HSEM program welcomes students with urban search and rescue training
UAF School of Management recently rolled out an update to its Homeland Security and
Emergency Management degree programs. Effective as of April, SOM now accepts select
urban search and rescue (US&R) training courses for college credit toward earning
either a Bachelor of Security and Emergency Management or Master of Security and Disaster
Management degree.- Up to 45 credits from US&R courses can apply to the requirements for a BSEM degree (out of a total required 120 credits to earn the degree).
- Up to 6 credits from US&R courses can apply to the requirements for an MSDM degree (out of a total required 30 credits to earn the degree).
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, “urban search and rescue involves the location, rescue (extrication), and initial medical stabilization of individuals trapped in confined spaces. Structural collapse is most often the cause for people being trapped, but individuals may also be trapped in transportation accidents, mines, and collapsed trenches.” 1
US&R practitioners are highly trained and motivated individuals who risk their lives to keep others safe. Their specialized training is particularly relevant to HSEM programs and positions these students as excellent candidates for earning an HSEM degree. Enrolling US&R students allows other HSEM students to learn from the unique experiences of their specialized training. This change to the BSEM and MSDM programs provides greater access to SOM’s degrees for up to 8,000 potential students across the country, and also offers additional diversity to the HSEM programs.
More information is available on the SOM website. For questions about the HSEM program or to schedule an appointment with an advisor, contact Shelbie Umphenour (scumphenour@alaska.edu) for the BSEM degree or Angel Buchanan (aebuchanan@alaska.edu) for the MSDM degree.
1 Federal Emergency Management Agency, Urban Search & Rescue (1/8/2018). Retrieved from https://www.fema.gov/urban-search-rescue.