Montana Achieves National Emergency Management Accreditation

Montana’s system for preparedness and response to
disasters was granted full accreditation today by the Emergency
Management Accreditation Program (EMAP).

Emergency management accreditation represents a significant
achievement. The Montana program documented how it meets national
standards for a stateís disaster preparedness and response system. To
achieve accreditation, Montana took corrective steps in several areas
to meet all the standards during its conditional accreditation period.
There currently are eight accredited states and one accredited local
jurisdiction in the country.

"Montana has achieved an important step in the accreditation process
and we are pleased to see their success," said Ellis M. Stanley, Sr.,
chairperson of the EMAP Commission and general manager of the Los
Angeles Emergency Preparedness Department. "States like Montana 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."

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. Every
five years, the jurisdiction must be reassessed by EMAP to retain
accredited status.

EMAP is a voluntary accreditation process for state, territorial and
local government programs that coordinate preparedness and response
activities for disasters, from wildfires 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 and
organizations in preparation for and in response to an emergency. This
forms the foundation of the nationís emergency response system. EMAP
is the only accreditation process for state and local emergency
management and preparedness.

"It is important to realize that many states and localities have
quality emergency management programs. Much of what EMAP looks for is
documentation and procedures to ensure consistency and continuity in
the jurisdictionís capability to prepare and respond," Stanley noted.

Working collaboratively since 1997, state, local and federal emergency
managers developed EMAP to provide quality standards and a process for
determining compliance. The EMAP Standard is based upon the NFPA 1600
Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity
Programs, published by the National Fire Protection Association. EMAP
creates a structure for strategic planning for improvement coupled with
methodical, verified assessment by experienced peers from other
jurisdictions, which results in stronger capabilities and
accountability. The EMAP process evaluates emergency management
programs on compliance with requirements in 15 areas, including:
planning; resource management; training; exercises, evaluations and
corrective actions; and communications and warning.