Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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The EMI Student Portal allows students to request an official transcript from the FEMA Independent Study Program (FEMA ISP) office. In addition, students can list their course completions and print certificates from the resulting list, as well as an unofficial transcript.

For more information review the FEMA ISP Information page.

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Independent Study Exams now require a FEMA Student Indentification Number (FEMA SID). If you do not yet have a FEMA SID, register for one today: https://cdp.dhs.gov/femasid.

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Yes. As of April 1, 2015, you will be required to use a FEMA Student Indentification Number (FEMA SID). Please visit the FEMA SID website to obtain a FEMA SID.

Students who have taken courses in the past under their social security number can contact the FEMA Independent Study Program (FEMA ISP) office at 301-447-1200 or Independent.Study@fema.dhs.gov to have their records merged under their FEMA SID number.

For FEMA employees (full/part time, reservists and CORE), we recommend you first attempt the IS course via FEMA Employee Knowledge Center (FEKC). Contact the FEMA Help Desk if you do not know the link to the FEKC website. If the course is not listed in FEKC, register using your FEMA SID. When registering for your FEMA SID, enter your FEMA email address in the Work Email field, and then request that your FEMA SID profile be PIV enabled. You will not be able to complete Exams as a FEMA employee until these steps are completed.

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Upon successful completion of an Independent Study (IS) exam, you will receive an email within 1-2 business days with instructions on how to access all of your completion certificates. This email confirms your transcript has been updated and provides a link to access the EMI Student Portal where you can view, download and print all of your your electronic certificates. Your completions will appear in the EMI Student Portal prior to receiving the email.

Certificates are provided as Portable Document Format (PDF) files and require the Adobe Reader. If you do not have this software, it can be obtained as a free download at http://www.adobe.com.

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For more information on recovering certificates, please contact the FEMA Independent Study Program (FEMA ISP) Help Desk at (301) 447-1200 or Independent.Study@fema.dhs.gov.

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Yes! Completion certificates or an Official Student Transcript can be requested by visiting the EMI Student Portal.

To download an Unofficial Transcript, login to the EMI Student Portal and click on the Student IS Transcript button.

You cannot request an Official Transcript by phone. To request an official transcript, login to the EMI Student Portal and click on the Official IS Transcript button.

*Please note that IS transcripts issued by the FEMA Independent Study Program (FEMA ISP) office do NOT reflect college credits that have been purchased from Frederick Community College.

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No, a user name and password is NOT required to complete an IS course. You will sign into the exam with your FEMA Student Indentification Number (FEMA SID) and LAST NAME. Please see the How do I take an Independent Study course online FAQ for more information.

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If you have an inquiry regarding the FEMA ISP, Emergency Management Institute (EMI) program not related to a FEMA SID such as: requests for certificates, transcripts, online test scores/results, please contact the FEMA ISP office at 301-447-1200 or email Independent.Study@fema.dhs.gov for further assistance. Please do not contact the FEMA SID Help Desk as they are unable to provide assistance with these requests.

Answer:

The primary audience for the FEMA Independent Study Program (FEMA ISP) is first responders, EMS personnel and US citizens. The FEMA ISP has no requirements for instructors to teach our courses; however, we do suggest the instructor is familiar with the course materials before teaching the course. Reviewing the material, taking and passing the exam online and reviewing any classroom materials provided are suggested ways to familiarize yourself with the material. All exams must be submitted online at http://training.fema.gov/IS/.

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Due to the Privacy Act, we no longer accept third party requests for completion verification, certificate reissue, or transcripts. Please have the student contact the FEMA Independent Study Program (FEMA ISP) office directly at 301-447-1200 or Independent.Study@fema.dhs.gov for assistance.

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ICS-300 and ICS-400 can be taught on campus, in the field or at the state-level; therefore we recommend contacting your State Training Office (STO) for course training information. For contact information, visit https://training.fema.gov/programs/aps/stolist.aspx.

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ICS-300 and ICS-400 courses are not administered by the FEMA Independent Study Program (FEMA ISP); therefore, we do not maintain completion records.

ICS-300 and ICS-400 can be taught on campus, in the field or at the state-level; therefore, we recommend contacting the agency that provided your training to inquire about your certificates.

Answer:

Exams are scored in an automated system to eliminate the opportunity for scoring errors. In order to maintain the integrity of our courses, we do not distribute test scores or questions missed. Our exams are based upon pass/fail criteria with the benchmark for successful completion set at 75%. Our program does not limit your exam attempts. Please be aware that online exams are scrambled and the questions may change when you take the final exam. Be sure to read test questions and answer choices carefully.

