EMSI History

EMSI 20th Anniversary

Since our inception in 2000, EMSI has been a recognized national and international leader in incident management and emergency management services and solutions.  Specializing in multiple aspects of incident management and emergency management, EMSI has developed an unparalleled reputation for expertise in the application of the Incident Command System (ICS) for all-risk, all-hazard, multi-discipline incidents and is recognized as a global leader in ICS training.

 

History
Chuck Mills Introducing the first edition BIR
Chuck Mills

Founded by experts in the Incident Command System and emergency management, EMSI has a unique connection to the origins of ICS.  Many of our cadre were involved in the creation and original implementation of ICS during the 1970s and 1980s, including one of our founders, Chuck Mills, who was a member of the original FIRESCOPE program.  Chuck served on the FIRESCOPE Technical Team during the development process and later on the FIRESCOPE Task Force to assist with the implementation of ICS and MACS. He was one of the first Type 1 Incident Commanders and additionally led one of the first Incident Management Teams designed around ICS.  This connection to the creation of ICS is forged in EMSI’s culture through an unmatched understanding of the design intent of the system and an incredible depth of experience in applying the system to all-risk, all-hazard incidents of any complexity.

Services

Over the years, the scope and breadth of services EMSI provide to our clients has expanded considerably.  What started as a company focused on ICS training services has evolved into all-hazards, full-service, multi-discipline incident management, and emergency management services and solutions provider.  Within the training realm, we now offer a wide range of services in addition to our ICS training, including multiagency coordination and incident leadership training. We also provide performance support aids, such as checklists, posters, and job aids to help responders working an incident.  Additionally, we routinely provide services to our clients including preparedness & planning support, exercises, response, program evaluation, program management, and coaching.  While our scope of services has evolved, what hasn’t changed is our commitment to quality and the principles of incident management and emergency management.

Job Aids

Over 15 years ago we recognized a shortfall in quality ICS position-specific guidance and job aids.  As a result of this, we developed the most robust ICS position-specific job aids available to support responders performing various ICS functions.  In 2007, we rolled out our first ICS position job aids for the Operations Section Chief and Planning Section Chief.  Today, we publish over 20 ICS position-specific job aids. These job aids and more are available for sale through IMTGear.com, a store we recently launched, focusing on providing high-quality supplies and gear to the incident management community.

Clients
As the scope of EMSI’s services has grown, so too has our client base. Fueled by our reputation for superior results and a strong commitment to quality, we now boast a robust client base.  Many of our clients have been with us for nearly a decade and we have developed strong links and partnerships to support them.  What began as a client base consisting predominantly of government sector clients has grown into a diverse group of both government and private sector clients on a national and international scale.  To support our growing client base in Canada, EMSI launched EMSI Canada Ventures in 2014.

Today, we strive to build upon the same principles we were founded on while providing a wide array of services and products to clients around the world from government agencies to Fortune 500 corporations.  Our current cadre of response professionals continues to grow more diverse in their qualifications and backgrounds as we support our clients in real-world events, as well as preparedness training.  But what remains at the core of who we are at EMSI is our depth of experience and the ability to innovatively apply our extensive capabilities to improve our client’s proficiencies within a wide spectrum of circumstances.  With every interaction with our clients, we continue to write the EMSI history.  We hope that you become a part of our story.

FIRESCOPE Inception

January 1, 1972

ICS was developed in the 1970s by an interagency group in Southern California called FIRESCOPE, which stood for Firefighting Resources of Southern California Organized for…

Read more

EMSI Established

March 6, 2000

Founded in 2000 by Chuck Mills, Steve Gallegos, and Jim Strickland, EMSI is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2020. It has been quite a journey…

Read more

U.S. Coast Guard Contract 2000-2012

October 1, 2000

In the 1990s and early 2000s, members of the EMSI cadre were integral to the implementation of ICS within the U.S. Coast Guard, both before…

Read more

First USCG Type-1 Incident Commander Ron Cantin

January 27, 2006

In 2006, current EMSI President Ron Cantin became the first Type 1 Incident Commander in the Coast Guard. Commander Cantin and his Coast Guard colleagues…

Read more

Tim Deal Joins EMSI

May 1, 2006

Tim Deal joins EMSI as Vice President (2006-2008).

