Emergency management professionals graduate from FEMA Basic Academy hosted in Morris County
MORRIS COUNTY, N.J. — More than 20 emergency management professionals completed a major milestone in their careers Friday, graduating from the FEMA National Emergency Management Basic Academy (NEMBA) delivered by the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management.
The graduates received their certificates during a ceremony at the Morris County Office of Emergency Management. Captain Bradley Waugh, executive officer of the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, met with the class and presented the awards.
The National Emergency Management Basic Academy is a 120-hour program made up of five classroom courses designed to serve as the entry point for those pursuing careers in emergency management. Modeled after basic academies in fire service and law enforcement, the program provides foundational training in emergency management systems, concepts and practices.
NJOEM officials said the academy supports early-career emergency managers by offering a rigorous, collaborative learning environment led by experienced instructors. The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management regularly delivers NEMBA courses at regional locations across the state.
Graduates include:
- Jason Bhulai — Hackensack Meridian Health
- Michael Bortnick — Valley Health System
- Owen Brown — Morris County Government
- Vincente Buffalino — Sayreville Emergency Management
- William Capella — New Jersey Department of Health
- Nelson Gomez — Pascack Valley Medical Center
- Jason Hamilton — Union County Public Health
- Erika Hauser — Morris County Office of Emergency Management
- Christopher Kendall — St. Joseph’s Health
- Jonathan Krehel — Ramsey Office of Emergency Management
- David Melendez — The New Jersey National Guard
- Christopher Mills — New Jersey State Police
- William Mulligan — Irvington Volunteer Fire Department
- Jeffrey Paul — Morris County Office of Emergency Management
- Brendan Peter — Irvington OEM
- Robert Scott — Passaic County Office of Emergency Management
- Thomas Shaffer — New Jersey Department of Health
- Nicholas Vazquez — Independence First Aid Squad
- Ashley Vegliante — St. Joseph’s Health
- Sean Wheatley — New Jersey State Police
- Richard Wolak — Plainsboro Township Police Department
- James Varick — New Jersey State Police
NJOEM’s Training & Exercise Unit also thanked Jeffrey Paul, Morris County Emergency Management Coordinator and president of the New Jersey County Emergency Management Coordinator’s Association, for his support of the program.
For information on upcoming training opportunities, visit nj.gov/njoem/training/schedule.shtml.
