KQS establishes and promotes baseline qualifications for Kentucky's incident workforce consisting of incident management, incident support, and emergency management personnel. – KYEM Director Eric Gibson
What is KQS?
The Kentucky Qualification System or KQS establishes a standardized framework for assessing and validating emergency management personnel's qualifications, skills, and competencies. By adopting this system, Kentucky will ensure that emergency responders, officials, and volunteers possess the necessary expertise to handle a wide range of emergency situations efficiently and effectively. The following illustration shows the basic KQS process.
The goal of the process is for a person to be fully trained and credentialed to serve in a position in an Incident Management Team or Emergency Operations Center Assistance Team.
What is happening with KQS?- The Advisory
Committee
On June 29, 2023, the KQS Advisory Committee held its inaugural meeting to discuss the implementation process of KQS. The Advisory Committee has been working steadily since then with development of KQS as its primary mission. The following persons compose the Advisory Committee: Mr. Dustin Heiser, KYEM (Committee Chair); Mr. Steve Brukwicki, KYEM; Mr. Drew Chandler, Woodford County EM; Mr. Michael Froelich, EEC; Mr. Grant Gillion, KDPH; Ms. Jennifer Hitch, KYEM; Mr. Marc Rudder, KY Fire Commission; Mr. Todd Schulkers, Kenton County HS/EM; Mr. Kevin Vogelpohl, Boone County EM; Maj. Eric Walker, KSP; Mr. Garth Wireman, Greenup County EM; Mr. Jason York, KYEM; Ms. Charla Sands, DMA, Legal Counsel, Nonvoting; and Dr. Charlie Harris, KYEM, Secretary, Nonvoting. The Advisory Committee is currently assisting the development and submission of Historical Recognition packets for specific EOC and IMT positions. The Committee is also working on an updated version of the KQS SOG.
In July of 2023, the Advisory Committee formed a Policy and Procedures Subcommittee. The subcommittee developed a Standard Operating Guide (SOG) for KQS as part of its duties. The Advisory Committee published Version 1 of the KQS SOG in February of 2024. This document guides KQS implementation and management. Click on the link titled “KQS SOG" at the top right of this page to obtain a copy.
Since June of 2023, the Advisory Committee has continued to meet and
guide the implementation of KQS in the Commonwealth. Starting in September 2024, the Advisory
Committee began to actively emphasize Historical Recognition to interested
professionals across the Commonwealth. Through Historical Recognition the
Advisory Committee seeks to build a bench of qualified mentors and evaluators
to support the issuance of Position Task Books or PTBs to professionals
learning their positions on Incident Management and EOC Assistance Teams.
In February 2025, the Advisory Committee reviewed the first Historical Recognition packets from the IMT QRB. After reviewing the packets, the Advisory Committee sent their recommendations to the Director of KYEM. The Director of KYEM is the Authority Having Jurisdiction for certification and credentialing of persons to serve on IMTs and EOC Assistance Teams in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
On April 22, 2025, KYEM Director Eric Gibson issued certifications and credentials to Mr. Dustin Heiser for Incident Commander and Mrs. Re'Jeana Craft for Operations Section Chief. They are the first two individuals to be credentialed in KQS!
What is happening with KQS? - The Qualification Review Boards
Beginning in the fall of 2023, KYEM began to coordinate the formation of Qualification Review Boards or QRBs. The purpose of the QRBs will be to manage the qualification system process of KQS. There are two QRBs in the Commonwealth. One board handles IMT personnel, and the other focuses upon EOC Assistance Team members.
On September 14, 2023, the IMT QRB held its first meeting. Since then, the IMT QRB has met on a regular basis, and the board continues to develop its role in KQS
The following persons compose the IMT QRB: Mr. Dustin Heiser, KYEM (Chair); Mr. Rob Blair, KDEP- ERT; Mr. Wayne Briscoe, KBEMS; Mr. Ian Burkett, KYEM; Ms. Kenna “Marti" Burton, KYEM; Mrs. Randi Feltner, KYTC; Mr. Jimmie Hampton, KDPH; Mr. Doug Hargreaves (USAR – KYEM); Holt, Frederick (“JR"), EEC Mr. Edward Meiman, Louisville Metro EMA; Mr. Bob Stephens, KYEM; Maj. Eric Walker, KSP; Mr. Terry Wattenbarger, State Fire Rescue Training; Mr. Garth Wireman, Greenup County EM; and Dr. Charlie Harris, KYEM, Secretary, Nonvoting.
In January of 2025, the IMT QRB reviewed submissions from its first KQS candidates, and the IMT QRB sent their recommendations to the Advisory Committee. The two candidates were seeking certification and credentialing for IMT Positions under Historical Recognition. In April 2025, the IMT QRB reviewed its third packet and submitted its recommendation to the Advisory Committee.
On January 17, 2024, the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) QRB met for the first time. The following persons compose the EOC QRB with additional members to be confirmed: Mr. Dustin Heiser, KYEM (Chair); Mr. Nick Bailey, Hopkins County EMA; Mr. Rob Blair, KDEP- ERT; Mr. Patrick Compton, KYEM; Col. Christopher Crockett, KY State Park Rangers; Mr. Jerrod Dean, KYEM; Mr. William Eckler, KYEM; Ms. Jessica Elbouab, KYEM; Mr. Doug Hargreaves (USAR – KYEM), Mr. Frederick Holt, EEC; Mrs. Amanda LeMaster, EEC; Mr. James McCloud, KDEP-ERT; CPT Austin Powell, KYNG; Mr. Jay Postlewaite, KYTC; Mr. Russell Rains, KDPH; Mr. Phillip Ross, KOHS; Mr. Greg Shanks, KDAEM; Dr. Carrie, Wilburn, KY Fire Commission; and Dr. Charlie Harris, KYEM, Secretary, Nonvoting.
KQS in the News
New Kentucky Emergency Management system helps disaster response | FOX 56 News
Kentucky Emergency... - Kentucky Emergency Management | Facebook
Inaugural KQS Credentialing Ceremony April 22, 2025 | Blog
What's Coming Up with KQS?
Both the Advisory Committee and the QRBs are working to provide information to those who wish to participate in KQS. Their goal is to have updated and relevant information available on this site throughout the calendar year.
For personnel seeking certification and credentialing to serve on an IMT, the IMT QRB is concentrating upon Historical Recognition of Prior Learning and Experience (HR). If you are interested in submitting an HR Packet, please contact the KQS Coordinator.
The EOC Assistance Team QRB meets on a regular basis. The current focus of the QRB centers upon the certification and credentialing of key positions in the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC). States in FEMA Region IV have decided upon a common set of tasks for key positions in their SEOCs to facilitate assistance from other Region IV states during disasters. The EOC Assistance Team QRB hopes to make SEOC Position Task Books available in Spring 2025 to persons interested in Historical Recognition.
For Additional Information
For more information about the Kentucky Qualification System, contact the KYEM KQS Program Manager, Dr. Charlie Harris at 502-607-5707 or by email charlie.harris@ky-em.org