Read more

“Beyond Initial Response” Published

May 9, 2006

EMSI Vice President Tim Deal, Michael de Bettencourt, Vickie Huyck, Gary Merrick, and EMSI founder Chuck Mills publish “Beyond Initial Response: Using the National Incident…

Read more

EMSI awarded emergency management contract support to DOE

May 1, 2007

Spill of National Significance (SONS) 2007 Exercise Support

June 19, 2007

EMSI provided exercise support to the SONS 2007 Exercise. SONS – Spill of National Significance Exercise – was sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency…

Read more

Ron Cantin Joins EMSI

August 1, 2007

Current President Ron Cantin joins EMSI.

Read more

First EMSI Job Aids Published

September 1, 2007

EMSI has developed over 25 ICS job aids for use by IMT personnel.  The idea for job aids was first suggested by EMSI instructors who…

Read more

EMSI Support to TOPOFF4 Exercise

October 1, 2007

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security conducted the largest and most comprehensive counterterrorism exercise to date from Oct. 15-19, 2007, in Arizona and Oregon, and…

Read more

Lisa Fettig Joins EMSI

December 1, 2007

Executive Vice President Lisa Fettig join EMSI.

Read more

DOE Diablo Bravo Exercise Support (NUWAIX)

July 28, 2008

EMSI provided exercise support to DOE for this exercise. Exercise Diablo Bravo 2008 (DB 08) was a National Exercise Program Tier II nuclear weapons incident…

Read more

DOE Empire 2009 Exercise Support

June 1, 2009

EMSI provided exercise support to DOE for this exercise. The Empire 2009 Exercise was a Department of Homeland Security coordinated exercise to test the response…

Read more

NCR IMT Exercise

March 15, 2010

National Capital Region Incident Management Team Exercise support.

Read more

Spill of National Significance (SONS) 2010 Exercise Support

March 22, 2010

EMSI provided exercise support to SONS 2010. The SONS 2010 Exercise play occurred 24-25 March 2010. This exercise was based on a scenario in New…

Read more

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

September 1, 2010

In addition to serving as the national ICS training support contractor, EMSI provided extensive support to the Coast Guard during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill…

Read more

NCR IMT Exercise

March 28, 2011

National Capital Region Incident Management Team Exercise support.

Read more

EMSI Public Information Officer (PIO) Job Aid Released

April 4, 2011

Initial Public Information Officer job aid released by EMSI.

Read more

All Hazard Field Guide Published

June 25, 2011

Tim Deal, Chuck Mills, and Mike Deal publish “All Hazard Field Guide: A Responder’s Handbook Using the National Incident Management System’s Incident Command System”.

Read more

EMSI Finance/Admin Section Leader Job Aid Released

November 29, 2011

Initial Finance/Admin Section Leader job aid released by EMSI.

Read more

EMSI Division Supervisor (DIVS) and Staging Area Manager (STAM) Job Aids Released

December 19, 2011

Initial Division Supervisor (DIVS) and Staging Area Manager (STAM) job aids released by EMSI.

Read more

Beyond Initial Response (2nd Edition) Published

April 5, 2012

Tim Deal, Michael de Bettencourt, Vickie Deal, Gary Merrick, and EMSI founder Chuck Mills publish “Beyond Initial Response—2nd Edition: Using The National Incident Management System…

Read more

NCR IMT Practical Application Exercise (PAE)

September 25, 2012

National Capital Region Incident Management Team Practical Application Exercise.

Read more

NCR IMT Exercise

March 18, 2013

National Capital Region Incident Management Team Exercise support.

Read more

DOE NUWAIX 13 Exercise Support

May 1, 2013

EMSI provided support to DOE’s Nuclear Weapons Accident/Incident Exercise (NUWAIX) 13 in Montana during May 2013. The goal of NUWAIX 13 was to enhance major…

Read more

EMSI Founder Chuck Mills Retires (and wife Pat too!)

May 11, 2013

Time to Smell the Roses!

Read more

First Delivery of EMSI Aerial Observer Training

May 14, 2013

EMSI developed a “Aerial Observer Training” half day course for industry and presented it in Houston, TX on May 14, 2013. http://www.emsics.com/aerial-observer-training/

Read more

EMSI Canada Ventures Established

July 22, 2013

In 2013, EMSI established EMSI Canada Ventures, a subsidiary of EMSI, as a separate and distinct Canadian corporation. Registered as a business in Alberta, Canada,…

Read more

DOE NUWAIX 14 Exercise Support

April 1, 2014

Working with the Dept. of Energy’s NNSA, EMSI assisted in the planning and execution of the NUWAIX 2014 exercise in Grand Junction, CO. The Nuclear…

Read more

Billy Haley Joins EMSI

February 2, 2015

Vice President of Operations Billy Haley joined the EMSI team in 2015.

