Training opportunities, many offering education credits, are offered to volunteers. The Union County Medical Reserve Corps provides on-site trainings throughout the year.  However, many training courses can be completed on-line to fit your busy schedule.

The following is a list of suggested tools and trainings:

IS-100: Introduction to Incident Command System (ICS) is available online as an interactive course which introduces the principles of ICS including major functions and their primary responsibilities, organizational units, span of control and Incident Action Plans.  All federal, state, territorial, local, tribal, private sector and non-governmental personnel at the entry level, first line supervisor level, middle management level, and command and general staff level of emergency management operations.

National Incident Management System (NIMS) Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8 mandates training in NIMS 700 for all personnel who are involved in emergency preparedness, incident management or response. IS-700 NIMS: An Introduction is a Web based awareness level course that explains NIMS components, concepts and principles. NIMS is a comprehensive national approach to incident management applicable at all jurisdictional levels and across functional disciplines.

Orientation to Public Health - The New York - New Jersey Public Health Training Center has a web based course entitled "Orientation to Public Health". It is a good introduction for the public and professionals who are not working in public health to familiarize themselves with the kind of work that takes place at a local health department.

FEMA Independent Study Program: IS-22 Are You Ready? An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness The "Are You Ready? An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness" has been designed to help the citizens of this nation learn how to protect themselves and their families against all types of hazards. It can be used as a reference source or as a step-by-step manual.

CERT-Module 1, Lesson 2: Family and Workplace Preparedness This lesson presents preparedness strategies that you can use in your home and workplace.

Standard Precautions and Respiratory Hygiene, MRC-TRAIN Course ID: 1007977 The Standard Precautions and Respiratory Hygiene module provides an overview of Standard Precautions, which are recommendations for infection prevention and control that cover all areas of the healthcare delivery system (hospitals, long-term care facilities, ambulatory care settings, acute care settings, home care programs, and hospice programs).

Psychological First Aid: Helping People Cope During Disasters and Public Health Emergencies A disaster, whether large or small, can produce significant psychological consequences not only for the individuals in its path, but for the general community where it strikes and the disaster relief personnel who come to their aid.

Working in a POD: There are a number of situations where local public health departments might need to mobilize a point of distribution (POD) to dispense medication or vaccinate a large group of people. "Working in a POD" provides you with an understanding of what a POD is, how it operates, and what functional roles you may be assigned as a volunteer serving in a POD.