The EMAP Accreditation Process Michael Knazovich Sandia National Laboratories

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The EMAP Accreditation Process Michael
KnazovichSandia National Laboratories
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EMAP is. . .

• Emergency Management Accreditation Program a
  voluntary accreditation process based on
  collaboratively developed national standards
• For local and state programs responsible for
  preventing, preparing for, mitigating against,
  and coordinating response and recovery
  to disaster

• (Evaluating private sector application)

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Need for Accreditation

• State/local systems for disaster preparedness
  response are vital to health, safety of residents
  and security of business/industry, government and
  infrastructure.

• The destruction caused by disasters and
  expectations for services are increasing.
  Terrorism concerns heighten the need to
  strengthen core capabilities.
• Mechanism was needed to independently evaluate
  emergency management structure before a disaster.

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EMAP Mission

• EMAP, as an independent non-profit organization,
  fosters excellence and accountability in
  emergency management and homeland security
  programs by establishing credible standards
  applied in a peer review accreditation process.

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Interest to Federal Agencies

• The EMAP Standard is the national standard for
  emergency management programs
• Contributes to the preparedness and
  accountability of state and local partners in
  response operations
• Provides a methodology for building evaluating
  preparedness response systems for strategic
  planning corrective actions
• Scalability

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State, Local Governments Using

• State territorial baseline assessments and
  state local accreditation efforts
• FY05 Emergency Management Performance Grant
  (EMPG) guidance requires work toward compliance
  with EMAP standards
• EMAP Standard is the agreed-upon national
  emergency management standard
• Relevant to federal emergency management
  response

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EMAP Approach

• EMAP looks at a jurisdictions whole programnot
  just the emergency management agency
• Taps current attention on status of capabilities
  to demonstrate professionalism and accountability
  and to build interagency/organizational
  relationships
• Strengthens nations preparedness and response
  system through program self-assessment,
  documentation, and independent review

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EMAP Milestones

• Four states are fully accredited Arizona, D.C.,
  Florida, North Dakota.
• Three jurisdictions are conditionally accredited
  Jacksonville/Duval County (Fla.), Montana
  Pennsylvania.
• 35 state baseline assessments completed through
  end of 2004.
• Opened for local program accreditation
  applications in late 2003

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Benefits of EMAP

• Provides opportunity to assess your program
  against established national standards.
• Demonstrates discipline and accountability in
  regularly reviewing, maintaining and documenting
  compliance with standards and best practices.
• Provides a common structure for review and
  analysis among state and local government
  programs nationwide.
• Offers residents/constituents evidence of best
  efforts to comply with national standards and
  helps define emergency management.

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Whether or not you become accredited, you
benefit. Our knowledge base is documented much
more than it was before this process. We had a
lot of work to do, but the benefits far outweigh
the work you put into it. Craig Fugate,
DirectorFlorida Division of Emergency Management
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EMAP Standards

• Based on NFPA 1600 Standard on
  Disaster/Emergency Management and Business
  Continuity Programs, 2004 Ed.
• Expanded EMAP standard language developed by
  state local emergency management professionals
• Work refining standard language continues by
  EMAP Standards Committee EMAP Commission, which
  will look at new NFPA 1600 language to
  incorporate into EMAP Standard

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Foundation Standard

• EMAP Standard is scalable but not easy
• Many types of organizations can use the
  standards to build or improve their system for
  dealing with an emergency or disaster.
• Sets outs WHAT components must be in place in a
  quality program but doesnt necessarily prescribe
  HOW a program does it
• EMAP Standard can be viewed as a framework
  standard for ensuring a solid emergency
  management program. Standards or guidelines in
  specific areas or for emerging threats (e.g,
  equipment, interoperability, radiation detection)
  then rest on the foundation of a quality program.
  

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EMAP Standard

• Criterion used to determine qualification for
  accreditation or to mark a programs status to
  plan future improvements.
• Each standard states and/or describes qualities
  or facts that must be present.
• Meaning of each of 58 numbered standards is
  achieved by reading together the NFPA 1600
  language and the additional EMAP language that
  follows.
• Every subpart of a multi-part standard must be
  met for accreditation compliance.

