Demand for distance learning at the Emergency Management Institute jumped 120 percent from 2001 to 2003, to 182,000 enrollments, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Enrollments in on-campus courses also grew a healthy 10 percent.

The institute's educators believe the events of Sept. 11 heightened awareness and boosted demand for both classroom and on-line training in the institute's courses.

Emphasizing an “all hazards” approach to preparedness and leadership, new technology and best practices in a complex post-9/11 environment, EMI classes are conducted 47 weeks a year at the U.S. Fire Administration's National Emergency Training Center in Emmitburg, Md.

“The training philosophy we had before Sept. 11, 2001, continues to be solid. Emergency officials realize they need to continue training throughout their careers, especially now that terrorism and other man-made emergencies must be dealt with,” said Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response. “This training and its continued growth is critical because, as President Bush notes, our first responders are the first line of defense in homeland security.”

While EMI has been offering an “all hazards” training curriculum since 1981, its curricula now serves a broader group of officials as part of a community’s emergency response system. "Not only emergency managers and firefighters – who make up about a quarter of students – participate in the various EMI course offerings, so do officials from mayors’ offices, public works, emergency communications, schools and public health. An increasing number of students are also coming from law enforcement," according to FEMA.

One of the biggest new components in EMI courses is public health. More health-related courses have been added to the curriculum, and more health professionals are enrolling in traditional emergency management courses.

Exercises and training done by EMI are now done in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Public Health Service. In addition, in some of the integrated emergency management courses where participants might normally deal with natural disasters, the events written into the exercise include bioterrorism attacks or significant mass-casualty events such as a plane crash.

Classes at EMI last from two days to two weeks, and students come from all over the U.S.  Students pay no tuition or lodging costs and are generally reimbursed for their travel expenses.

This year, EMI began offering courses at the Noble Training Center, in Fort McClellan, Ala.. The center, a former Army hospital turned into a training center, moved from HHS to FEMA with the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. Training there will focus on medical preparedness for mass-casualty events.

Click here for more information about EMI distance learning  and resident courses.