North Carolina receives re-accreditation from Emergency Management Accreditation Program

North Carolina’s Emergency Management program has been re-accredited for another five years by the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP), after showing that the state continues to adhere to top national standards and best practices. EMAP board members approved the re-accreditation when they met last week in Austin, Texas.
 
“Congratulations to those programs that have maintained their accredited status as well as those who have joined the elite leaders in emergency management having earned accreditation through the Emergency Management Accreditation Program,” said Robie Robinson, Executive Director of Public Safety, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga and the EMAP Commission Chair.  “Through their commitment and leadership, they have proven to their communities and stakeholders that their programs are sustainable and that they continue to focus on their communities’ best interests.” 
 
To achieve accreditation, applicants must demonstrate through self-assessment, documentation and peer assessment verification that its program meets the Emergency Management Standard. The emergency management program uses the accreditation to prove the capabilities of their disaster preparedness and response systems. Accreditation is valid for five years and the program must maintain compliance with the Emergency Management Standard and is reassessed to maintain accredited status. 
 
The accreditation process evaluates emergency management programs on compliance with requirements in sixteen areas, including: planning; resource management; training; exercises, evaluations, and corrective actions; communications and warning; and administration. This forms the foundation of the nation’s emergency preparedness system. EMAP is the only accreditation process for emergency management programs.  
 
Providing emergency management programs the opportunity to be evaluated and recognized for compliance with standards certified by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and recognized by the industry complies with the EMAP’s mission to build safer communities through credible standards of excellence. These programs demonstrate accountability and focus attention on areas and issues where resources are needed to heighten their preparedness efforts to any technical or natural disaster that may affect their communities.
 
EMAP recognizes the ability of emergency management programs to bring together personnel, resources and communications from a variety of agencies and organizations in preparation for and in response to an emergency, in addition to obtaining the ability to measure those capabilities. The Emergency Management Standard is flexible in design so that programs of differing sizes, populations, risks and resources can use it as a blueprint for improvement and can attain compliance with those standards in an accreditation process. 
 
North Carolina’s emergency management program was first accredited by EMAP in 2008, and again in 2013.  This is the state’s second re-accreditation. North Carolina was the 11th state in the nation to achieve EMAP accreditation.
 
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