MEMA to lead new Northeast Emergency Management Training & Education Center

On March 2, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced the launch of the Northeast Emergency Management Training & Education Center, designed to strengthen regional response to climate change and other emergencies.

Led by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, the program will provide advanced education and expanded resources to New England’s emergency management professionals, who face evolving challenges due to the increasing complexity and frequency of crisis events.

The six New England states formed the NEMTEC to meet a growing need among state and local emergency managers for improved access to training on emerging trends and expanding risks, including human-made hazards, infectious diseases, and climate and weather-related emergencies. Attendees will learn the latest strategies, tactics and skills to mitigate the severity of threats and improve outcomes.

“The establishment of the NEMTEC represents another important step in the Commonwealth’s comprehensive approach to addressing emergency preparedness, including the challenges posed by the climate crisis,” Gov. Healey said at the announcement in Boston. “Today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape, driven in part by climate change, represents an immense challenge for the emergency management community. When disaster strikes, emergency managers require specialized knowledge and unique capabilities to adapt and respond effectively.”

Healey said emergency management professionals are integral to the crisis mitigation, pre-disaster planning, and recovery efforts that lessen impacts and increase disaster resiliency.

Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy said this is a critical time “to ensure emergency management practitioners are prepared to carry out their unique responsibilities.”

The NEMTEC will offer courses and workshops on a range of topics, including the National Emergency Management Basic Academy, Emergency Operation Center Management, incident management, and mission support. Courses led by knowledgeable and experienced instructors will be offered in-person, virtually, and in hybrid formats.

Visit the NEMTEC website for more information and to register for courses and workshops.