Emergency Management Accreditation new jersey
About the program
The Emergency Management Accreditation New Jersey Program (Program) has been established as a voluntary program that will provide emergency management offices in New Jersey with a mechanism to evaluate and enhance the overall proficiency of their agency. Accreditation is a formal recognition that an office’s policies and practices meet or exceed standards in all primary aspects of emergency management, to include preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. It is expected that emergency management offices seeking accreditation will have an inclusive approach to emergency management, making efforts to engage “Whole Community” stakeholders, including government and non-government partners, and by considering the needs of those that may require specific considerations (e.g., the disabled, the elderly, etc.) during an emergency or disaster.
Relationship to EMAP
Although similar, the Program is in no way affiliated with the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP), as this Program process and standards are focused specifically on emergency management in New Jersey. The EMAP standards were one of many resources considered in the development of the Program standards. Efforts were made to ensure some degree of consistency with the EMAP standards so that jurisdictions could be in position to pursue the EMAP accreditation, if they choose. However, EMAP accreditation is a completely separate process.
Disclaimer
The accreditation is not intended in any manner to serve as a warranty, affirmation, or guarantee of the quality of performance of or procedures utilized by accredited emergency management offices in their line of work. The Program is intended only to establish a baseline level of proficiency in meeting the defined emergency management standards related to preparing for, responding to, recovering from, or mitigating emergency situations.
Emergency Manager Project (EMP) specifically disclaim any and all liability for any third party claims, actions, causes of action, judgments, liabilities, monetary losses, or injuries or damages to persons or property arising out of or resulting from the services performed by or any errors or omissions on the part of any accredited Emergency Management Office.
Governance Structure
An Accreditation Council has been established as the formal oversight and governing body for the Program, to include making the final determination on whether an Emergency Management Office has met the accreditation standards. The Accreditation Council is chaired by the Emergency Manager Project (EMP) Director. The Council includes a total of four members, three of which are appointed by the EMP Director. Efforts are made to ensure the Council accurately reflects the emergency management community in New Jersey, to include a cross-section of emergency management professionals from across the State, including urban and rural, as well as large and small jurisdictions and private sector agencies. Each of the appointed members will serve a five year term.
As the governing body for the Program, the Accreditation Council is responsible for final approval of the accreditation process, ensuring the associated standards are both current and relevant, and that the program remains viable.
Accreditation Standards
To become accredited, Emergency Management Offices must meet a variety of emergency management standards. The standards were developed based on a combination of factors, that include the EMAP standards, relevant State laws, and emergency management best practices. The standards will be reviewed and updated as necessary.
VIEW THE STANDARDS HERE. - COMING SOON
Eligibility
Emergency Management Offices at any jurisdictional level in New Jersey may seek accreditation if they can meet the standards. In addition, certain private sector agencies may also seek accreditation if they can meet the standards. For the purposes of this program, the Emergency Management Office (EMO) refers to the agency, office, or entity that has been formally recognized and granted the power and authority to administer the Emergency Management Program on behalf of the jurisdiction, to include but not limited to the coordination of emergency preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation efforts. It is recognized that in some cases the EMO may be part of a larger public safety agency; however for that agency to receive accreditation, they must meet all of the Program standards.
Role of Emergency Manager Project (EMP)
EMP serves as the administrative agent for the Program. In doing so, EMP’s responsibilities include but are not limited to: providing technical assistance to those interested in seeking accreditation, coordinating the accreditation and review process, and providing training to those interested in becoming assessors. EMP handles all the administrative aspects of the Program.
Assessors
The Assessors are responsible for conducting the on-site reviews and associated document reviews as part of the accreditation process. They also produce reports for review and approval by the Accreditation Council. State and local emergency management professionals serve as the Assessors and need to meet specific qualifications (see Appendix A) and successfully complete training provided by EMP. To the extent possible, Assessors are not allowed to assess EMOs within their geographical region.
Accreditation Process
Application: EMOs must complete a short application through the Emergency Manager Project website to initiate the process. The application must be completed by the jurisdiction’s Emergency Manager. The application will also need to identify a point of contact (POC) responsible for providing all requested documentation and coordinating the on-site review. The POC does not need to be the Emergency Manager.
Cost: There are some costs associated with accreditation. EMOs will need to pay for a PowerStandards by PowerDMS subscription in order to complete the accreditation process. The fee structure is below. Private sector agency fees will be determined based on the population served.
