FEMA Professional & Advanced Series Certifications

PDS – Professional Development Series Certificate

Those who complete all Professional Development Series (PDS) courses are eligible to receive a FEMA PDS Certificate of Completion. For more information visit http://training.fema.gov/emiweb.

PDS courses may be completed through Independent Study, or in the classroom.

FEMA's Professional Development Series Courses:
  • Principles of Emergency Management
  • Emergency Planning
  • Leadership and Influence
  • Decision making and Problem-Solving
  • Effective Communication
  • Developing and Managing Volunteers
  • Exercise Design

APS - Advanced Professional Series (APS) Certificate

The ability to perform essential work in a disaster requires skills in emergency operation and management. These skills may be developed through this series of courses that offers “how to” training focused on practical information. This new series emphasizes applied skills in disaster operations, alongside of and building of Professional Development Series management and coordination skills.

Requests for the FEMA APS Certificate must be sent first to the NJ Deputy State Director of Emergency Management for verification. The requests will then be forwarded through the FEMA regional offices to the Superintendent of EMI for consideration. Requests should include the date and place of each PDS course attended, together with the name of the course manager. Copies of course certificates should be attached to the request.

Those who complete the five APS required courses plus any five of the16 elective courses are eligible to receive a FEMA APS Certificate of Completion. Courses are conducted through the NJ Office of Emergency Management at various locations.

View FEMA's Advanced Professional Series (APS) Courses Brochure

Required APS courses:

  • EOC Management and Operations, G275
  • Incident Command System/Emergency Operations Center Interface, G191
  • Rapid Assessment Workshop, G250.7
  • Recovery from Disaster, the Local Government Role, G270.4
  • Mitigation Planning Workshop for Local Governments, G318

Elective Courses (choose 5)

  • Donations Management Workshop G288
  • Multi-Hazard Emergency Planning for Schools G362
  • Emergency Planning and Special Needs Populations G197
  • Resource Management G276
  • Debris Management G202
  • Mass Fatalities G386
  • Exercise Program Manager G137
  • Flood Fight Operations G361
  • Emergency Management Operations Course for Local Governments G110
  • Homeland Security Planning for Local Governments 408
  • Community Mass Care Management G108
  • Evacuation and Re-Entry Planning G358
  • Basic Public Information Officer G290
  • Hazardous Weather and Flood Preparedness G271
  • Warning Coordination G272
  • Advanced Incident Command System G196
  • Planning for the Needs of Children in Disaster, G366
  • Access and Functional Needs Planning, G197