CDP expands HBCU partnerships

In March, when the Center for Domestic Preparedness hosted representatives from Stillman College, it continued a long-standing organizational practice to explore mutual educational and training opportunities with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

For years, the center has trained students enrolled in nursing programs at 12 different colleges and universities in the Southeast. These include students from three HBCUs – Gadsden State Community College, Lawson State Community College and Shelton State Community College.

The students typically take the CDP’s Emergency Medical Response Actions (EMRA) and Hospital Emergency Response Operations (HERO) courses to fulfill requirements for their respective school’s nursing program. EMRA teaches students medical triage methods and how to care for individuals exposed to or injured from a wide variety of hazards. HERO trains students how to properly protect themselves from patients exposed to a multitude of hazardous materials, including infectious diseases or viral pathogens.

The EMRA course is a prerequisite for the HERO course.

The CDP’s engagement with Stillman College, meanwhile, is focused on identifying and sharing employment opportunities at the CDP and across FEMA that would benefit the school’s graduating students, particularly those interested in careers in emergency management.

All the partnerships support FEMA’s strategic plan, which charges the agency’s education and training entities to “coordinate a range of complementary activities to engage with the higher education community, including HBCUs and other Minority Serving Institutions, to advance the Emergency Management profession.”