April 2025
Volume 19 Issue 4
**Best viewed on a computer browser or horizontally if you are on a smartphone**
VEM 2025 Engagement Survey
Vermont Emergency Management is seeking your help. Each year, we seek feedback from our partners in the areas of training, exercising, communication, resources, and program development. The results of this survey influence the work that we do throughout the year, as well as the plan updates, trainings & exercises planned, organizational changes, and equipment prioritization documented in the Vermont Integrated Preparedness Plan.
Please take the 10-minute VEM Engagement Survey. This survey will close at noon on May 1st. If you have any questions or want to discuss the survey, please contact the Engagement Section Chief, Emily.Harris@vermont.gov . The results of last year’s survey are available on the VEM Website.
Wildfire Danger Resources
Wildfire season in Vermont began last month. Despite the ground still being wet, dry fuels like leaves and twigs, and high winds have already produced days of High fire danger in areas of the state.
There are resources for towns to stay up to date on current and future wildfire hazards. The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation has a website with links to current hazards and educational materials communities can hand out to residents. The site also allows anyone to subscribe to the daily Fire Danger Forecast.
The National Weather Service also provides a detailed daily fire weather forecast.
Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team
This article is provided by Lisa Lemieux, Vice Chair of the Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team.
The Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team (VDART) is dedicated to the needs of pets during emergencies. We are activated by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets, and our activation protocols provide more information on how your municipality can make a formal request for these services.
Our trained volunteers can set up and operate regional pet shelters in cooperation with emergency management officials. We can also give guidance and training to towns on how to manage a town pet shelter. Please be aware that if local plans for sheltering do not include planning for pets, FEMA funding for pet-specific sheltering costs may be jeopardized. For more information, please send an email to info@vermontdart.org.
New Vermont Emergency Management Staff
Mark Allen Johnson has joined Vermont Emergency Management as the new Recovery Section Chief.
Johnson retired from the Memphis Fire Department in 2023 after 29 years of service as a Company Officer and Firefighter/Paramedic. He also served for 28 years on FEMA US&R Task Force TN-TF1 as a Medical Specialist and Plans Manager.
Mark and his family moved to Vermont two years ago, and he has been serving with FEMA since September 2023. He comes to VEM following his most recent role as the Operations Section Chief at the Joint Field Office in Vermont. He is committed to helping communities in Vermont recover from past and potential future disasters. He values the natural beauty that is found in Vermont and is excited about the many opportunities to enjoy hiking, skiing, and boating here.
Debris Management Planning
In November 2024, the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) adopted the updated 2024 Vermont Materials Management Plan. This plan requires Solid Waste Management Entities to create and submit a Disaster Debris Plan to the ANR by April 1, 2027.
These plans are required to include municipal debris contacts, Disaster hazardous Materials Staging Areas, Trash & Construction and Demolition Disaster Debris Management, and Clean Wood/Vegetative/Inert Debris Management Sites. Please expect your Solid Waste Management Entities to be in contact with the Emergency Management Director or other town official responsible for municipal debris to discuss this plan.
You may find it beneficial to attend the virtual course, “K0202: Debris Management Planning for State, Tribal, Territorial, and Local Officials”, which better prepares participants to fully plan for, respond to, and recover from major debris-generating events. The flyer linked here details course dates throughout 2025, including the application process
Training
Most trainings require a Learning Management System(LMS) account. If you don’t have an account, you can register for one on the State LMS website.
For a complete listing of trainings, go to the Events Calendar in the LMS.
VT- Alert Manager Training- this training is now an anytime training in the LMS. Not to worry, we will still host the virtual live trainings. You can take this training on the LMS
April 2025
VT-Alert Manager Training
This training is intended for Town Officials or Non-Profits who use VT-Alert for public and private notifications. This class is required for all people who will be using the program at the manager level. This training can also act as a refresher as needed. The class will be approximately 1.5 hours long and consist of sending live test alerts. A computer and internet connection are required. A second computer monitor is highly suggested as there is a follow along portion to the class.
