Emergency management plans According to Lindell and Perry, 2007 there are many private groups that will do evaluations of emergency management plans for a fee. However, there are two government-related programs that can do the same for little cost. These are; 1. The Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP)   EMAP is overseen by people appointed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Emergency Management Association, and the International Association of Emergency Managers (Lindell and Perry, 2007). The EMAP standards according to Jenkins, 2010, “Are the voluntary national accreditation process for state, territorial, tribal, and local emergency management programs. Using collaboratively developed, recognized standards, and independent assessment, EMAP provides a means for strategic improvement of emergency management programs, culminating in accreditation.” (pg.6)  Further, EMAP’s criteria used for evaluation of emergency management plans are based on NFPA 1600 where the number of elements is larger (54 compared to NFPA’S 14) (Lindell and Perry, 2007). The program standards include the development, coordination, and implementation of operational plans and procedures which are fundamental to effective disaster response and recovery (Jenkins, 2010).  In addition, emergency management plans according to EMAP criteria for evaluation should identify and assign specific areas of responsibility for performing essential functions in response to an emergency or disaster. As such, areas of responsibility to be addressed in EOPs must include such things as evacuation, mass care, sheltering, needs and damage assessment, mutual aid, and military support (Jenkins, 2010).   2. The National Emergency Management Baseline Capability Assurance Program (BCAP) This program is overseen by FEMA where the goal of the BCAP is to make complete assessments of government’s management capabilities. The assessment of capabilities serves as a baseline for federal assessment of overall levels of preparedness where the basic approach use standards for evaluation, as well as they, gather lessons learned from effective jurisdictions. As such, this then creates a national standard for emergency management. For example, for local governments, the program give a baseline assessment of capability paving the way for future improvements which can be measured. It must also be noted that the standard used for assessment is based on the NFPA 1600 elements where BCAP has 26 elements to evaluate which is based on primarily a self –assessment (Lindell and Perry, 2007).   3. The most effective approach - The Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP)   EMAP is the most effective approach because of it strict and interdependent process and/or requirements as against the BCAP evaluation approach. Firstly, the process of review gives 18 months to conduct a self -assessment of local agency compliance with EMAP standards which requires a proof of complian.

1. Emergency management plans
According to Lindell and Perry, 2007 there are many private
groups that will do evaluations of emergency management plans
for a fee. However, there are two government-related programs
that can do the same for little cost. These are;
1. The Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP)
EMAP is overseen by people appointed by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National
Emergency Management Association, and the International
Association of Emergency Managers (Lindell and Perry, 2007).
The EMAP standards according to Jenkins, 2010, “Are the
voluntary national accreditation process for state, territorial,
tribal, and local emergency management programs. Using
collaboratively developed, recognized standards, and
independent assessment, EMAP provides a means for strategic
improvement of emergency management programs, culminating
in accreditation.” (pg.6)
Further, EMAP’s criteria used for evaluation of emergency
management plans are based on NFPA 1600 where the number
of elements is larger (54 compared to NFPA’S 14) (Lindell and
Perry, 2007). The program standards include the development,
coordination, and implementation of operational plans and
procedures which are fundamental to effective disaster response
and recovery (Jenkins, 2010).
In addition, emergency management plans according to EMAP
criteria for evaluation should identify and assign specific areas
of responsibility for performing essential functions in response
to an emergency or disaster. As such, areas of responsibility to
be addressed in EOPs must include such things as evacuation,
mass care, sheltering, needs and damage assessment, mutual aid,
and military support (Jenkins, 2010).
2. The National Emergency Management Baseline Capability
Assurance Program (BCAP)
This program is overseen by FEMA where the goal of the BCAP

2. is to make complete assessments of government’s management
capabilities. The assessment of capabilities serves as a baseline
for federal assessment of overall levels of preparedness where
the basic approach use standards for evaluation, as well as they,
gather lessons learned from effective jurisdictions. As such, this
then creates a national standard for emergency management. For
example, for local governments, the program give a baseline
assessment of capability paving the way for future
improvements which can be measured. It must also be noted that
the standard used for assessment is based on the NFPA 1600
elements where BCAP has 26 elements to evaluate which is
based on primarily a self –assessment (Lindell and Perry, 2007).
3. The most effective approach - The Emergency Management
Accreditation Program (EMAP)
EMAP is the most effective approach because of it strict and
interdependent process and/or requirements as against the
BCAP evaluation approach. Firstly, the process of review gives
18 months to conduct a self -assessment of local agency
compliance with EMAP standards which requires a proof of
compliance record for each. After which, an on-site assessment
is conducted where the assessor team finds additional
compliance information. Further, the team then conducts
inspections and an exit interview. As such, on the basis of the
site information, the commission recommends accreditation,
conditional accreditation, or denies accreditation (Lindell and
Perry, 2007). This approach was also tested in the fiscal year of
2003, as a first step toward developing a preparedness baseline,
EP& R Directorate officials planned to request that all 50 states
complete a self-assessment of their level of preparedness to
respond to emergencies using EMAP standards as a guide
(United States General Accounting Office. (2003).
References
Jenkins, O. (2010). Disaster Response: Criteria for developing
and validating effective response plans. Testimony before the

3. committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives.
GAO-10-969T. United States General Accounting Office.
Retrieved from
https://books.google.gy/books?id=6oQXLrXyzM0C&pg=PA5&d
q=evaluation+of+emergency+plans+by+the+Emergency+Manag
ement+Accreditation+Program+(EMAP)&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0a
hUKEwiIy9erzcfPAhWBmx4KHfvBACQQ6AEILzAB#v=onepa
ge&q=evaluation%20of%20emergency%20plans%20by%20the%
20Emergency%20Management%20Accreditation%20Program%2
0(EMAP)&f=false
Lindell, M., & Perry, R. (2007). Emergency Planning. U.S.A.
John Wiley & Sons Inc. Retrieved from
https://books.google.gy/books?id=xeiL9po7SlgC&pg=PA280&d
q=evaluation+of+emergency+plans+by+the+Emergency+Manag
ement+Accreditation+Program+(EMAP)&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0a
hUKEwiIy9erzcfPAhWBmx4KHfvBACQQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepa
ge&q=evaluation%20of%20emergency%20plans%20by%20the%
20Emergency%20Management%20Accreditation%20Program%2
0(EMAP)&f=false
United States General Accounting Office. (2003). Rail Safety
and Security: Some actions already taken to enhance rail
security, but risk-based plan needed. GAO-03-435. Retrieved
from
https://books.google.gy/books?id=jUmt2RbMvogC&pg=PA32&
dq=evaluation+of+emergency+plans+by+the+Emergency+Mana
gement+Accreditation+Program+(EMAP)&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0
ahUKEwiIy9erzcfPAhWBmx4KHfvBACQQ6AEIOzAD#v=onep
age&q=evaluation%20of%20emergency%20plans%20by%20the
%20Emergency%20Management%20Accreditation%20Program
%20(EMAP)&f=false