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Course Interchangeable and Equivalency Questions
- Question: Is the NIMS IS-702 MAC courses the equivalent to our I-401?
Answer: In August of 2005 the NWCG (Issue Paper #75) approved the absorption of I-401, Multi-Agency Coordination into I-400, Advanced ICS, and to delete
I-401 from the NWCG curriculum. IS-702 was not developed with NWCG using the guidelines for Interchangeable Courses listed in the Field Managers Course Guide. Course Equivalency is an agency specific determination – not an NWCG responsibility. See the Course Equivalency page under the Course Coordinators and Instructors Guidance on our web page.
- Question: Are the USDA ICS 100 through 300 classes interchangeable or equivalent to
NWCG I-100 through 300 classes?
Answer: They are not interchangeable; the US Department of Agriculture’s ICS 100 through 300 classes were not developed with NWCG using the guidelines for Interchangeable Courses listed in the Field Managers Course Guide. Course Equivalency is an agency specific determination – not an NWCG responsibility. See the Course Equivalency page under the Course Coordinators and Instructors Guidance on our web page.
- Question: Are the courses IS200 from FEMA and the I-200 from NWCG the same? What about Q463?
Answer: The IS200 online course offered by the Emergency Management Institute and the Q463 online course offered by the National Fire Academy are not interchangeable with the NWCG I-200 course. The course hours are significantly reduced and NWCG feels the learning experience with the online versions do not meet the intent of I-200. The classroom version of IS200 will remain interchangeable with the NWCG I-200 course. This course was built on the same lesson objectives and content as the NWCG I-200 course.
- Question: Does the Q618 course (Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Operations for the Structural Firefighter Self-Study) meet the S-215 requirement for Crew Boss? The National Fire Academy has the course listed as self-study in coordination with NWCG. They do not mention what requirement if any is fulfilled.
Answer: Q618 is an 8 hour self-study course that was a joint effort of NWCG and the USFA. The NWCG’s S-215 course is a 28 to 32 hour classroom course. Q618 was not developed using the guidelines for Interchangeable Courses listed in the Field Manager’s Course Guide. Course Equivalency is an agency specific determination – not an NWCG responsibility. See the Course Equivalency page under the Course Coordinators and Instructors Guidance on our web page.
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Online Questions
- Question: I am interested in taking the online courses I-100 and S-110. Can I obtain college credit for these courses and if so how many units?
Answer: NWCG has not worked with any colleges to provide college credit for taking the online versions of the courses. However, many colleges do provide credit for those types of courses. Contact the local college of your choice to see if they offer credit for successful completion of the courses.
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NIMS and NWCG Questions
- Question: NIMS requires all emergency response personnel to complete IS-700 and for emergency management personnel to complete the latest version of IS-800. What is NWCG’s policy on completion of IS-700, IS-800, and other related courses?
Answer: The President directed Federal agencies to adopt NIMS and encouraged adoption of NIMS by all stakeholders—Federal, State, territorial, tribal, sub-state regional, and local governments, and private sector organizations involved in emergency management and/or incident response. All NWCG agencies are NIMS compliant.
- Question: Are NWCG courses approved for Office of Domestic grant funding under the Department of Homeland Security grant programs?
Answer: As of September, 2007, several broad categories of courses were automatically included in the list of eligible federal courses. “All NIMS training approved by the NIMS Integration Center (NIC) is eligible for ODP funds. Incident Command System Training offered through the National Fire Academy and the Emergency Management Institute is eligible for use with ODP funds. This guidance applies to resident training, train-the-trainer, and field delivery of courses”
This means that ICS training that is provided by NFA, EMI, and NWCG that is intended to meet NIMS compliance requirements is eligible for funding through Homeland Security grant funds. Even though the individual courses may not be listed on the website, the courses have been approved by the NIMS Integration Center and therefore are eligible for Homeland Security fund reimbursement, as allowed by the State Administrative Agency. As the DHS continues to develop the curriculum for the NIMS under the National Training Program, this eligibility may not continue to be granted for all courses. Individuals and agencies should consult the NIMS website at www.fema.gov/emergency/nims, email the NIC at NIMS-Integration-Center@dhs.gov, or call the Grants & Training information desk at 800-368-6498 for specific course questions.
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Other FAQs
- Question: I am hoping to become a seasonal firefighter during the summer. Is there a class or something I can take to do this?
Answer: See the Seasonal Firefighter section of our web page under the How to Become a Firefighter tab.
- Question: Where can I find training in my area?
Answer: If you are not already affiliated with a unit of government or NWCG member agency you are not eligible to participate in NWCG training. If you are part of a local governmental agency please contact your State Forestry office to request their "sponsorship" for NWCG training.
If you are eligible to take NWCG training, visit our links page for some course locations or contact your local federal or state fire training office to find out which training opportunities are available.
How to Enroll in a NWCG Course
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