Level 1 of 4
Basic Level Emergency Manager (BLEM)
The Basic Level certification is an entry-level certification for emergency managers. Those who earn it are entitled to use the BLEM designation.
- Total training300 hours
- Core200 hours
- Non-Core100 hours
- Review fee$50
Required Courses
Beginning January 1, 2026, these courses are the required core training. They help align new emergency managers with EMPG funding requirements and set a foundation for future directors to align with the Alabama CLEM requirements.
- IS-5An Introduction to Hazardous Materials
- IS-100Introduction to Incident Command
- IS-120An Orientation to Community Disaster Exercises
- IS-200.cICS for Single and Initial Action Incidents
- IS-230.dFundamentals of Emergency Management
- IS-235Emergency Planning
- IS-240Leadership and Influence
- IS-241Decision Making and Problem Solving
- IS-242Effective Communication
- IS-244Developing and Managing Volunteers
- IS-317.aIntroduction to Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
- IS-700.bAn Introduction to the National Incident Management System
- IS-800.dNational Response Framework, an Introduction
- IS-2000National Preparedness Goal and System Overview
- IS-2500National Prevention Framework, an Introduction
- IS-2600National Protection Framework, an Introduction
- IS-2700National Mitigation Framework, an Introduction
- IS-2900.aNational Disaster Recovery Framework, an Introduction
- IS-2901Introduction to Community Lifelines
- Q-890Emergency Response to TerrorismOffered through the U.S. Fire Administration: course details
20 required courses, typically about 76 hours. They count toward your 200 Core hours, so you’ll need roughly 124 more hours of Core training.
Additional Requirements
200 hours of Core
FEMA and other emergency management training. The required courses above count toward the 200-hour total.
100 hours of Non-Core
Other public safety and general management training and education.