The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency on Thursday, May 26, announced the offering of a two-week pilot course that provides partnership opportunities for senior fire executives and their community planning partners. The course is scheduled Aug. 23 through Sept. 3, 2004, but interested students need to submit applications by Friday, June 4.

“In this post-9/11 environment, it is important that all members of the first responder and emergency management community work together to determine risks and coordinate their responses,” said Michael D. Brown, under secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response. “This pilot course is important as it provides a forum for partnership and local and regional coordination centered on President Bush’s and the Department of Homeland Security’s National Incident Management System.”

National Fire Program Specialists at the U.S. Fire Administration developed the new course, “Partnering for Fire Defense and Emergency Services Planning.” In addition to coordination and strategy planning, the course will offer information on interoperability, risk assessment, data collection and analysis, and the interdependence of community services and emergency services on a community. Targeted students include local, regional and state fire and emergency services officers who are responsible for data collection, analysis and planning, as well as local, regional and state community risk planners.

Students must complete the FEMA General Admissions application. For complete course information, go to: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fire-servic