LOCATION: Virtual
DATE/TIME: April 16, 2025, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
REGISTRATION
National Resources Conservation Service(NRCS) Watershed Program Opportunities for Flood Prone Communities
Participants will learn about NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program assistance with project sponsors for flooding and erosion protection following a natural disaster including structural solutions that protect communities from additional flooding threats and financial assistance for sponsor-led property buyouts.
The webinar will also include NRCS Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO) Program assistance to sponsors in preparing and carrying out watershed plans for purposes such as watershed protection and flood prevention, assessing the extent of watershed problems and the needs of a flood-prone community with watershed plans that may include nonstructural or structural measures.
Presenters include Sonya Keith - NRCS National WFPO Program Coordinator | John Derbish - NRCS National EWP Recovery Manager | Tina Hendon - NWC Chair |Gene Saurborn - NWC Executive Director.
LOCATION: Webinar
DATE/TIME: April 22, 2025, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
REGISTRATION
Register in advance for this webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
ICS-402 - ICS 402 Summary for Executives
The purpose of this course is to provide an orientation to the Incident Command System for Executives and Senior Officials.
LOCATION: Manchester Fire Department, Manchester, VT
DATE/TIME: April 28, 2025, 11:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.
REGISTRATION
June 2025
Vermont Local Emergency Management Director Course
This course will familiarize Local Emergency Management Directors (EMD) and Coordinators (EMC) with major roles, responsibilities, and “how to do it” guidance, across all four phases of Emergency Management.
LOCATION: Virtual
DATE/TIME:
Day 1: June 11, 2025, 1:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Day 2: June 12, 2025, 1:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Must attend both days to receive credit.
REGISTRATION
G0191- ICS/EOC Interface
This course provides an opportunity for participants to begin developing an effective interface between the Incident Command System (ICS) and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for their community by applying Incident Command System (ICS) principles. This course reviews ICS and EOC responsibilities and functions and depends heavily on exercises and group discussions to identify interface issues and develop solutions. As part of the course, these concepts are then applied to exercise situations.
LOCATION: Bennington Public Safety Building, Bennington, VT
DATE/TIME: June 19, 2025, 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
PREREQUISITES: IS-100, IS-200, IS-700, and IS-800
REGISTRATION
HSEEP Bootcamp
The goal of this course, Exercise Bootcamp, is to reinforce prior exercise management training and to coach emergency managers through the planning, conduct, and evaluation of a tabletop exercise. The course is divided into four modules each focusing on a different aspect of the exercise management process, with a combination of classroom instruction and individualized engagement between students and instructors. The modules are:
• Module 1: Scoping
• Module 2: Design and Evaluation Planning
• Module 3: Preparing for Conduct
• Module 4: Post-Conduct (AAR and Beyond)
LOCATION: Virtual
DATE/TIME:
Day 1 - June 24, 2025, 8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
Day 2 - July 22, 2025, 8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
Day 3 - August 26, 2025, 8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
REQUIRED: Conduct your tabletop between August 10th and October 1st
Day 4 - October 26, 2025, 8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
PREREQUISITES: L0146 Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP), Previous participation in an exercise (as documented by a sign-in sheet and accompanying brief narrative describing the student’s role in the exercise(s))
REGISTRATION
Must attend all four days to receive credit.
Mental Health First Aid Training
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among adults.
LOCATION: Hybrid- It will be virtual and at DPS Headquarters, Waterbury, VT
DATE/TIME: June 24, 2025, 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
REGISTRATION
This course is only for participants from within the state of Vermont.
