Virtual Correctional Emergency Managers Working Group

The Virtual Correctional Emergency Managers Working Group is a quarterly, virtual forum designed to bring together state-level Department of Corrections professionals responsible for agency-wide emergency management and preparedness. The working group provides a consistent space for peer engagement among individuals who oversee emergency planning, coordination, and response at the executive or agency level within their correctional systems. Participation is limited to agency-designated emergency management leadership to ensure discussions remain focused, relevant, and aligned with strategic-level responsibilities.

The working group is grounded in nationally recognized emergency management principles, including the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the Incident Command System (ICS), and an all-hazards approach to preparedness (Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (n.d. NIMS). These frameworks provide a common language and shared reference points for discussion, while allowing participants to explore how established emergency management doctrine is applied with the unique operational environment of corrections. The intent is to strengthen shared understanding, professional alignment, and preparedness capabilities across jurisdictions.

A central purpose of the working group is to support professional networking and peer-to-peer learning among correctional emergency managers. By convening practitioners who operate at similar levels of responsibility, the group creates opportunities to exchange lessons learned, discuss emerging challenges, and identify effective approaches to preparedness and response. Discussions are intended to be practical, experience-informed, and focused on institutional capability development rather than facility-specific tactics or sensitive operational details.

The working group also serves as a collaborative learning environment for both participants and the National Institute of Corrections (NIC). Though structured dialogue and participant-driven discussion topics, the group will help surface best practices, common themes, and shared needs within the correctional emergency management community. This feedback will inform future training development and help ensure that educational offerings remain relevant, realistic, and aligned with the evolving demands placed on correctional agencies during emergencies.

Over time, the Virtual Correctional Emergency Managers Working Group is intending to contribute to the continued professionalization and strengthening of correctional emergency management as a discipline. By fostering regular engagement, shared learning, and thoughtful discussion, the group supports agencies in building upon existing experience and lessons learned, while reinforcing preparedness as an ongoing, collaborative process rather than a one-time activity.

Eligibility Requirements

You must be the state DOC agency executive over the department’s emergency management capabilities.

Works Cited

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), n.d. National Incident Management System (NIMS). U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Assessed 12/21/2025. https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims.