University of Richmond Earns Highest Honor for Emergency Management

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND ─ The University of Richmond has earned accreditation by the Emergency Management Accreditation Program.

Only eight higher education institutions currently have earned accreditation.

The University of Richmond achieved emergency management accreditation by demonstrating its compliance with 66 industry-recognized standards and completing a peer-review virtual assessment by a team of EMAP-trained assessors.

“We wanted to create a program for the University that would meet the needs of the Spider community,” said Brittany Schaal, director of emergency management. “Our program is flexible, scalable, and reflective of how our neighboring jurisdictions and the Commonwealth are structured.”

The University’s program identifies and addresses risks to the campus, including fire, flood, natural disasters such as hurricanes, and other risks such as cybersecurity threats.

“We were able to demonstrate the capabilities of our disaster preparedness and response systems,” Schaal added. The assessment also was an opportunity for peers to provide a different lens and enhance what the University had developed.”

“It’s unusual for an institution of our size to be able to get this accreditation, but Richmond strives for excellence in all areas,” said Dave Hale, executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Our emergency management program helps instill a culture of preparedness and works to enhance and improve the University’s disaster resiliency. The accreditation is a testament to the work of many across our campus.”

The University plans to participate in the EMAP annual report process to prepare for the reaccreditation assessment in five years.

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