BES 325-1 - Ethics for Emergency Services Managers

1 Credits

This course is designed to prepare current and aspiring emergency services managers to meet those challenges. Through the study of ethical principles, public service values, and decision-making frameworks, students will develop the knowledge and practical skills needed to lead ethically in complex and high-stakes environments. Special attention is given to public trust, conflict of interest, and emerging approaches like Just Culture that promote fairness while maintaining accountability.

By engaging with real-world case studies, participating in critical discussions, and completing a strategic capstone project, students will leave this course with a deeper understanding of their ethical responsibilities and the confidence to build and sustain ethical cultures within their organizations.

BES 325-1 ensures that tomorrow’s emergency services leaders are not only operationally competent, but ethically grounded.

Prerequisites: BES 344-1 , BES 355-1 , BES 370-2 , BES 370-3  
Corequisites: None

Course Learning Outcomes:
A student who successfully completes the course will have reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1.      Explain key ethical principles such as transparency, accountability, and public trust as they relate to public sector emergency services.

2.      Analyze real-world ethical challenges-such as conflicts of interest or misuse of public resources-using structured decision-making frameworks.

3.      Evaluate the ethical implications of leadership decisions made under pressure, including how those decisions impact individuals, teams, and communities.

4.      Design a strategic plan to foster an ethical culture within an emergency services organization, including preventive policies, reporting mechanisms, and leadership strategies.

Required Resource Materials:
All required materials are provided in the course content.

Optional Resource Materials:
None

Conduct of Course:
This course is approximately 15 hours in length. It is delivered online and may involve individual, pair, and group work. Students are required to submit assignments, take part in asynchronous discussions, and undertake exercises in the workplace that call for reflective thinking. Participation in this course is paced and mandatory, and students are expected to practice time management skills accordingly. It is critical that each student read the assigned material and keep up to date with all objective tasks and assignments.

Student counseling: Students who are experiencing difficulty with the course should immediately consult the instructor by email.

Course withdrawal: Students should familiarize themselves with the school’s course withdrawal policy and procedures, which are explained in the student handbook/calendar.

Students should budget approximately one to two hours of time in preparation for each one hour of the estimated 15 hours of class time.

All goals and evaluations of student application and demonstration of their knowledge and skills are determined as per the Online Discussion Grading Rubric and the Ethical Culture Plan Grading Rubric linked within the course.

Regular participation in threaded discussions is essential for success in the program. Absence for any reason does not relieve a student of the responsibility of completing course work and assignments to the satisfaction of the instructor. Poor participation may result in the termination of a student from a course(s).

If you do not meet the established participation requirements, your instructor will recommend that the Registrar withdraw you from the course. A failing grade of RW (Required to Withdraw) will appear on your transcript. No credit is earned.  Calculated as a failing grade in GPA.

In cases of repeated absences due to illness, the student may be requested to submit a medical certificate.

Content of Course:
This course consists of four units:

1. Introduction to Public Sector Ethics in Emergency Services
   • Analyze ethical principles and describe the importance of public trust.
2. Conflicts of Interest and Ethical Challenges in Public Sector Emergency Services
   • Explore conflicts of interest, pecuniary interest, and ethical violations within public sector emergency management.
3. Ethical Decision-Making in High-Pressure Environments
   • Identify the essential aspects of ethical decision-making frameworks to emergency response scenarios and public sector management.
4. Ethical Leadership and Building an Ethical Culture in Public Sector Emergency Services
   • Explore the role of leadership in establishing and maintaining an ethical culture within emergency services organizations.

All marks are recorded as percentages and then converted to a final letter grade according to the criteria shown below.

Course Pass Requirements:
A minimum grade of D (50%) (1.00) is required to pass this course.

Students must maintain a cumulative grade of C (GPA - Grade Point Average of 2.00) in order to qualify to graduate.

Official final grades will be available on My Lakeland. Grades posted in D2L should be considered interim grades.  

Lakeland College is committed to the highest academic standards. Students are expected to be familiar with Lakeland College policies and to abide by these policies. Violations of these policies are considered to be serious and may result in suspension or expulsion from the College.

Every effort has been made to ensure that information in this course outline is accurate at the time of publication. Lakeland College reserves the right to change courses if it becomes necessary so that course content remains relevant.

In such cases, the instructor will give students clear and timely notice of changes.

No part of this course outline may be reproduced in any form or resold without written permission from Lakeland College.

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