By Daryl Lee Spiewak, CEM, TEM, Lead Trainer for the CEM Commission

Last month we expanded the necessary actions section of our outline. This was done to ensure that we provided details for as many Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA’s) and Design Elements as possible. This month we prepared our first draft. We also ran the spelling and grammar checker and corrected any errors it identified. Now we will begin the editing process and prepare our second draft.

Download the sample first draft at www.iaem.com/documents/First-Draft-CEM-Essay-Example-June2013.pdf, and refer to it as we go through the Commission essay checklist.

Work Statement/Formatting

The first things CEM® Commissioners look for when reviewing an essay is that the essay contains the signed independent work statement, is properly formatted (double-spaced with one-inch margins), and the font is 12-point. This is a first draft, so I included the independent work statement at the end of the essay, but I did not sign it yet. The essay is double-spaced, and the font is 12-point. So far, so good.

The Six Design Elements

The second things they look for are the six Design Elements. Notice that I used the Design Elements as the headings for the body paragraphs so I wouldn’t forget any of them. This makes it easy for the CEM Commissioners to find so the essay will receive full credit. Including all six Design Elements provides six of the 18 points necessary to pass the essay requirement.

The Nine KSAs

The last things the CEM Commissioners look for are the nine KSAs. We will look at and briefly evaluate each one separately.

• Demonstrated ability to develop a solution for the stated problem. The essay develops plans, incorporates ICS and NIMS, and engages the policy group to fix command and control issues. It should receive a one or possibly a two rating.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Prevention phase of disaster/emergency management and activities. Discussion is limited here. It should receive at least a one rating. Maybe add a few more sentences on prevention activities the program could incorporate.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Mitigation phase of disaster/emergency management and activities. Discussion is limited here, mainly about the mitigation plan. It should receive at least a one rating. Maybe add some more discussion on how we will use the plan to mitigate against hazards to make Tinytown more resilient and less vulnerable.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Preparedness phase of disaster/emergency management and activity. Discussion is fairly detailed, but could be a little more specific. It should receive at least a one rating, maybe even a two depending upon the CEM Commissioner reviewing it.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Response phase of disaster/emergency management and activity. Discussion is limited here. It should receive at least a one rating. Maybe add some more discussion about the EOC and ICS interface.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Recovery phase of disaster/emergency management and activity. Discussion is limited here. The essay mentioned the National Disaster Recovery Framework. It might receive a one rating. Maybe include discussion on short- and long-term recovery.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the organization and the environment in which it operates. The discussion is detailed throughout the essay. It should receive a two rating.
• Demonstrated knowledge of codes, legislation, regulations, plans, policies or procedures that impact the disaster/emergency management function. The discussion is detailed throughout the essay. It should receive a two rating.
• Demonstrated skill in written communication as evidenced by the essay that demonstrated your ability to present information in a logical, clear manner. The essay flows well and seems easy to read and understand. We will polish it some more in the second draft. It should receive a solid one rating right now.

Adding up the lowest scores in each category gives us 16 out of a possible 24 points. Not bad. The word count is less than 1,500 and we have a very good first draft that almost passes. A little more revision in our second draft will provide the additional points necessary to earn a passing score.

We now have reviewed our first draft in much the same way that the CEM Commissioners will review it. We discovered some weaknesses that need correcting in the second draft. So next month, look for the second draft under the Certification tab in the CEM Corner area. In the CEMCorner article, we will continue the editing process on our second draft.

IAEM Bulletin, June 2013

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