Population Fee (once per 4 year cycle)
Less than 50,000 $1,500
50,000 to 100,000 $2,000
100,000 and greater $2,500
PowerStandards $600 annually
Preparation: EMOs will have six months to compile and/or develop the policies, plans and documents necessary to meet accreditation standards. Documentation will be shared or uploaded to a web- portal (PowerStandards by PowerDMS) so that materials can be reviewed in advance of the on-site review. EMOs interested in seeking accreditation should work to ensure they fully understand the standards and verification criteria before applying. EMP will provide technical assistance during the preparation phase.
On-site Review: Once all of the requested materials have been obtained, EMP will work with the EMO POC to schedule an on-site review. The on-site review will be one day no greater than 8 hours. EMP will select a team of at least two experienced Assessors (from outside of the region to the extent possible) to conduct the review. NJOEM Regional staff will also be invited to attend the on-site review. The review will include further examination of any necessary plans and documentation, and interviews with the Emergency Manager, EMO staff, and others, if necessary. It will be incumbent on the EMO to demonstrate, document, and/or articulate how they meet each of the standards and associated criteria. The review team is responsible for reporting their findings back to the Accreditation Council through EMP.
Accreditation Council Review: EMP will provide a copy of the Assessor’s report to the Accreditation Council for review and action at its next scheduled meeting, and the Council is responsible for making the final determination regarding accreditation. If accreditation is granted, it will be valid for a period of four years. If the EMO fails to meet one or more of the standards, they may be conditionally accredited if they commit to correcting any deficiencies. In doing so, they will have 30 calendar days to submit a corrective action plan to EMP, and a total of up to 120 calendar days (90 days after the plan is submitted) to correct any deficiencies. If the EMO fails to submit a corrective action plan and/or correct the deficiencies within the 120 days, they will not be accredited and will need to wait one year before applying again. EMP will coordinate with the Assessors and Accreditation Council to ensure they receive the correction action plan and proof the EMO corrected any deficiencies. Note: the Accreditation Council can choose to grant extensions due to extenuating circumstances (e.g., a disaster).
Recognition: EMOs that receive accreditation will be recognized both locally within their home jurisdiction and at regional and statewide emergency management events. Recognition will include a plaque and the ability to display the Program logo on the EMO website. Press releases and other ways to recognize the accredited EMOs are also encouraged.
Reaccreditation: EMOs will notify EMP of their desire to be reaccredited by submitting a new application at least six months prior to the end of their four-year period of accreditation. EMP will also send the EMO a reminder in advance of the six month deadline. The reaccreditation process is very similar to one described above for an agency's initial accreditation, although it can include a demonstration of compliance with any new standards.
Maintenance Period: EMOs should conduct an annual internal review to assess where they are with their accreditation, what has changed, and if there are any issues or amendments that need to be considered for reaccreditation. EMOs that have kept up with the standards and regularly updated their plans in PowerStandards by PowerDMS should be in a very strong position to be reaccredited.
Documentation: EMOs will be expected to provide some degree of documentation to meet the various standards. Although the documentation may vary depending on the standard, unless otherwise noted, EMOs should provide the most recent example or copy of the requested documentation. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, all planning related documentation for which the EMO is seeking to use for verification purposes should be no more than four years old.
If the EMO cannot produce the requested documentation they must justify why such documentation is not available and/or provide other documentation suitable to meet the verification criteria. As it relates to plans, it is recognized that the EMO may not have the lead on all plans or processes, but it is expected that at a minimum the EMO will coordinate with those that do and should be able to produce a copy of requested plans. If formal plans are not available, the EMO should at least be able to offer some degree of documentation or articulation (to the satisfaction of the Assessors) of how the relevant functions or processes are completed.
Program Evolution: It should be noted that this Program and the associated standards will likely evolve over time due to policy changes, the identification of best practices and lessons learned, and other external factors that may influence emergency management in New Jersey. As such, the Program will evolve and efforts will be made to continually raise the bar and address any changes to ensure emergency management in New Jersey remains current and progressive. EMP will work to notify the emergency management community in New Jersey of any major changes that impact the accreditation Program, and the Program guidance and standards will be updated accordingly. This guidance, like emergency management plans, should be considered a “living document” subject to ongoing review and updates.