CBERS 2026: Critical Mass (Mass Care, Mass Fatality, and Mass Casualty Tabletop Exercise)

Community Based Emergency Response Series CBERS

Course Description

In today's increasingly complex emergency landscape, large-scale incidents often demand a coordinated response across multiple disciplines. Critical Mass explores the vital convergency of Mass Casualty, Mass Care, and Mass Fatality operations during high-impact events. In this one-day session, participants will hear from partners about capabilities and realities of complex response and engage in scenario-based discussions, and analyze the operational, logistical, and ethical challenges that arise when these three domains intersect. Emphasis is placed on interagency coordination, resource management, crisis communication, and integration during catastrophic incidents.

By the end of the course, learners will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to enhance operational readiness, improve cross-sector collaboration, and support resilient community outcomes in the face of catastrophic impact events.

 

Course Details

When and Where:

Dates for CBERS

  • April 7, 2026 Western Henrico Adult Education Complex (Regency) -Richmond
  • May 7, 2026 Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave
  • May 8, 2026 Germanna Community College - Culpeper
  • May 12, 2026 Holiday Inn Roanoke Conference Center - Roanoke
  • May 14, 2026 Southwest VA Higher Education Center - Abingdon
  • May 19, 2026 Chesapeake Regional Healthy Lifestyle Center
  • May 21, 2026 Peninsula Health Department - Newport News
  • May 28, 2026 Virginia Department of Social Services - Fairfax
  • June 3, 2026 Dinwiddie Community Enhancement Center

Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Who:

  • Emergency Management Professionals
  • Public Health Responders
  • Public Safety
  • Healthcare
  • Allied Partners
  • Social Service Professionals
  • Behavioral Health Professionals
  • Public Information Offices

Course Objectives

  1. Examine participants' ability to coordinate multi-agency responses to a complex incident.
  2. Discuss shelter activation and management in response to a complex incident.
  3. Examine and discuss implementation of fatality management and family assistance operations in response to a complex incident.
  4. Evaluate participants' ability to communicate effectively with the public and stakeholders in response to a complex incident.
  5. Identify logistics, planning, and interagency coordination gaps

CBERS is presented in collaboration with the VDH OEP and the following:

Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Virginia Department of Social Services
Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association
Virginia Department of Emergency Management VDEM
Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services DBHDS
Victim Crisis Assistance and Response Team VCART
Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services DARS

Accreditation Statement

 

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Virginia Department of Health and VCU Health Continuing Education. VCU Health Continuing Education is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

VCU Health Continuing Education designates this live activity for a maximum of 5.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

VCU Health Continuing Education designates this activity for a maximum of 5.0 ANCC contact hours. Nurses should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 5.0 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.

 

 

NAB/NCERS Approval Number: 20270331-7-A117279-IN
Total Approved Credits: 5 Participant Hours
This program has been approved for Continuing Education for 5 total participant hours by NAB/NCERS.  For additional information, contact NAB at 1120 20th St., NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20036, (202) 712-9040, or www.nabweb.org.

 

 

 

 

 

Last Updated: March 1, 2026