I keep seeing requests for proposals (RFP) and certainly Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant guidance that says exercises conducted with Federal grant money must conform to HSEEP standards. Then too, I see resumes of people saying that they are "HSEEP Certified." Since certification and accreditation is one of the trends we are seeing in the profession of emergency management it prompted the discussion I mentioned above, about how one becomes HSEEP certified.
Then "she," name withheld upon request, sent me the following that she found on the Internet:
How do I become “Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) certified?”
It is important to understand that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) does not certify individuals. A HSEEP certificate indicates the participant has successfully completed the HSEEP Training Course and has committed to developing and delivering exercises in accordance with HSEEP guidelines. This certificate does not indicate ability or authorization to teach HSEEP, even if the certificate is for the HSEEP Train-the-Trainer course.
The National Exercise Division (NED) and Emergency Management Institute (EMI) have created an instructor qualification guideline that provides criteria that all HSEEP instructors must meet to teach the HSEEP Training Course and Train-the-Trainer course. It is the responsibility of the agency sponsoring the training to verify the instructor’s qualifications.
The above came from a list of Q&A that concerned the usage of HSEEP and details on its implementation, dated May, 2010.
I'm guessing that there are FEMA HSEEP experts who read this blog. Is the above correct? If so, you might want to update your resume to properly list your HSEEP qualification as "HSEEP trained."