Answer:

Great to see emergency planning for houses of worship.

EMI maintains an Independent Study (IS) course titled IS-360 Preparing for Mass Casualty Incidents: A Guide for Schools, Higher Education, and Houses of Worship http://training.fema.gov/IS/courseOverview.aspx?code=IS-360. The course provides resources from many organizations to include private sector.

How to Assess the Safety and Security of Your Place of Worship: http://tinalewisrowe.com is one some have found helpful but there are many others resources as you access the course.

We also have the IS-907 Active Shooter: What You Can Do http://training.fema.gov/IS/courseOverview.aspx?code=IS-907 with additional resources.

Answer:

Make sure you are using a supported web browser and a desktop or laptop computer. Mobile devices are not recommended.

Please see our technical requirements at http://training.fema.gov/IS/technicalRequirements.aspx.

If the problem persists, please contact the FEMA Independent Study Program (FEMA ISP) office at 301-447-1200 or email Independent.Study@fema.dhs.gov with a detailed error description.

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Organizations/Agencies are encouraged to institute procedures to ensure that students are completing IS exams for EMI's IS courses through their own individual efforts.

Individuals within an organization who feel that exam answers are being improperly provided should follow that organization's procedures for reporting unethical conduct.

If a student is found to have cheated on an IS exam, the penalty may include, but is not limited to:

• expulsion;
• foreclosure from future classes for a specified period;
• forfeiture of certificate for course/courses enrolled in at NETC or NTC;
• or all of the above.

A letter notifying the student's sponsor of the individual's misconduct will be sent by the appropriate official at NETC. Upon written request by the individual's sponsor, information from and/or copies of the statements from the individual and witnesses, police reports, and NETC or NTC security reports may be made available to the individual's sponsor for the purpose of determining if disciplinary action is appropriate by the sponsoring organization.

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Unless otherwise indicated in the course materials, under 17 USC § 105 these government produced materials are not afforded copyright protection and are within the public domain. Changes to original EMI content are not authorized by EMI. When using EMI curriculum materials or portions there of, agencies, organizations and individuals should cite EMI as the originator of the material. The materials should not be used or displayed by non-federal entities in a manner or way which states or implies endorsement of a user’s products or services by the Federal Government. Please click this link to find out more information.

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Click on the FEMA Independent Study Program (FEMA ISP) Course List and select your course from the list.

Review course materials by choosing any one of the options in the "Take This Course" box on the right-hand side of the page.

Submit your final exam online. You will be enrolled in the course when you submit your final exam answers online.

You will receive an email confirmation at the email address provided on your final exam submission within 1-2 business days for the course.

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You may sign-up for our GovDelivery service to receive the latest news on new and updated courses. To sign up or to access your subscriber preferences, please enter your e-mail address at: http://service.govdelivery.com/service/subscribe.html?code=USDHSFEMA_151. We also recommend that you visit our homepage: http://training.fema.gov/IS/ frequently. As new courses become available they will be posted there.

Answer:

Visit https://training.fema.gov/hiedu/ to choose "College List" from the menu on the left side of the page. There you will find information on schools offering emergency management, homeland security and related programs under FEMA’s Higher Education Program. You can also select HiEd Resources from the menu, and then “Free College Courses, Textbooks, Materials” where you will find additional information.

Answer:

The Professional Development Series (PDS) includes seven Emergency Management Institute (EMI) Independent Study (IS) courses that provide a well-rounded set of fundamentals for those in the emergency management profession. When a student has completed all courses in the series, a PDS certificate will be available for download in The EMI Student Portal. The courses, in recommended order of completion, are located at https://training.fema.gov/is/searchisbycurriculum.aspx?keywords=professional.

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Please see our Before you Begin: technical requirements at http://training.fema.gov/IS/technicalRequirements.aspx

If a problem still exists, please send an email to Independent.Study@fema.dhs.gov with a detailed error description.

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This issue is most likely related to your internet browser. Microsoft Edge of Firefox work best for accessing and viewing of materials. Please see our technical requirements at https://training.fema.gov/IS/technicalRequirements.aspx.

If the problem persists, please contact the FEMA Independent Study program office at 301-447-1200 or Independent.Study@fema.dhs.gov with a detailed error description.

Answer:

If you are able to get to different sections of the website, but cannot access the final exams, please try enabling TLS 1.2 TLS 1.3. The training.fema.gov website requires one of these protocols to be selected in your web browser's settings. See the Enable Support TLS Guide for more information.