Emergency Management Program

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Emergency Management Credentialing and Certificate Information

Learn more about EOC Credentialing and Specialist Certificates

Emergency Management Outreach Program

Instructor Requirements, Curriculum, Forms, and Support Material

Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS)

SEMS ACI Training Materials

The California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI) provides training in all phases of emergency management: preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. Additionally, CSTI offers specialized training in crisis communications, exercise design, and emergency planning for schools and populations with access and functional needs. Our emergency management curriculum covers the full spectrum of hazards, including earthquakes, floods, fires, severe weather, tsunamis, hazardous materials, and terrorism.

Emergency management professional development is also a key component in CSTI’s training programs. Our course choices include: Basic and Advanced Training for Emergency Services Coordinators, EOC Position Specific Training, EOC Action Planning Training, and all levels of the California’s Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) and Incident Command System (ICS) approved courses.

All CSTI’s Emergency Management courses can be applied to Cal OES’s Emergency Management Specialist Certificate Program as either a core or elective course.

Emergency Management Credentialing and Certificate Information

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services offers professional recognition certificate and credentialing programs for emergency management and allied professionals:

Specialist Certificate Program

The Specialist Certificate Program, initiated in 2008, recognizes individuals who complete a series of core courses and complete at least 72 hours of elective courses or seminars. There are three Specialist Certificates to choose from:

Emergency Management

All required AND elective courses must have been completed within the last ten years and must have been completed through Cal OES/CSTI or through one of our approved consortium partners which can be found on our Approved Electives List linked below.

Required Courses (4):

  • Mitigation for Emergency Managers (G393)
  • Emergency Planning (G235)
  • Recovery from Disasters: The Local Community Role (G205) – Formerly (G270.4)
  • Emergency Management Concepts: All Hazards or Jurisdiction Specific

Plus a minimum of 72 hours of approved electives from the list below.

View the Approved Electives List

Specialist Certificate Documents

Public Information

All required AND elective courses must have been completed within the last ten years and must have been completed through Cal OES/CSTI or through one of our approved consortium partners which can be found on our Approved Electives List linked below.

Required Courses (4):

  • Public Information Basics (L0105) Public Information Basics (L0105) has replaced Basic PIO and JIC-JIS (G290-291).                                                                                                  *As of January 1st, 2025 Basic PIO and JIC-JIS (G290-291) will no longer be accepted as a required course.
  • Intermediate Public Information Officer (IPIO)
  • Advanced Public Information Officer (L0388)
  • Media Relations (MR)

Plus a minimum of 72 hours of approved electives from the list below.

View the Approved Electives List

Specialist Certificate Documents

Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Position Credentialing Program

The EOC Position Credentialing Program identifies measures for competency, and documents professional qualifications, certifications, training, experience, and education requirements that define basic criteria expected of emergency services personnel serving within an emergency operations center. Working with numerous partner agencies at all levels of government within California, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services developed a comprehensive statewide credentialing program to promote elements of the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) and flow into the larger effort of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Guidelines for the credentialing of personnel

EOC Credentialing Documentation

CSTI Training Portal

Visit the CSTI Learning Management System to browse hundreds of training courses, register and learn.