Published in Emergency Services Ireland Issue 35

Tuesday 10 November 2009 marked a watershed in emergency management training in Ireland with the graduation of the first group of students who had successfully completed their MSc in Emergency Management course at Dublin City University.

The first group of students to complete the MSc in Emergency Management programme graduated from DCU Business School on 10 November, following an intensive two-year part-time course, which was rolled out in September 2007.
 

Michael Gallagher presents ‘Student of the Year’ award, on behalf of the Emergency Planning Society (Ireland Branch), to Celina Barrett. Also pictured is Dr Caroline McMullan, programme chair and current chairperson of the Irish Branch of the EPS.

Both the public and private sectors were represented; individuals attended class on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays once a month from, for example, the Department of the Environment, Intel Ireland Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb, the Irish Red Cross, reidyBrophy Ltd, the National Ambulance Service, Dublin Fire Brigade, the Health Service Executive, Cork County Council and the Defence Forces.

According to Dr Caroline McMullan, chair of the DCU programme and current chair of the Emergency Planning Society (Ireland Branch), the success of the programme is due to strong engagement between the key stakeholders.

“DCU has invested considerable resources in delivering a programme which encompasses good practice in emergency management education and which has been judged as such by a range of international experts,” added Dr McMullan.

“The Emergency Planning Society (EPS) has assisted with the development of the syllabus and the provision of keynote speakers across many modules within the MSc programme. The Department of the Environment also played a vital role in the development of the programme; it provided a range of guest speakers and has helped to ensure it remains a relevant, high-quality learning experience.”

A number of organisations have provided guest speakers across a range of specialist areas to address the students. These have included the Department of Defence, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, the Defence Forces, the Rapid Response Corps, Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals, Takeda Ireland Limited, An Garda Síochána Inspectorate, An Garda Síochána, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Hewlett-Packard Business Continuity & Recovery Services and Sperrin Lakeland Health and Social Care Trust.

On a final note, Dr McMullan said: “It is important to stress that the impact of the programme would, of course, be lessened but for the tremendous enthusiasm with which the class of 2009 and the current students approach their studies.”