Looking back at my career as a Firefighter/EMT/Jail medic, I often think of the many calls or instances when I showed up grossly unprepared. When the tones ring on your pager or through the fire station, you run to whomever is calling. You don't often think about how this will play out on the other end, you just think about getting there.

I've had many calls out in the field and within the walls of the jail that could have been handled differently: A ‘subject bleeding from their face’, but without mention of the sucking chest wound and lack of police on the scene; a multi-alarm wildfire that is rapidly expanding to neighboring farms; an inmate who has stabbed a bailiff in the eye, stolen his gun, and shot another deputy. I have seen many scenarios when I personally wasn't prepared on how to handle the logistics of a complex scene.

Even after earning my degree in Emergency Management and certifications in firefighting, EMT, ICS, and NIMS classes, I was still unprepared. I came to realize that my superiors, teachers, and mentors weren't prepared for scenes of this magnitude either. How could I be prepared if my seniors weren't prepared? Like our children today, they taught us to test. Not to apply to real world situations.

In the Blue Cell's new Complete ICS Refresher Course, we bring current events to the classroom while using dynamic exercises to teach you not just the 'what?' But also the 'how?' The class uses real world scenarios, such as the recent storming of the Capitol, and combines decades of experience and knowledge to apply what you already know from your previous ICS courses.  

This course isn't meant to take the place of other ICS courses. It’s meant to bridge the gap between the fundamentals you have learned and practical application!  The ICS refresher course is a Blue Cell exclusive. You won’t find it anywhere else.

In the first half we refresh your knowledge of ICS. In the second, we practice with a dynamic, tabletop diorama simulation bringing participants into a real life situation.  Taking the Complete ICS Refresher is one of the most valuable decisions you can make.   Don't leave your team in the dark! Preparedness is our best tool!

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Melanie Binversie is a Marine Corps wife and mother of three originally from rural Virginia but is currently living in Aurora, Colorado. She earned a Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude in Emergency Management and a Minor in Intelligence Studies from American Military University in West Virginia.  Melanie has previously worked for many years in Fire and EMS, a lab technician and also as a medic at a jail.  She has earned many awards including Fort Belvoir Military Spouse of the Year, Heroes at Home Marine Corps Spouse of the Year.  In her free time Melanie loves to read, write, go camping with her family and travel around the world.