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Oregon State Qualification System (SQS)

Overview

The National Qualification System (NQS) is a component of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) that provides standardization of local processes for qualifying, certifying, and credentialing deployable emergency personnel. 

This program promotes interoperability nationwide by establishing a common language for defining job titles and by enabling jurisdictions and organizations to plan for, request, and have confidence in the capabilities of personnel deployed for disasters and emergencies from other entities through mutual aid agreements and compacts. 

In 2022, the State of Oregon NQS Implementation Workgroup was established, comprised of stakeholders from state agencies, counties, cities, and tribal nations. This workgroup works to develop and implement the Oregon State Qualification System (SQS).  

The first edition of the Oregon State Qualification System Guidance and Historical Recognition Guidance were published in May 2024. The historical recognition period will end June 2026.

Adoption of the Oregon SQS is required for recipients of the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) and voluntary for all other entities.




Oregon State Qualification System Guidance


Oregon SQS Historical Recognition Guidance

 

  • ​Governance Committee (GC): The governing body for the Oregon SQS, comprised of seven individuals with expertise in both incident and EOC management. The GC will be responsible for maintaining Oregon SQS policy and procedures.
  • Qualification Review Boards (QRB): Appointed by the GC, the QRBs are responsible for reviewing application packages. The workgroup will start by establishing a statewide, historical recognition QRB to review Historical Recognition applications. 
  • Appeals Subcommittee: Comprised of three governance committee members, this subcommittee will review appeals made by applicants who are not approved by the QRB. This subcommittee will be convened based on need.

To be credentialed in any Oregon SQS position, the Position Qualification Requirements (PQRs) must be met. These are minimum standards​ set for each position comprised of education, trainings, experience, fitness, currency, and license/certification requirements. 

These are tracked through position qualification sheets and position task books. For all ICS positions, the Oregon SQS uses the FEMA NQS Position Qualifications and Position Task Books (PTBs), accessible in the FEMA Resource Typing Library Tool (RTLT). In the event that a position does not exist under NQS, the SQS Governance Committee will modify an existing PTB from a national recognized qualification system, ensuring that the resulting PTB applies to the all-hazard environment.

For EOC positions, the Oregon SQS uses EOC Skillsets to create custom flexible PTBs to best align with the unique roles and responsibilities of positions in each EOC. The SQS workgroup will establish a set of recommended EOC Position Task Books that can be modified by EOC leaders for their jurisdiction’s use.

Please submit Position Qualification Application Packet to the OEM Training team at oem.training@oem.oregon.gov. 



​As Oregon implements NQS to support the credentialing of Incident Command System (ICS) and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) personnel, it recognizes the importance of the valuable experience these personnel have acquired over the years. ​

To support the implementation, the Oregon Statewide Qualification System will accept applications for historical recognition in Incident Management positions and Emergency Operations Center skillsets from June 1, 2024, to June 1, 2026. Applications for historical recognition will not be accepted after that period. 

The historical recognition process is a separate and distinct process from reciprocity to other qualification systems like the National Wildland Coordinating Group (NWCG) and United State Coast Guard (USCG).

Please submit Historical Recognition Application Packet to the OEM Training team at oem.training@oem.oregon.gov​. 

OneResponder is a secure cloud-hosted system that allows the tracking of position qualification requirements provided by FEMA’s National Resource Hub (NRH). OneResponder is the system of record under the Oregon SQS for position training and task book tracking. This system is not used for deployment, instead it helps organizations manage their personnel and easily share information between entities and help individuals to manage their qualifications and training history. 

Within Oregon, the OEM Training Program is responsible for statewide administration and each participating organization will have a designated organization manager responsible for all personnel within their organization. 

An essential component of structuring the State Qualification System involves gathering feedback and gaining local perspectives to inform program content and design strategies. OEM held a 30-day open comment period from 1/24/2024 to 2/23/2024 and an engagement session on 2/27/2024 with key state and local partners. Participants reviewed the guidance, asked questions and voiced concerns about the methodology outlined in the guidance. Participants provided local experiences, expanded on current and future needs, and identified challenges to consider when developing and implementing the program materials.