IAEM AEM cheat sheet

All-hazards approach: the same preparedness cycle (mitigate, prepare, respond, recover) applies regardless of hazard type; plans are built around functions, not specific events.

Comprehensive Emergency Management integrates mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery across all four phases; no phase is optional in a complete program.

Integrated emergency management links all levels of government, NGOs, private sector, and the public; the AEM coordinates rather than commands single-agency operations.

The emergency management cycle is continuous, not sequential: recovery activities inform mitigation, and preparedness continues during response.

AEM certification (IAEM) recognizes demonstrated competency in emergency management practice; it is a professional credential, not a government license or statutory authority.

Authority in the US flows from statutes such as the Stafford Act (federal assistance) and state emergency management acts; local jurisdictions hold primary response responsibility.

Command (incident management) and coordination (multi-agency support) are distinct functions; the AEM typically operates in a coordination role such as an EOC.

Whole Community concept: individuals, families, businesses, faith-based organizations, and government all contribute to preparedness and resilience.

Risk = Threat × Vulnerability × Consequence (or Probability × Impact); reducing any factor reduces overall risk.

Hazard identification inventories natural, technological, and human-caused hazards; risk assessment then estimates probability and consequence for each.

Vulnerability includes physical exposure, social vulnerability (age, income, language, disability), and infrastructure interdependency.

THIRA (Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment) defines capability targets by comparing estimated requirements against current capabilities.

Capability gaps identified in a THIRA/SPR feed directly into planning, training, exercises, and grant prioritization.

Risk ranking matrices plot probability against consequence; document assumptions and data sources so rankings are defensible and repeatable.

Cascading effects and interdependencies (power loss affecting water, communications, and healthcare) must be modeled, not just single-hazard impacts.

Hazard mitigation planning under the DMA 2000 requires a risk assessment, mitigation strategy, and local coordination to remain eligible for certain federal funds.

Planning cycle: identify threats and capabilities, set goals, develop and approve the plan, implement, train and exercise, evaluate, and revise.

The Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) is built on functional annexes (communications, evacuation, mass care, public information) supported by hazard-specific annexes.

Continuity planning addresses essential functions, orders of succession, delegations of authority, and alternate facilities; it applies to organizations, not just governments.

Preparedness is measured through capability assessments; training, exercises, and equipment sustain capabilities once they are built.

Corrective actions from exercises and real incidents must be tracked to closure with an assigned owner and due date, or lessons are not institutionalized.

Mutual aid agreements (e.g., EMAC for states) provide resources across jurisdictions; they must be written, signed, and exercised before an incident.

Public education and outreach increase household preparedness; message testing and accessible formats (plain language, multiple languages) raise effectiveness.

Grants and funding streams (e.g., EMPG, HSGP) require documented planning, training, and exercise activity; keep records that substantiate expenditures.

Incident Command System (ICS) is scalable and modular; the Incident Commander sets objectives and the Planning Section produces the Incident Action Plan (IAP).

EOC activation levels (e.g., monitoring, partial, full) match staffing and coordination intensity to the incident's scope and complexity.

The EOC supports the field through coordination, resource ordering, information management, and policy decisions; it does not normally direct tactical operations.

Span of control in ICS is typically 3–7 subordinates per supervisor, with 5 as the working target.

Common operating picture: consolidate situation reports, damage assessments, and resource status into one validated picture shared across agencies.

Resource management follows identify requirements, order, mobilize, track, demobilize, and reimburse; documentation begins at the moment of request.

Public information is managed through a Joint Information System/Joint Information Center to ensure consistent, coordinated messaging.

Demobilization planning begins at incident start; release of resources requires accountability for personnel, equipment, and cost documentation.

Recovery is the longest phase; it includes short-term (sheltering, debris removal) and long-term (housing, economic revitalization, infrastructure rebuild) activities.

Recovery organization structures include a Local Disaster Recovery Manager and Recovery Support Functions aligned to functional areas.

Disaster recovery frameworks emphasize pre-disaster recovery planning: define leadership, funding mechanisms, and priorities before an event.

Mitigation reduces future losses; examples include land-use regulation, building code adoption and enforcement, acquisition, and infrastructure hardening.

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds mitigation after a presidential declaration; PDM is a pre-disaster mitigation grant program.

Post-disaster damage assessments (windshield, preliminary, and detailed) drive assistance determinations and recovery prioritization.

Continuity of Operations (COOP) uses a Multi-Year Strategy and Program Management Plan; test alternate sites and devolution of authority.

Debris management plans should pre-identify staging sites, contractors, and environmental clearance requirements to speed removal.

Interoperable communications planning follows the SAFECOM Interoperability Continuum: governance, SOPs, technology, training, and usage.

The National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) sets national goals for resilient emergency communications; align local plans to it.

Redundancy rule: maintain primary, alternate, contingency, and emergency (PACE) communications paths for every critical function.

IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert and Warning System) distributes alerts via WEA, EAS, NOAA Weather Radio, and other channels; alerting authority must be formally granted.

GIS supports all phases: hazard mapping, situational awareness, damage assessment, and recovery tracking; data standards enable sharing.

Information management requires defined data owners, validation procedures, and access controls; unverified data in an EOC creates decision risk.

Cybersecurity is an emergency management concern: critical infrastructure dependencies mean cyber incidents can trigger physical and service consequences.

Records management: retain incident documentation per legal schedules; cost records and decision logs support reimbursement and after-action review.

The HSEEP cycle: plan, conduct, evaluate, and improve; every exercise should produce an After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP).

Exercise types progress in complexity: seminar, workshop, tabletop, game, drill, functional, and full-scale; choose the type that tests the objective.

Exercise objectives must be specific, measurable, and linked to core capabilities; evaluation uses those objectives as the standard.

Discussion-based exercises (tabletop) validate plans and build familiarity; operations-based exercises (drill, functional, full-scale) test execution and resources.

Training should follow a needs assessment; FEMA Independent Study and EMI courses (e.g., IS-100, IS-700, IS-800, ICS-300/400) build baseline knowledge.

Professional development for emergency managers includes credentialing (e.g., IAEM AEM/CEM), continuing education, and documented experience.

After-action improvement plans assign corrective actions with responsible parties and target dates; track completion and re-test in later exercises.

Real-world incidents also warrant after-action review; incorporate findings into the plan and training cycle rather than letting them lapse.

Emergency managers exercise public trust; conflicts of interest, favoritism in resource allocation, and misuse of position undermine the profession.

Legal authorities: emergency declarations trigger specific powers (evacuation, curfews, resource requisition); know the scope and limits in your jurisdiction.

Liability exposure includes negligence in planning, warning failure, and unsafe shelter operations; follow standards and document decisions.

Privacy and civil liberties protections (e.g., HIPAA for health data, ADA for accessibility) apply during response and recovery operations.

Procurement during emergencies still requires documentation; emergency purchasing rules exist but must be followed and audited.

Accessibility and inclusion: plans, alerts, shelters, and recovery programs must serve people with disabilities, limited English proficiency, and others with access needs.

Professional codes emphasize integrity, competence, accountability, and service to the public; disclose and manage conflicts rather than conceal them.

Ethical resource allocation uses documented criteria (life safety first, then stabilization) applied consistently, not ad hoc preferences.