Fire inspector Amy Kimberly
first PBCC Emergency Management Certificate graduate

When disaster strikes, it is hard for people and organizations to deal with the chaos that has been created. That is why Palm Beach Community College created the emergency management college credit certificate program to train professionals on how to deal with emergencies and major disasters.

This completely online course load teaches students how to coordinate disaster response or crisis management activities, provide disaster preparedness training, and prepare emergency plans and procedures for natural (hurricanes, floods, earthquakes), wartime, or technological (nuclear power plant emergencies, hazardous materials spills) disasters or hostage situations.

Many firefighters, police officers, emergency medical workers, public work officials and private industrial safety managers are signing up for this certificate program. Amy Kimberly, former fire fighter with the city of Riviera Beach and current fire inspector with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, is the first graduate of the Emergency Management College Credit Certificate program.

"I thought this would be a good transition from fire service to the emergency system," Kimberly said. "Something to expand my service."

As a fire inspector, Kimberly goes into businesses to ensure fire prevention and safety inspecting extinguishers and buildings. Since finishing her courses in emergency management, she became certified with the Florida Emergency Preparedness Association (FEPA), an organization of emergency management professionals to advance emergency management programs within Florida.

"Amy was a great student and has proven to be a leader," said emergency management instructor Everette Vaughan. "Several students still in the program contact and meet with her regularly for her help with their papers and assignments."

The emergency management certificate can be earned in one year and completely online. For more information, visit www.pbcc.edu/EmergencyManagement.xml .