This 3-day course provides participants with the knowledge and skills to perform the Data Support Coordinator (DSC) position. It covers the roles and responsibilities of a DSC and the relationship of the DSC to other positions in the Incident Command System (ICS). The course includes the following modules:  Introduction, ICS for the DSC, Data Planning, Data Response Management, Data Collection Tools, Data Analysis-Visualization Tools, Data Deliverables, Data and the Privacy Act, Closing Wrap-Up and a half day exercise. This course also contains mini modules entitled “Soft Skills for Success” to highlight and exercise important soft skills necessary to perform the DSC function well. The goal of this course is to train a cadre of DSCs to lead data support teams and to provide support to the IMT for response data needs while advocating for sound data management practices.

This course is intended for U.S. EPA personnel who have performed data support functions in an emergency response scenario or perform data support functions in their regular job and have interest in performing emergency response data management coordination functions. This course is REQUIRED for all who wish to perform this role on a national response after 4/30/2025. This course is also recommended for U.S. EPA personnel who deploy, or intend to deploy, to emergency responses and will work closely with the DSC as part of their deployment (e.g., IC, OPS, LNO, PIO, and ENVL roles).

Target Group
This course is intended for U.S. EPA personnel who have completed Incident Command System ICS-100, ICS-200, IS-700, IS-800, ICS-300, and ICS-400 level courses and who have been identified to fill the Data Support Coordinator position on an Incident Management Team.

Objectives
After completing the course, participants will be able to:

• Define the role and responsibilities of the Data Support Coordinator (DSC) within the Incident Command System (ICS) structure.
• Identify the major functions of the DSC and their specific responsibilities.
• Describe the duties and assignments of DSC assistants.
• Be able to thoroughly understand the varied data collection, analysis-visualization tools, data deliverable tools.
• Thoroughly understand the DSC's roles and responsibilities specific to Privacy Act responsibilities.
• Describe the U.S. EPA structure for managing data during a NSI.
• Explain how the DSC interacts, within the ICS structure, with EPA Regional Offices and EPA Headquarters.
• Describe the approval process for data support coordinator products.
• Understand the roles and responsibility of the DSC to community relations.

In compliance with Executive Order 13589 - Promoting Efficient Spending, Section 5; the ERTP will not be regularly printing or providing students hard copies of course materials. Manuals are no longer issued in class. Students will be provided information on where they can go to download a copy to bring to class.  Students may obtain an electronic copy of the student manual for personal printing or e-reading at:

Environmental Response Training Program Virtual University - ICS-DSC

Continuing Education Units: 2.4

Unless otherwise specified, THIS COURSE, AND OTHER ERTP COURSES, IS NOT OPEN TO CONSULTANTS, CONTRACTORS, OR ANY PRIVATE ENTITIES.
*This course is offered free of charge to all registrants who are confirmed to attend.*

IMPORTANT NOTICES – Applicable to all ERTP courses :

1. ERTP’s receipt of a Trainex course registration is a Registration Request, it is not a Guaranteed Enrollment in the Course. All ERTP training courses require applicant registration thru the Trainex system. Last minute course arrivals without prior ERTP Trainex course registration approval is not permitted. Before ERTP issues final approval to deliver any course and/or any EPA offices incurring expenses for the training event (including but not limited to EPA staff travel TA’s and/or ERTP training contractor expenses incurred), all EPA mandatory pre-approvals must all be met. The pre-approvals include (but are not limited to) the following:
   
   • Training location’s availability;
   • COVID status and/or other COVID Guidelines in effect for the location, as well as staff;
   • Agency limitations, scrutiny, and approvals of ‘Conference Spending Requirements (known as the “5170”)’ for the specific training course(s) scheduled delivery timeframe;
   • Weather (blizzard, hurricane, etc);
   • Contractual number of available course training slots;
   • Registrations supported by Regional Support Coordinators will have priority; and/or
   • EPA Course Contacts approval.
   
   In the event a course is subsequently postponed or canceled, or notification of registration cancellation is received, all EPA travel arrangements (airline/car rental/hotel) should be canceled in a timely manner. Registered students will receive a notification via email if/when a course is postponed and/or cancelled.
    
2. For in-person course deliveries, confirmed course registered participants must abide by all facility physical access requirements for the location (examples: check-in at the security gate, Federal ID, Government PIV/CAC cards, photo id’s, etc.). If applicable for the course or location, restrictions may apply to non-citizens and acceptable identification may be required for facility entry.

Entry Requirements to Federal Facilities - Training Exchange (trainex.org)

Registration will be limited to 30 participants.  At this time all course registrations received will be waitlisted.  To achieve the goal of providing an equitable distribution of training to the U.S. EPA Regions, a number of training course slots will be provided to each U.S. EPA region as a priority.  The ERTP Contracting Officer Representatives (COR’s), and/or their designees, will determine the final enrolled participant roster. Once a registration is approved, the applicant will receive a confirmed enrollment email notification, usually in the form of a Confirmed Outlook email calendar event (that is not identified as “Hold the Date”).

As always, cost savings approaches are encouraged as much as possible, it is encouraged to sign up for the offering that is closest to your location.

Unless otherwise specified, THIS COURSE, AND OTHER ERTP COURSES, IS NOT OPEN TO CONSULTANTS, CONTRACTORS, OR ANY PRIVATE ENTITIES.

*This course is offered free of charge to all registrants who are confirmed to attend.*

IMPORTANT NOTICES - :  

Conference Spending Requirements(known as the “5170”) -Applicable to all ERTP in-person courses & training dates– All EPA staff travel spending will be closely monitored/scrutinized for 5170 cost-monitoring requirements.  All EPA staff registering for the above course registration links are requested to notify the EPA/Region staff identified at the bottom of this webpage in advance and provide the preliminary cost estimate details in writing via email.  The Region POC and/or other EPA staff are responsible for tracking EPA 5170 spending for this training event.  Travel spending includes all funds to be paid for by EPA.  The 5170 conference spending requirement is not applicable to participants external to EPA, where EPA is not funding travel.

EPA travel spending “Project Code for this training event:  The unique project code for this training event is ME7575DS.****

****Participants are responsible for ensuring this code, once it is assigned, is used in the Site Project field under the Accounting tab in Concur.  This code must be used for all travel authorizations, travel vouchers, and local travel vouchers related to this specific training course event.  For the code shown as “TBD”, upon receipt of OCFO’s approval this webpage will be updated to add the approved code.  For TA’s approved in advance, it is the traveler’s responsibility to ensure the TA is amended to add the correct project code(s) and/or MUST be added to the final Travel Voucher.  For some back-to-back delivered courses, two different unique travel codes may be required.  If needed, your FCO/Funds Certifying Official can provide assistance to ensure the code is entered correctly in Concur. 

****Note:  ERTP’s training contractors are NOT involved in EPA’s internal 5170 conference spending processes or approvals.  All 5170 related questions are to be forwarded to the Region course POC, or Region Training Coordinator, and/or the EPA ERTP Contracting Officer Representatives (COR’s).

**** Participants are encouraged to bring a computer with access to TEAMS

Contacts: 

Tara Fitzgerald - 415-243-6851 - E-Mail: fitzgerald.tara@epa.gov

Ashley Nilsen - 215-814-3269 - E-Mail: nilsen.ashley@epa.gov