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EMAP Standards Cover

• Program Management
• Laws and Authorities
• Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment
• Hazard Mitigation
• Resource Management
• Mutual Aid
• Planning
• Direction, Control and Coordination

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EMAP Standards Areas continued

• Communications and Warning
• Operations and Procedures
• Logistics and Facilities
• Training
• Exercises, Evaluations and
• Corrective Action
• Crisis Communications, Public Education and
  Information
• Finance and Administration

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Show Me

• EMAP combines
• self-assessment,
• documentation and
• independent peer review
• to provide objective evaluation and a structure
  for continuous improvement.

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Accreditation Process

• Registration
• Self-Study/Self-Assessment
• Application (fee based on population)
• On-site Assessment Assessment Report
• Committee Review
• Commission Deliberation/Decisions
• Accreditation Maintenance
• Re-accreditation (five years)

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Registration

• Registration is open to any interested individual
  or program (do not have to eligible for
  accreditation)
• 125 U.S. good for one year
• Provides copy of EMAP Standard, Candidates Guide
  to Accreditation, access to Online Assessment
  Tool
• Registration is how a program begins to work
  toward compliance with standards and toward
  accreditation

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Self-Assessment Documentation

• Program conducts self-assessment compiles
  proofs of compliance documentation of how it
  complies with each standard
• Usually led by key program staff person
  accreditation manager
• Best to include all agencies with emergency
  functions in process
• List proofs of compliance and rationales for each
  in an Online Assessment Tool

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Online Assessment Tool

• Program enters its proofs of compliance and
  rationales no later than three weeks before the
  start of the on-site assessment
• Proofs of compliance should be listed even for
  standards for which the program deems itself to
  be non-compliant
• Online Assessment Tool can be accessed and used
  by as many people in your program as you desire
  all use same login

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On-Site Assessment Report

• Program requests assessment works with EMAP to
  schedule EMAP assigns assessors

• Assessor team spends one week at program
  reviews documentation, conducts
  interviewsconcludes with exit briefing
• Assessors act as neutral fact finders and record
  findings
• After assessment, team prepares written
  assessment report

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Proofs of Compliance

• There are three ways for assessors to determine
  compliance
• Written Documentation (primary required for
  compliance)
• Interviews (supplementary to clarify verify)
• Direct Observation

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Documentation is Key

• EMAP assessment requires documentation of
  compliance, which means
• Assessors look for written procedures or other
  documentation of the program work
• EMAP encourages programs to institutionalize the
  good things they may do but that are in the
  head of a few key people.
• Continuity is improved by providing a catalyst to
  capture procedures, corrective action steps, and
  many other aspects of a quality program.

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Committee Review Accreditation Decision

• Program has opportunity to comment on assessment
  report
• Report comments go to EMAP Program Review
  Committee for review accreditation
  recommendation (Program Representative can
  participate)
• EMAP Commission receives Program Review Committee
  recommendation decides on Accreditation,
  Conditional Accreditation, or Accreditation Denied

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What Standards Accreditation Can Do for You

• Provide benchmarks for program management and
  operations
• Encourage focus on comprehensive emergency
  management
• Validate professional competence
• Recognize program quality and effort
• Demonstrate effective use of resources and
  provide justification for resource requests

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Keys to Success

• Keys to a successful assessment include
• Gaining executive-level support early
• Involving personnel from all agencies/organization
  s with emergency responsibilities
• Adopting program-wide view
• Taking time to assemble, check, and organize
  appropriate written documentation of compliance

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This has been a tremendously beneficial process
for both our organization and our staff. The
assessment pointed out areas we must improve.
More importantly, the staff we have sent to
participate in assessments in other states have
benefited personally and professionally and have
brought back to us ideas and practices that will
improve our program. Dale Shipley, DirectorOhio
Emergency Management Agency
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Accreditation is . . .

• Measure of capabilities by others who work in
  emergency management
• Means of focusing and organizing improvement
  efforts to strengthen nations preparedness and
  response system
• Demonstration of accountability and justification
  for additional resources
• Opportunity for improved understanding and
  recognition of emergency management and
  preparedness activities

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What it can mean to you

• Assessment gives a comprehensive look at your
  program
• Provides platform to enhance your capabilities
  and a catalyst for overall improvement
• End product is a more capable organization
• Identify and prioritize needs (SOPs, plans
  updated, ) and institutionalize good things
• Recognition for meeting national standards

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Building safer communities through standards of
excellence.
Questions about standards, assessment, accreditat
ion, or serving as an assessor?
?
www.emaponline.org emap_at_csg.org 859/244-8210