Training and Exercises
YCEMA hosts trainings and exercises for all 29 municipalities in York County, first responders, and other agencies. Trainings and exercises help to prepare agencies for various emergency situations, incidents, and disasters.
The Trainings below are organized into the following sections:
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Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
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NIMS/ICS Trainings
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Shelter Trainings
Our calendar for the next few months includes:
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April - CERT in Alfred (1, 3, 8, 10 & 15); ICS 300 in Alfred (23 & 24)
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May - Shelter Training in Acton (6); ICS 400 in Alfred (21 & 22)
For more information or questions, contact Scott Gagne (Training and Response Coordinator) at srgagne@yorkcountymaine.gov
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
CERT Basic Training - Spring 2025 Cohort
Note: Registration has closed for this cohort, but there will be more CERT training opportunities coming up. For questions about future CERT trainings, please contact York County EMA via email at ema@yorkcountymaine.gov or 207-324-1578.
Description: CERT Basic Training is a 20-hour course, the first step to joining the team! The training includes lectures and hands-on activities to prepare students for CERT operations. Upon completion of this course, students
will be able to:
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Understand principles of emergency management
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Identify hazards in our community
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Create a comprehensive preparedness plan
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Extinguish small fires
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Conduct light search and rescue operations
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Operate emergency shelters
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Assist emergency responders
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Apply basic first aid techniques
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Control utilities
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Provide emergency communications
Target Audience:
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People interested in taking an active role in hometown preparedness
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Neighborhood Watch groups
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Community leaders
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Parents
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Communities of faith
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Scouting and youth organizations
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Students, teachers, and administrators
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Members of clubs and civic organizations
Pre-Requisites: None
March & April Training Dates:
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Tuesday, March 25th
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Thursday, March 27th
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Tuesday, April 1st
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Thursday, April 3rd
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Tuesday, April 8th
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Thursday, April 10th
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Tuesday, April 15th
Time: All Classes are 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: York County EMA, 149 Jordan Springs Rd, Alfred, ME 04002
Upcoming NIMS/ICS Trainings
ICS 300 - Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents
Description: This course provides training for personnel who require advanced application of the Incident Command System (ICS). This course expands upon information covered in the introductory ICS courses.
Target Audience: The target audience for this course includes individuals who may assume a supervisory role in incidents.
Pre-Requisites: ICS-100, ICS-200, IS-700, IS-800
Dates: Wednesday, 4/23/25 and Thursday, 4/24/25
Time: 8:00am - 4:30pm
Location: York County EMA, 149 Jordan Springs Rd, Alfred, ME 04002
Other Information: This course is offered free of charge and lunch will be provided. In an effort to reduce paper use, course materials will be provided electronically, and students will need to bring their own device.
Point of Contact: For questions about this course, contact Scott Gagne at srgagne@yorkcountymaine.gov or 207-324-1578.
Register here: https://forms.gle/VEXDnyQQTESs3ztM6
ICS 400 - Advanced Incident Command System for Complex Incidents
Description: This course provides training for experienced responders and other senior emergency management personnel who may perform in a management capacity for major or complex incidents (Type I or Type II incidents). The purpose of this course is to expose students to the concepts of utilizing area command in major and complex incidents.
Target Audience: The target audience for this course includes experienced senior emergency management personnel who may perform in a management capacity for major or complex incidents.
Pre-Requisites: ICS-100, ICS-200, IS-700, IS-800, ICS 300
Dates: Wednesday, 5/21/25 and Thursday, 5/22/25
Time: 8:00am - 4:30pm
Location: York County EMA, 149 Jordan Springs Rd, Alfred, ME 04002
Other Information: This course is offered free of charge and lunch will be provided. In an effort to reduce paper use, course materials will be provided electronically, and students will need to bring their own device.
Point of Contact: For questions about this course, contact Scott Gagne at srgagne@yorkcountymaine.gov or 207-324-1578.
Register here: https://forms.gle/tqx2MUjgwkghZjSB9
Upcoming Shelter Trainings
York County EMA Shelter Operations Course - hosted by the Town of Acton
Description: This introductory course will cover best practices for disaster sheltering including:
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Pre-disaster planning
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Health, security, and safety considerations
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Staffing and support resources needed to open shelters
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Documentation and feeding considerations
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Equipment considerations
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Demobilization, and more!
Please note that this course is a regularly occurring course and has been previously offered by York County EMA multiple times in the past year.
Target Audience: This is an introductory course intended for any staff or volunteers who will be planning for and/or working in a shelter following a disaster. While this is hosted in Acton, anyone from York County is welcome to join.
Pre-Requisites: None
Date: Tuesday, 5/6/25
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: Acton Town Hall, 35 H Rd, Acton, ME 04001
Point of Contact: For questions about this course, contact Scott Gagne at srgagne@yorkcountymaine.gov or 207-324-1578.
Register here: https://forms.gle/DPQb2e1EJ3r8W66j7