Read more

New Environmental Unit Leader Job Aid Published

March 3, 2015

The Role of the Environmental Unit Leader (EUL)

Read more

DOE NUWAIX 15 Exercise Support

May 5, 2015

EMSI supported NUWAIX 15 at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor located on the Kitsap Peninsula in the state of Washington. https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/604664/

Read more

IMTGear.com Established

June 17, 2015

Have you ever visited IMT Gear? After nearly a decade of providing ICP and IMT kits, as well as job aids and other ICS supplies,…

Read more

DOE Southern Exposure Exercise Support

July 1, 2015

EMSI Participates in Southern Exposure Nuclear Power Plant Exercise

Read more

History of ICS Published on emsics.com

October 16, 2015

The History of the Incident Command System

Read more

Online Glossary of ICS and Emergency Management Terms Published

January 5, 2016

EMSI Releases an Online Glossary of ICS and Emergency Management Terms

Read more

New Communications Unit Leader (COML) Job Aid Released

January 8, 2016

EMSI Releases a New Communications Unit Leader Job Aid

Read more

New Joint Information Center (JIC) Job Aid Released

February 4, 2016

New Joint Information Center (JIC) Job Aid!

Read more

NCR IMT Exercise

March 15, 2016

EMSI Conducts Full Scale Exercise for NCR IMT

Read more

DOE NUWAIX 16 Exercise Support

April 19, 2016

EMSI provided support to NUWAIX 16 where Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay conducted a Nuclear Weapons Accident/Incident Exercise (NUWAIX 16), April 19-21. The DOD-led emergency…

Read more

New Joint Information Center (JIC) Course Delivered

May 9, 2016

EMSI Completes First Delivery of New JIC Course

Read more

DOE Vibrant Response 16 Exercise Support

May 14, 2016

Vibrant Response is a U.S. Northern Command-sponsored field training exercise for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosive consequence management forces designed to improve their…

Read more

EMSI Job Aids in E-Book Format Published

July 29, 2016

EMSI Job Aids Available in E-Book Format

Read more

EMSI Contributes the Radiological Operations Support Specialist Pilot Course

September 26, 2016

EMSI Contributes the Radiological Operations Support Specialist Pilot Course

Read more

DOE Northern Lights Exercise 2016

October 17, 2016

EMSI Supports Northern Lights Nuclear Power Plant Exercise

Read more

EMSI Designated a Response Management Services Provider under Clean Gulf Associates

November 21, 2016

EMSI Is Now a Response Management Services Provider under Clean Gulf Associates

Read more

DOE Unified Coordination Structure (UCS) Exercise

December 13, 2016

EMSI Supports U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters Exercise

Read more

Super Bowl LI

February 5, 2017

Super Bowl Party Plans for EMSI

Read more

DOE NUWAIX 17 Exercise Support

April 1, 2017

EMSI provided support to the Nuclear Weapons Acci-dent/Incident Exercise (NUWAIX) at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. The NUWAIX is a Department of Defense-led nuclear weapon…

Read more

DOE Incident Leadership Course

April 13, 2017

New Incident Leadership Course Developed for Energy Department

Read more

DOE Gotham Shield Exercise (Vibrant Response series)

May 1, 2017

EMSI Shows Its Range with Gotham Shield 2017 Exercise

Read more

EMSI and CYGRU Partner to Provide Cyber Incident Management Services

May 22, 2017

EMSI and CYGRU Partner to Provide Cyber Incident Management Services

Read more

EMSI Awarded U.S. Coast Guard National ICS Training Contract

September 21, 2017

EMSI Awarded U.S. Coast Guard National ICS Training Contract

Read more

EMSI Awarded Contract to the NCR IMT

November 17, 2017

EMSI Awarded Contract to Continue Support to the National Capital Region IMT

Read more

DOE/NNSA Concrete Shield Exercise

January 10, 2018

NNSA Conducts First Disaster Response Drill with USAID

Read more

Hurricane Irma and Maria Power Restoration Operations in Puerto Rico

January 11, 2018

Calendar year 2018 started off with a bang for EMSI as we were thrust into the Hurricane Irma and Maria power restoration operation in Puerto…

