Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced the
New York State Local Emergency Management Accreditation Program, the
first of its kind state-level program for local emergency management
agencies in the nation. The program, developed in partnership with the
New York State Emergency Management Association, was outlined in the
Governor’s 2017 State of the State and includes a series of standards
that local emergency management offices must meet to obtain this unique
accreditation.
“New York is leading the way to ensure that
our emergency management professionals have the best training to respond
quickly and effectively to any disaster that may arise,” Governor Cuomo said. “This
first-in-the-nation program will serve as a model for how states and
local governments can partner effectively to confront public safety
challenges, and I encourage all counties to pursue this premier
accreditation to help keep communities across New York safe.”
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner John P. Melville said,
“The accreditation program is another example of the effort to further
advance the discipline of emergency management in New York State. This
achievement demonstrates to citizens that their county has a
professional and progressive emergency management program in place to
protect New Yorkers in the event of a man made or natural disaster. I
congratulate the Oneida County Department of Emergency Services on their
great work.”
Kevin Wisely, Division of Homeland
Security and Emergency Services Deputy Commissioner of Emergency
Services and Director of the State Office of Emergency Management, said,
“I am proud to partner with
NYSEMA in the first in the nation emergency management accreditation
program for localities. This program establishes credible standards for
local emergency management offices and ultimately builds a better
framework for a stronger emergency management program throughout New
York State.”
The accreditation program is intended as a
mechanism to help highlight and promote proactive local emergency
management agencies in New York State. Accreditation is valid for five
years, with an opportunity to obtain re-accreditation after the five
year period.
The New York State Division of Homeland
Security and Emergency Services’ Office of Emergency Management and the
New York State Emergency Management Association piloted the program with
the Oneida County Department of Emergency Services over the past
several months. Officials from Oneida County worked with the program’s
assessors who evaluated the overall proficiency of their agency in 21 different standards.
Oneida County’s emergency management
policies and practices met or exceeded the standards in all primary
aspects of emergency management including administration, training,
citizen preparedness, use of the incident command system, emergency
communications, NY Responds, damage assessment, debris management and
incident recovery. The Oneida County Department of Emergency Services is
the first county emergency management office in New York to achieve
accreditation under the program.
Local emergency management offices that are
interested in obtaining this accreditation will need to compile and/or
develop the policies, plans and documents necessary to meet
accreditation standards. Any documentation that is required will be
shared or uploaded to the NY Responds web portal so that materials can
be reviewed in advance of the on-site review. Division of Homeland
Security and Emergency Services and New York State Emergency Management
Association will provide technical assistance during the preparation
phase and once all of the requested materials have been obtained, the
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services will select a team
of at least two experienced assessors to conduct the review.
The review will include the further
examination of any necessary plans and documentation, and interviews
with the Emergency Manager, staff, and others, if necessary. It will be
incumbent on the emergency management office to demonstrate, document,
and articulate how they meet each of the standards and associated
criteria. Local emergency management offices wishing to receive
certification should complete the application form and submit it to the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.
Additional information about the New York
State Local Emergency Management Accreditation Program – including
program guidance, eligibility, and standards – can be found here.
The Division of Homeland Security and
Emergency Services and its four offices -- Counter Terrorism, Emergency
Management, Fire Prevention and Control, and Interoperable and Emergency
Communications -- provides leadership, coordination and support for
efforts to prevent, protect against, prepare for, respond to, and
recover from terrorism and other man-made and natural disasters,
threats, fires and other emergencies. For more information, visit the
Facebook page, follow @NYSDHSES on Twitter, or visit dhses.ny.gov.
Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
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