CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Emergency Management Division is pleased to announce a collaborative partnership with the W.Va. Department of Education’s Public Service Training program. This partnership will provide training from the local to the federal level for all first responders.

“One of our principal objectives is training West Virginia’s first responders to ensure we have one of the most progressive and knowledgeable workforces in the country,” said WVEMD Director G.E. McCabe. “The partnership with WVPST not only improves the quality of trainings offered, but it also saves taxpayer dollars by utilizing an existing training program.”

“In our review and analysis of how to improve our statewide training programs, we looked at best practices from around the nation,” said Dr. Matthew Blackwood, WVEMD deputy director of Research and Planning. “When we spoke with WVPST we found that they meet them all.”

The Research and Planning Section is responsible for ensuring that all planning, training, and exercise needs of WVEMD and its stakeholders are met while empowering stakeholders with the basics of emergency management and homeland security to support West Virginia’s citizens, strengthen communities, and build a statewide culture of preparedness.

“We are very excited to partner with WVEMD for this opportunity,” said WVPST Director Rick Gobble. “It gives our instructors and staff the support to work with the state’s leaders in Emergency Management training.”

WVPST trains approximately 45,000 first responders annually starting with career and technical centers and continuing through fire and emergency medical services, law enforcement, and industry across the state.

“This is a great partnership,” stated Dean Meadows, President of the West Virginia Emergency Management Council. “We work closely with first responders at every level, so to be under the same training umbrella is a win-win situation for local emergency managers.”