MGT - 417: Crisis Management for School-Based Incidents for Key Decision Makers
The purpose of this 2-day management/planning level course is to provide the operational-level details to support many of the topics covered in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) approved AWR 148: Crisis Management for School-Based Incidents – Partnering Rural Law Enforcement and the Local School Systems awareness-level course. Rural schools, law enforcement, other emergency responders, and community stakeholders are often limited in their access to resources, so it is imperative that all potentially affected parties collaborate in planning, preparation, communication, response, and recovery in the event of a school-based incident. Moreover, these affected parties must come together to practice their interoperable skills through drills and exercises to ensure the strategies in place provide for effective crisis response and collaborative recovery. With the intent of building upon the foundation of the AWR 148 course and utilizing an all-hazards approach, this two-day course will provide content instruction, develop concept-specific skills, and provide opportunities for law enforcement, school personnel, and community stakeholders to collaboratively apply the course objectives in scenario-based applications.
LOCATION: Lamoille South Supervisory Union, Morrisville, VT
DATE/TIME: June 30, 2025, 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. & July 1, 2025, 8:00 a.m.- 3:30 p.m.
REGISTRATION
Must attend both days to receive credit.
July 2025
ICS 300- Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents
This course focuses on management of expanding incidents and is intended for those who will be serving in the following positions: command staff, section chiefs, strike team leaders, unit leaders, division and group supervisors, branch directors, multi-agency coordination system staff, and Emergency Operations Center staff. This course is for middle management, strike team leaders, task force leaders, unit leaders, division and group supervisors, branch directors, Emergency Operations Center staff.
LOCATION: CCV at Fairbanks Museum- St. Johnsbury, VT
DATE/TIME: July 22-24, 2025, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. each day
PREREQUISITES: ICS-100 and ICS- 200
REGISTRATION
Must attend all three days to receive credit.
August 2025
PER-340: Active Threat Integrated Response Course
This course is designed to improve integration between law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services (EMS) in active shooter events. The course provides law enforcement officers with key medical skills based on tactical emergency casualty care (TECC) guidelines that can be used to the point of injury (POI) to increase the survivability of victims. The course also provides a model framework for law enforcement, fire, and EMS to integrate responses during an active shooter event through the rescue task force concept.
LOCATION: Stowe High School, Stowe, VT
DATE/TIME: August 1-2, 2025, 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. & August 3, 2025, 8:00 a.m.- 3:30 p.m.
REGISTRATION
ACCESS CODE: NCBRT340
Must attend both days to receive credit.
September 2025
L0146 Homeland Security Exercise & Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
The Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) course provides a comprehensive overview of exercise design along with practical skill development. Using the same terminology and processes, this course will provide activities that will give participants an opportunity to interact with many of the templates and other materials that are provided by the National Exercise Division to ensure exercises are conducted in a consistent manner. Anyone who will be a member of an exercise design team or fulfill a role in one of the following areas of the exercise design process: design, development, conduct, evaluation or improvement process for exercise. The primary audience for the course is training officers, exercise managers, persons that will utilize the exercise and evaluation system and persons interested in becoming an HSEEP Evaluator for Vermont Emergency Management.
LOCATION: Virtual
DATE/TIME: September 15, 16, 17-19, 2025, 9:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
PREREQUISITES: IS-120
REGISTRATION
Must attend both days to receive credit.
ICS 400- Advanced ICS for Command and General Staff
This course provides training for personnel who require advanced application of the Incident Command System (ICS). This course expands upon information covered in ICS 100 through ICS 300 courses, which are prerequisites for the ICS 400 course
LOCATION: CCV at Fairbanks Museum- St. Johnsbury, VT
DATE/TIME: September 23-24, 2024, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. each day
PREREQUISITES: ICS-100, ICS- 200 and ICS- 300
REGISTRATION
October 2025
G0191- ICS/EOC Interface
This course provides an opportunity for participants to begin developing an effective interface between the Incident Command System (ICS) and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for their community by applying Incident Command System (ICS) principles. This course reviews ICS and EOC responsibilities and functions and depends heavily on exercises and group discussions to identify interface issues and develop solutions. As part of the course, these concepts are then applied to exercise situations.
LOCATION: Norwich Police Department, Norwich, VT
DATE/TIME: June 19, 2025, 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
PREREQUISITES: IS-100, IS-200, IS-700, and IS-800
REGISTRATION