Read more

Super Bowl LII

February 4, 2018

EMSI provided support to the Dept. of Energy/NNSA during Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis, MN. http://www.emsics.com/security-coordinators-superbowl-lii/

Read more

DOE NUWAIX 18 Exercise Support

February 27, 2018

EMSI provided support for nuclear weapons accident/incident exercises (NUWAIX 18). NUWAIX 18was a multi-department full-scale exercise, which tested how well emergency responders could safely mitigate…

Read more

EMSI Initial Response Guidebook Released

March 15, 2018

EMSI Initial Response Guide Book Now Available

Read more

EMSI’s Incident Management Handbook Released

May 10, 2018

EMSI’s Incident Management Handbook Available Now!

Read more

EMSI Releases Updated Area Command Course and Job Aid

July 17, 2018

EMSI Releases Updated Area Command Course and Job Aid

Read more

EcoCanal 2018 – a Multi-National Exercise

August 6, 2018

EcoCanal 2018 – Development and Execution of a Multi-National Exercise

Read more

Super Bowl LIII

February 3, 2019

EMSI provided support to the Dept. of Energy/NNSA during Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, GA.

Read more

EMSI IMT Supports DOE/NNSA for Cobalt Magnet Exercise

February 25, 2019

EMSI IMT Supports DOE/NNSA for Cobalt Magnet Exercise

Read more

EMSI Delivers First O-305 AHIMT Course in Canada

March 4, 2019

EMSI Delivers First O-305 AHIMT Course in Canada

Read more

NCR IMT Exercise

March 18, 2019

National Capital Region Incident Management Team Exercise support.

Read more

New Web-Based ICS-100 Course in Norway Through Partnership with Proactima

March 28, 2019

New Web-Based ICS-100 Course in Norway Through Partnership with Proactima

Read more

DOE/NNSA Concrete Shield 19-02 Exercise

April 8, 2019

The EMSI lead planner, Dr. Wendy Renno, a nationally recognized expert in radiological response, assisted in the design and planning of this exercise.

Read more

DOE NUWAIX 19 Exercise Support

April 22, 2019

EMSI IMT Support DOE/NNSA NUWAIX

Read more

EMSI IMT Support to Seattle Cesium Contamination Incident

May 1, 2019

EMSI deployed over eight months in support of DOE’s IMT during the Cesium Containment Incident in Seattle, Washington, beginning in May 2019.

Read more

Vibrant Response 19

May 7, 2019

EMSI provided exercise support to the nation’s largest Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) exercise, Vibrant Response 2019 (VR19), an annual Department of Defense (DOD) led…

Read more

EMSI Canada Ventures Delivers First Ever ICS-620 Area Command to Canadian Coast Guard

May 14, 2019

EMSI Canada Ventures Delivers First Ever ICS-620 Area Command to Canadian Coast Guard

Read more

New Intelligence/Investigations Job Aid Released

June 21, 2019

New Intelligence/Investigations Job Aid Released

Read more

DOE/NNSA Concrete Shield 19-01 Exercise

July 30, 2019

The EMSI lead planner, Dr. Wendy Renno, a nationally recognized expert in radiological response, assisted in the design and planning of this exercise.

Read more

New ICS Review Guide Released

September 6, 2019

New ICS Review Guide

Read more

EMSI-Proactima Announces Web-Based ICS-200 Course

September 24, 2019

EMSI-Proactima Announces Web-Based ICS-200 Course

Read more

New Air Operations Branch Director (AOBD) Job Aid Released

November 15, 2019

New Air Operations Branch Director (AOBD) Job Aid Released

Read more

New Facilities Unit Leader Job Aid Released

November 26, 2019

New Facilities Unit Leader Job Aid Now Available

Read more

Updated Air Operations Branch Director Course Completed

December 2, 2019

Updated Air Operations Branch Director Course

Read more

Updated Staging Area Manager (STAM) Job Aid Released

December 5, 2019

Updated Staging Area Manager (STAM) Job Aid Released

Read more

EMSI Responds to COVID-19

March 18, 2020

As COVID-19 has disrupted nearly every segment of the global economy, EMSI services remain available to our clients through non-traditional means. While initial EMSI IMT…

Read more