Maryland Receives Highest Honor in Emergency Management

REISTERSTOWN, Md. (March 1, 2021) — The State of Maryland joins Arkansas and Washoe County, NV. as the three jurisdictions to have earned the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) distinction in 2021.

“We are thrilled and extremely proud of this accomplishment,” said Russ Strickland, Executive Director of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). “This accreditation shows our commitment to our field, to keeping Marylanders safe, and to shaping a more resilient Maryland where communities thrive.”

The EMAP Accreditation is awarded to programs that have built and sustained a set of Emergency Management capabilities over a period of years. MEMA remains among the elite leaders in emergency management by earning accreditation through the EMAP. “Receiving this accreditation is a high honor and I want to congratulate everyone at MEMA for this distinction,” continued Strickland. “But to earn it during a pandemic that has tested and tried us, shows the real character of the individuals in Emergency Management and our administration’s commitment to the safety, wellbeing, and resilience of our state and all Marylanders.”

To earn accreditation programs must show continued leadership to the field of Emergency Management by proving through its commitment and leadership that their programs are sustainable and focus on their communities’ and stakeholders’ best interests. MEMA had to demonstrate through self-assessment, peer assessment, and documentation verification, that its program meets the Emergency Management Standard certified by the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) and recognized by the industry.

MEMA and other Emergency Management programs use the accreditation to prove the capabilities of their disaster preparedness and response systems. These programs demonstrate accountability and focus attention on areas and issues where resources are needed to heighten their preparedness efforts to any technical or natural disaster that may affect their communities. The program must maintain compliance with the Emergency Management Standard and is then reassessed to maintain accredited status. MEMA received accreditation in 2007, 2014, and 2021.

To learn more about EMAP visit their website at emap.org.

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CONTACT:
Jorge Castillo, jorge.castillo@maryland.gov, 443-381-3518
Ed McDonough, ed.mcdonough@maryland.gov, 410-446-3333
24/7 line: 877-636-2872