The EM Program integrates academics with professional work experience and skills. It allows student opportunities to apply their classroom knowledge to the real-world in government, industry and non-governmental organizations. Students participate in exercises with EM professionals, students in their senior year, develop discussion based exercises for towns, cities and agencies throughout the Commonwealth, and utilize or Emergency Operations Training Center. As an Emergency Management major, you will:

•  Help support communities
•  Work alongside EM professionals in the field
•  Learn cutting-edge and legacy EM technologies 
• Develop an understanding of EM policy, practice and protocols
• Learn about the Incident Command Structure, inherent in all EM incidents and events.
   

View Curriculum

As an Emergency Management major, you will be tasked with managing simulated emergencies and hands-on tasks. Your studying will be put to the test with our state-of-the-art EM Simulation Center, applying apply both legacy and emerging technologies in a near real-world environment.

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The Emergency Management program requires students to complete two co-ops (summer/winter break) and one experiential learning trip (winter break). Many students complete several co-ops. Freshmen EM students will participate in one of the following Experiential Learning Trips: Guatemala, New Orleans, or Team Rubicon in sunny California. Participation is required for all EM cadets who are freshmen or who transferred to Mass Maritime in the Spring.

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1. Understand the four phases of Emergency Management; mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, applied across an All Hazards/Whole Community Approach to Emergency Management.
2. Identify the scientific principles involved in the development of mitigation and preparedness policies, strategies and tactics.
3. Understand scientific principles involved in the development of multi-level response and recovery policies, strategies, and tactics.
4. Evaluate the social science components of Emergency Management related to government, the private sector, to nongovernmental organizations, communities, and to individuals.
5. Apply the Incident Command System and analyze its relationship to national preparedness goals.
6. Apply new and emerging emergency management technologies across phases of Emergency Management.

Emergency Management cadets with an interest in pursuing careers as fire-fighters may apply for the firefighting program during the spring semester of their freshman year. The program is conducted in partnership with the Onset Fire Department and provides the opportunity for those selected to be trained and certified as firefighters and gain real-world, practical experience responding to emergencies with the Onset Fire Department. 

Under the guidance of Fire Chief Jeffrey R. Osswald, cadets will attend a recruit training program consisting of 240 hours of classroom and practical skills instruction over several months of their sophomore year. The program culminates with the cadets taking the National Board on Firefighting’s Professional Qualifications Firefighter I/II Certification examination. Cadets spend the remainder of their time at the Academy responding to a wide range of emergency incidents, including, structure fires, motor vehicle accidents, emergency medical incidents, hazardous materials incidents, water rescues, and brush fires, to name a few.

Cadets will train regularly and spend duty shifts at the station throughout their time in the program.  Many graduates of the program, in combination with their B.S. in Emergency Management, have gone on to secure full-time employment in the fire service, law enforcement, the Armed Forces, and other rewarding occupations. 

The Emergency Management Department’s liaison with the Onset Fire Department is Dr. Edward J. Valla.  evalla@maritime.edu.

The Massachusetts Maritime Academy has partnered with the Comprehensive Medical Teaching Institute (CMTI) to offer the EMT-basic course on campus during the spring and fall semesters. CMTI has educated healthcare professionals and first responders since 2009. CMTI is an approved and accredited EMS training program through CoAEMSP and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services.

The EMT course is taught in a hybrid model, with cadets participating in class one evening per week from 1800-2200, and requires significant online asynchronous homework and quizzes. 

The course is open to all MMA cadets, and the in-person instruction takes place in Harrington 102 and 103.

Registration and payment for the course is through CMTI’s website: https://www.cmtiinc.com/

The EMT course is worth 4 academic credits. Emergency Management Cadets, if they wish, may substitute the course for either Public Health (EM 3213) or Infectious Agents (EM 2111). The request is made through the Registrar’s Office and approved by the EM Department Chair.

Beginning in the Fall 2024 Semester, MMA will partner with the Comprehensive Medical Teaching Institute (CMTI) to offer paramedic training on campus. Preliminary details are listed in the FAQ sheet below. 

The EM Department liaison with CMTI is Dr. Edward J. Valla, evalla@maritime.edu.

Paramedic Program FAQs

• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
• Basic Firefighting
• Firefighter Program, (On-Call)
• Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 40
• Some of our EM courses require certifications through EMI's independent studies. These certifications include, but are not limited to: 
  • IS-120.C: An Introduction to Exercises
  • IS-700.B: An Introduction to National Incident Management System
  • IS-800.D: National Response Framework, An Introduction
  • IS-922: Applications of GIS for Emergency Management

Our Organization

This chapter was created with the intent of providing the emergency management undergraduate students at Massachusetts Maritime Academy with opportunities for networking and enhancement in their emergency management careers. Club members will need to register as student members through the IAEM website. The cost for student membership is $55 per year.

Benefits of IAEM Membership

• Access to the largest network of top emergency management experts who can offer solutions, guidance, and assistance.
• Access to IAEM conferences, webinars, workshops, and other educational opportunities.
• Scholarship opportunities.
• Access to the IAEM Jobs Board for internships and job opportunities.
• Advanced Emergency Manager (AEM) or Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) certification reduced cost and application access.
• Membership to IAEM committees & caucuses.

Benefits of being a Student Chapter Member

• Webinars
• Trainings
• Full-Scale Exercises
• Workshops
• Conferences (Local & National)
• Table-Top Exercises
• EOC Site Visits
• Guest Speakers

Chapter Officers 

• Logan Smith - President 
• Kinsley Trout - Vice President 
• Katherine Dowling - Secretary/Public Information Officer 
• Eli Jache - Treasurer
• Christopher Cecil - Training Lead

Faculty Advisor

• Dr. Samantha Montano 

Social Media

• LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/mmaiaem
• Instagram - @mmaiaem
• X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/mmaiaem

A photo taken in Colorado Springs, CO in 2024, as students from MMA-IAEM joined members from other two other IAEM Student Chapters: Millersville University, and North Dakota State University for dinner.

Faculty and students attended the FEMA Emergency Management Institute Higher Ed. Symposium in Emmitsburg MD. June 2024

Pictured: IAEM MMA Chapter students and faculty at the IAEM Annual Conference in Long Beach, CA, in November 2023.

Pictured: IAEM MMA Chapter students and faculty touring the Providence Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) in November 2023.