FEMA courses and Alabama EM certification

Hey all,

Someone just passed on to me the website for the Alabama Association of Emergency Managers (AAEM) - http://www.aaem.us/aaem-online/node/3.

For those of you interested in the field of emergency management, you can get Alabama EM certification through the AAEM by completing the designated list of FEMA courses and paying a $20 fee with your application. There are three levels - Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. I am not sure if you need to pay the $20 for each level.

From what I have been told, you do not have to live in Alabama or belong to the AAEM to get this certification.

The AAEM certification can be used as one of the six professional contributions needed for the Certified Emergency Manager credential portfolio from the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM). I would think that you would need the Advanced level because the Basic level is not much more intensive than the FEMA Professional Development series (which will not count toward CEM prof. contr.) and the Intermediate does not go much beyond the Basic.

The CEM portfolio process, particularly documenting the professional contributions can be very labor intensive for someone without experience in the field. This AAEM certification looks like a straight-forward way to free your time and energy up for working on the other contributions. Cheers.

 

Thank you Truckie. This is invaluable for me since this is what my degree path is and hopefully my future career as well.

Anything that sets you apart from the rest of the pack is highly beneficial.

 

The Alabama EM certification reminds me of the State Guard Association of the United States, Inc. and its Military Emergency Management Specialist Academy. Both use the FEMA IS Courses heavily. I took a look at the Alabama EM certification and already have everything on the list done. I would like to hear if others have found the certification useful before I spend the $20. I wonder what the certificates or papers look like that they give for completion. I completed the highest level of the SGAUS MEMS program some time ago. Getting harder for me to find anything new to try.

State Guard Association of the United States, Inc.
http://www.sgaus.org/
http://www.sgaus.org/MEMS.html

 

Michael is this available for civilian government agencies as well? If so I will attempt this as well.

 

SGAUS MEMS ACADEMY
Qualification Standards & Procedures
Student Handbook

"All uniformed and civilian members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including the various State Guards, and other SGAUS approved military and civilian organizations are eligible to receive MEMS qualifications. Civilian organizations generally include law enforcement agencies, emergency management divisions, fire departments, and other homeland security focused governmental organizations. " (page 5).

I have not seen anyone turn away.

 

Thanks I'm going to assess where I stand right now and figure out if I should apply for either basic or senior. Unless I'm reading it wrong I am required to start a basic then move along through the different ranks. Do you remember what the practicum consisted of for each level?

I also believe that my hurricane activation response would qualify as my hands on experience as well.


"Complete a detailed Basic Narrative on the practicum option selected. Cover the following points in the Basic Narrative:
a. The title of your Basic Narrative.
b. Agencies names and addresses where you completed your Basic Practicum.
c. Contact name and title of agency POCs.
d. Rank, name, and contact information, including email, of your military CO/agency supervisor who approved this practicum.
e. How long did the practicum take?
f. Explain what you actually did and accomplished (detailed description).
g. How will the training and experiences of this practicum assist you in any future emergency management activation with your unit/organization?
h. How will you use the MEMS qualification in your military/agency career?
i. What steps will you take to complete the Senior and Master MEMS Qualifications?
j. How will you let others know about the MEMS program?
k. What kind of suggestions and recommendations do you have for us to improve our programs?
l. Attach copies of all your class notes and any course curricula from the training.
m. Attach copies of any AARs you completed, orders you received and other relevant paperwork."

 

Yes, you will need to first do basic and then senior level. The program has changed often over the years and it is not exactly the same as when I went through it. There even used to be a MEMS Command & Staff College level that has now went away, that I also completed for a total of four levels.

Your hurricane activation might be enough for the practicum. You will need to contact the MEMS Academy, get a proctor and have the proctor approve the practicum before you submit the whole package for the Basic MEMS Qualification. An important part of getting approved will be how much documentation you have to show your participation in the event you are using for the practicum.

There should be proctors in every state, and you might even find one close enough to meet in person if needed.

 

Going off topic here but... Michael, any new free certificate discoveries lately?

