualty incidents, storms, earthquakes, or technological emergencies, mass gatherings, dignitary visits, and terrorism can 

place an unusual demand on our ability to provide continued 

EMS response to our anticipated daily call volume. It is only 

through effective planning and preparation for these unique 

events that we can continue to respond effectively to our 

customers. This program discusses many of these special 

operations and the burdens they place upon our communities, EMS systems, and the responders within our systems. 

This course meets NIMS requirements for ICS 300. 

Student Selection criteria:

This course is for those who have management and planning 

responsibilities for an EMS system. The course is targeted 

primarily to middle managers at an operational level and to 

senior planners within the agency. 

PrerequiSite:

IS-201 Forms Used for the Development of the Incident 

Action Plan (EMI)

CURRENTLY IN DEVELOPMENT

EMS Management and Administration for 

Company Officers (F/W146)

This course focuses on supervisory management practices for 

EMS response agencies. Leadership/Management, planning 

and time management, team building, personnel and resource 

management, communications, and public relations are some 

of the components covered in this new course. Materials and 

learning will be through a combination of online precourse 

materials and classroom activities. Upon completion, the 

student will have basic skills and tools needed to effectively 

manage the daily activities of an EMS system.

target audience: 

Individuals with first-line supervisory responsibility for an 

EMS response system on a daily/shift basis. Personnel with 

acting/temporary, intermittent, or promotable to first-line 

supervisory responsibility for an EMS response system. 

(Company Officer/Sergeant/Lieutenant/Captain, Shift/Field 

Supervisor, etc.) 

Advanced Leadership Issues in EMS (R159) 

(will replace R151)

This 6-day course is designed for upper-management 

personnel to address critical system management issues in 

the continually evolving aspects of EMS system delivery. 

With a focus on problem-solving and decisionmaking, topics 

covered include financial management, external influences, 

personnel management, and system management. A project 

addressing one of these issues, based on a local agency or 

community need, will be started with the precourse 

materials and completed in class; this project can then be 

used by the manager to facilitate change in the agency.

Student Selection criteria:

Individuals with upper-level management and decisionmaking responsibility (such as Chief, Deputy Chief, 

Assistant Chief, Director, etc.) responsibility for an EMS 

delivery system. 

PrerequiSite:

R150 completion or equivalent college-level management 

course and EMS management experience.

Fundamentals of Planning Specialized Operations for 

EMS (Q176) (Online)

Management and Planning of Specialized Operations 

for EMS (R168) (6-day classroom)

(these two courses will replace R152)

These courses are designed to provide emergency personnel 

with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to effectively plan 

and manage the response of their EMS systems for incidents/events requiring specialized resources, specialized 

preparation, and/or a multi-agency response, in compliance 

with NIMS guidelines.

Student Selection criteria:

This course is for those who have incident and event management and planning responsibilities for an EMS system. The 

course is targeted primarily to middle managers at an 

operational level and to senior planners within the agency. 

PrerequiSite:

1. IS-201 Forms Used for the Development of the Incident 

Action Plan (EMI)

2. Completion of Q167 prior to application to attend R168.

Application Procedures

National Fire Academy (NFA) course descriptions, 

application period dates, and the FEMA Form 119-25-1, 

General Admission Application (formerly FEMA Form 

75-5) for resident courses can be obtained online at 

www.usfa.fema.gov/nfa

Application Periods

For first semester (October – March): 

April 15 – June 15

For second semester (April – September):

October 15 – December 15

Mandatory Prerequisite for Courses

In order to align NFA programs with Department of 

Homeland Security (DHS) directives, we require that all NFA 

resident students complete ICS 100 level and ICS 200 

level training before they arrive at the National Emergency 

Training Center. While we prefer that students complete 

the Q-462 and Q-463 courses available through NFA, we 

will accept other NIMS-compliant equivalent training as 

provided by State and Federal agencies. The Fire Chief’s 

signature attests that the applicant has completed this 

required prerequisite training.
U.S. Fire Administration • National Fire Academy

16825 South Seton Avenue • Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727

www.usfa.fema.gov

U.S. Fire Administration

Funding Alternatives for 

Emergency Medical and 

Fire Services

FA-331/April 2012

National Fire Programs - EMS Research

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) is committed to supporting emergency 

medical services (EMS) through the research activities of its National Fire Data 

Center (NFDC). These are some of USFA’s efforts to help ensure vibrant and 

effective EMS systems throughout the Nation. 

Funding Alternatives for Emergency Medical and Fire Services

Working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Health 

Affairs (OHA), USFA partnered with the International Fire Service Training 

Association (IFSTA) to update and revise the December 1999 edition of USFA’s 

Funding Alternatives for Fire and Emergency Services in order to provide the 

most up-to-date information regarding sources of funding for local-level EMS 

and fire departments.

Handbook for EMS Medical Directors

Supported by DHS OHA, USFA worked with the International Association of 

Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and its EMS section to develop a Handbook for EMS Medical 

Directors. This handbook targets physicians who serve and support local-level EMS 

departments of all types—municipal third service, hospital-based, volunteer, 

fire department, and private sector.

Model Policies and Protocols for Emergency Medical Services Mass Care 

Incident Deployment

In cooperation with DHS OHA and the National EMS Management Association 

(NEMSMA), USFA performed a study of “Model Policies and Protocols for EMS 

Mass Care Incident Deployment” and developed a report from this study. It 

provides information to EMS departments on the development and enhancement of the organization and preparedness for mass care incidents, including 

natural and manmade disasters, large gathering and pandemic events, and 

other emergencies potentially resulting in large numbers of patients.

“Emergency Medical Services Responder Safety Study”

In partnership with the DHS OHA and the International Association of Fire 

Fighters (IAFF), USFA is performing a study of critical health and safety issues 

for EMS responders which will incorporate the findings into revisions of EMS 

Safety—Techniques and Applications (January 1997) and the Guide to Developing and 

Managing an Emergency Service Infection Control Program (March 1992, updated January 2002).

“Ambulance and EMS Vehicle Occupant Safety”

USFA partnered with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health (NIOSH) to support their evaluation of Emergency Services Vehicle 

Occupant Safety, a project which addresses ambulance and EMS vehicle safety.

“Emergency Medical Services Recruitment and Retention Study”

USFA worked with the Transportation Research Center of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana 

University in Bloomington, IN, to perform a study of EMS recruitment and retention. From this study, a guidebook 

was developed that was intended for use by managers and recruiters of volunteer personnel in organizations that 

provide EMS. The USFA Emergency Medical Services Recruitment and Retention Manual provides guidance for managers of EMS 

organizations in the recruitment and retention of volunteer personnel.

USFA recognizes the critical importance of EMS provided by fire departments and other EMS response agencies and 

is dedicated to meeting their needs. To learn more about USFA’s research efforts, visit the EMS Research Section of 

USFA’s website: www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/research/ems/

Additionally, USFA has research initiatives in emergency responder health and safety including emergency vehicle 

and roadway operations safety, health and wellness, and other areas which support EMS responders: www.usfa.

fema.gov/fireservice/research/safety/index.shtm

Handbook for 

Mar

EMS Medical Dir

ch 2012

ectors

Operational T

a e nd G mpla u t i e da s nce f M o as r E s Inc MS id

Ju

en

ne 2012

t Deployment