Update on Our Open Badges

Our open badge project is moving forward - we now have 8 badges credentialing specific training and operational experience.  As we have been developing these badges, we have effectively defined a future architecture for our badges with 5 categories:

(1) general training badges - tied to our four level operational qualification program - ranging from entry to advanced level.

(2) specialized incident commander training - tied to completion of our three levels of training for incident commanders in The Virtual Emergency Operations Center - ranging from basic to advanced level.

(3) skills credentialing - verifying specific skill performance critical to operation of The Virtual Emergency Operations Center.

(4) service and experience - in 100 hour increments in actual disasters or exercises for our staff and in varying increments of numbers of reports for our disaster observer micro-volunteers.

(5) professional certification - the Certified Technologist in Virtual Emergency Management (CTVEM) - capstone level integrating elements of the other four badge categories.