Alabama Emergency Management System Achieves National Accreditation

Alabama has become one of only 16 states to achieve the nation's highest accreditation standard when it comes to emergency preparedness and response. To achieve accreditation, Alabama documented compliance with 58 standards and underwent a peer review assessment by Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) examiners.

"This achievement is a clear demonstration of the high priority we place on protecting Alabama citizens," said Governor Bob Riley. "During the past few years, we've built a first-rate, comprehensive system for handling emergencies and disasters. I commend our Alabama Emergency Management Agency and emergency preparedness teams all across the state for this major milestone."

"I'm so proud of what my staff has accomplished and it has taken a lot of work to achieve EMAP accreditation," said Alabama Emergency Management Director Brock Long. "I also want the residents of Alabama to know how serious AEMA views the goal of making sure the residents of Alabama are safe."

EMAP is a voluntary accreditation process for state and local government programs that coordinate preparedness and response activities for disasters, from tornadoes to terrorist acts. It recognizes the ability of a state or local government to bring together personnel, resources and communications from a variety of agencies in preparation for and in response to an emergency. EMAP is the only accreditation process for state and local emergency management preparedness.

Accreditation is a means of demonstrating, through program assessment, documentation and on-site assessment by an independent team, that a program meets national standards. Accreditation is valid for five years from the date the EMAP Commission grants accreditation. Accredited programs must maintain compliance with EMAP standards and be reassessed in five years to maintain accredited status.

Working collaboratively since 1997, state, local and federal emergency managers developed EMAP to provide quality standards and a process for determining compliance. "States like Alabama that work toward and achieve compliance with these standards are at the forefront in ensuring their residents are served by a comprehensive system to deal with disasters," Tim Manning, chairperson of the EMAP Commission and director of New Mexico Emergency Management, said in a statement.