 

I think I'm going to speak to a proctor before I fill out the application so I make sure I handle it properly. I also believe that my hurricane experience would carry me all the way through the master level because I already have all the courses done with the exception of the G300 Intermediate Incident Command System (ICS 300) and G400. I've worked a total of four major hurricanes so I'm sure I have enough for at least the senior level but like you suggested I will check with a proctor. Thanks again!

 

Alabama Association of Emergency Managers Certification

A few months ago I thought I would try this out. I joined the Alabama Association of Emergency Managers (AAEM) with Associate Membership and applied for Certification at the Advanced Level. I was accepted as an Associate Member, cost $10. Nothing said I had to become a member for certification, but I thought it a good idea.

I sent in my certification request, taking great pain to document everything according to the procedure they required. I went for the highest level, though it required showing having everything done for the two lower levels. I even sent in a few hundred course hours above what was needed incase they didn't like a certain course. I also sent $20. I did this as a person living in Ohio, not Alabama.

Today I recieved a letter on official AAEM stationary stating that I have achieved the Advanced Level of Certification and may now use the designation ALEM after my name. I am also invited to an Awards Luncheon on January 27, 2010 to recevied the certificate in Auburn AL. If unable to attend, it will be mailed to me.

http://www.aaem.us/aaem-online/node/3

http://www.acca-online.org/aff_groups/aaem/aaem.html

 

Congrats Michael! I've been so busy with school that I haven't had the time to sit down and finish my portfolio. After I'm done with these courses I am going to follow up with this. I'm scheduled for the ICS300 and ICS400 early next year and I'm probably going to be attending the "train the trainer" so that i can instruct both of those as well. Again congrats!

 

Alabama Association of Emergency Managers (AAEM)

Alabama Association of Emergency Managers (AAEM)

I was unable to attend the Awards Luncheon on January 27, 2010 to receive my Advanced Level certification in Auburn AL. However, I did receive in the mail today my certificate and a wooden plaque. I have attached a photo of the very nice items I received. The AAEM does a very nice job with this certification.

 

I did the certification last year. I spent the extra $40 for the wood plaque. It is nice.

What is interesting is that they have not updated their list of ALEM award recipients on the web site since 2008, even though they redid their web site in mid-2009.

What is important for folks to understand is that there is only a handful of state emergency management associations that allow certification of non-residents. Alabama is the most flexible.

It is valuable as a resume builder. Folks should also look at FEMA's Professional Continuity Practitioner (PCP) certification. If you have the ability to attend the 2 train the trainer classes, then it should be easy. Due to the limited number of times the courses are taught in north Texas, it tool me 2 years to complete.

 

Is this sort of an industry standard certification? How do other states view this Alabama certification?

 

No, it is a state certification. It will benefit you if you want to get into the field in that area. It will serve as a professional contribution for the CEM portfolio. The CEM is the industry standard in the view of many in the profession.

 

I spent $20 for the Advanced Certification and $10 to join the Association as an Associate Member. The wooden plaque was sent to me without any discussion on the subject or request for payment. I didn't even know it existed, until they emailed me to let me know it was in the mail. I was just expecting a paper certificate.

 

ILEM achieved

Congratulations Michael Gates for your Advanced level certificate:
I received an Intermediate level certificate. This level requires 650 hours of instruction in Emergency Management which is alot more that the PDS certificate from FEMA. It is a nice certificate and an inexpensive way to receive credit for all those FEMA EMI courses. It is nice that Alabama allows those outside it's state to participate.

 

Can you guys elaborate a bit on how you made up the hours needed at each certification level.

I saw as an example for the 'Basic' level you need 200 hours of training including the eight core courses, but on the application it lists out the 8 courses and they are only worth '59 contact hours'.

It seems a bit confusing...???

 

Also I noted they gave credit for 'related' college courses on a 'case by case' basis. A bit vague.

Can you advise how many hours of AAEM application credit your experience indicated that a 3-semester hour college course was worth?

Thanks...

 

Download the application and guide - it will answer both of your questions.