Accreditation Marks Third Time New York has Surpassed National Standards for Emergency Management
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York State has achieved full accreditation from the National Emergency Management Accreditation Program. This marks the third time since 2004 that New York has successfully achieved accreditation for its emergency management programs and surpassed standards set by the nationally-recognized program. EMAP accreditation is valid for five years. New York will continue to exceed national standards and further build its emergency management systems as it prepares for the next review.
«During an emergency, it’s critical that state and local response teams work hand in glove to protect New Yorkers and our state’s assets,» Governor Cuomo said. «This accreditation is a result of the extensive training and vast preparedness events our agencies have undertaken over the last decade, and I congratulate our emergency management professionals on this well-earned achievement.»
The accreditation process examines elements of personnel, resources and communications from a variety of agencies and organizations responsible for preparing for and responding to disasters. In order to achieve accreditation, 64 national standards must be met, which are evaluated by onsite peer reviews conducted by teams of trained assessors from EMAP. Topic areas covered in the review include hazard identification and risk assessment, operational planning and procedures, incident management, mutual aid and logistics, communications and warning, training and exercises, evaluations and corrective actions, facilities and emergency public information.
New York Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Patrick A. Murphy said, «Under the leadership of Governor Cuomo, New York has developed one of the nation’s strongest emergency response postures. While we can’t predict when the next disaster will occur, we are using thoughtful and innovative approaches to ensure we are always ready to respond, no matter the emergency. We are proud to have once again achieved this accreditation and look forward to continuing to create a safer and more secure New York.»
Director of Hamilton County, Ohio Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency and the EMAP Commission Chair Nick Crossley said, «Congratulations to the State of New York for achieving this significant accomplishment in emergency management by earning accreditation. Through their commitment and leadership, they have demonstrated to their employees, citizens and stakeholders their program is sustainable and safety and security are a top priority.»
New York’s threat landscape is one of the most unique and challenging in the United States, making it critical the state maintains a strong and effective emergency management posture. Not only does New York City’s population and critical role in the nation’s economy make it a top target for terrorists, but due to the state’s geographic positioning, New Yorkers routinely face a multitude natural threats such as floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes. In fact, since 1954, New York has received 97 federal emergency and disaster declarations, one of the nation’s top totals.
Since taking office, Governor Cuomo has made it a top priority to expand and continue strengthening emergency response operations throughout the state. Under his leadership, New York has implemented a number of different programs, initiatives and resources to accomplish this goal. In 2015, the Governor announced the launch of NY Responds, a web-based application that enables local governments and state agencies to submit and share vital disaster-related information, ranging from incident reports and resource requests to real-time tracking of assets and weather conditions. Additionally, the New York State Asset Management System was implemented to improve the state’s ability to track assets and resources more effectively before, during and after a disaster.
In 2014, Governor Cuomo launched New York’s Citizen’s Preparedness Corps, which seeks to equip New Yorkers with the tools and resources necessary for preparing for, responding to, and recovering from any type of disaster or emergency. During each course, New Yorkers learn a wide range of preparedness strategies ranging from how to develop a family emergency plan to what emergency supplies citizens should keep in reserve, among other critical precautions. Since its inception, more than 331,000 New Yorkers have completed this training, with a total of 73,378 individuals completing this training in the last year.
About the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) 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 DHSES Facebook page, follow @NYSDHSES on Twitter and Instagram or visit dhses.ny.gov.