The International Association of Emergency Managers has appointed Dr. Donald Keith, University of Alabama’s director of emergency management, to the EMAP Commission. He will serve a one-year term through 2025.
The EMAP Commission is the governing and decision-making body of the Emergency Management Accreditation Program.
EMAP, the only accreditation process for emergency management programs, establishes standards and applies them in a peer-reviewed process to foster excellence and accountability in emergency management. Federal and state agencies, counties, cities, and universities seek accreditation.
As part of the EMAP commission, Keith will help establish emergency management standards and encourage emergency managers to bring their programs into compliance with those standards.
“I am honored to serve as an EMAP Commissioner and represent The University of Alabama in this role,” Keith said. “I look forward to working with federal, state, and local jurisdictions on their EMAP accreditations.”
Keith holds a Certified Emergency Manager designation from the International Association of Emergency Managers, the only internationally recognized program for emergency managers, and an Advanced Level Emergency Manager designation from the Alabama Association of Emergency Managers. In 2022, he received the University’s E. Roger Sayers Distinguished Service Award for his commitment to campus safety.
“The University of Alabama is proud of Donald Keith’s appointment to the EMAP Commission,” said Dr. Dan Layzell, UA vice president for finance and operations. “Dr. Keith’s dedication and passion for emergency management are evident in his work at UA, where he created our emergency management program and achieved EMAP accreditation and reaccreditation, which only seven universities in the nation have accomplished. We know his knowledge and expertise will be a great asset to the commission, and we fully support him as he joins this esteemed group.”
Learn more about UA’s Office of Emergency Management by visiting its website.