By Brian V. Bovyn, CEM, Emergency Services Supervisor, Manchester, New Hampshire Police Department

For those emergency management practitioners who have successfully achieved their CEM and are near retirement, the Lifetime CEM could be a great option for you. The Lifetime CEM is an honor awarded to the candidate by the CEM Commission. The Lifetime CEM honor will be presented to successful candidates at the IAEM Annual Conference, upon meeting the following criteria:

• The candidate must have previously been awarded the CEM credential at one time, and successfully recertified, prior to being eligible for the Lifetime CEM.
• The candidate must be a current CEM at the time of the application.
• The candidate must be nominated by a member of the IAEM-Global Board of Directors or the CEM Commission.
• The nomination form (available on the IAEM website) must include a narrative stating the candidate’s achievements deserving of the honor.
• Two letters of recommendation must be provided for each Lifetime CEM candidate. Excerpts from these letters will be read during the Lifetime CEM award presentation at the IAEM Annual Conference.
• The nomination form must be submitted to the CEM Commission Chair for review. A simple majority vote of the CEM Commission and the IAEM Board of Directors is required to successfully attain the Lifetime CEM credential.
• The candidate must be retired from full-time service as an employee in the field of emergency management and remain retired.
• Retired from emergency management, for the purpose of this requirement, means 400 hours or less employment, self-employment or principal in a consulting firm in a one-year calendar period.
• The exception to the 400-hour rule is a recall to emergency management service during a federal declaration.
• The Lifetime CEM must adhere to the IAEM CEM Code of Ethics.
• Should a Lifetime CEM consider changing his or her status back to a regular CEM, they must continue to maintain the normal recertification process which is in place during that period of time when the candidate opts to revert back to regular CEM status.
• Any training and contributions to the profession obtained during the Lifetime CEM status may be used in the recertification process; however, it is subject to the same formal review as any other re-certification packet.

Nomination Procedures for the Lifetime CEM

For currently certified CEMs planning to retire soon, consider requesting nomination for the IAEM Lifetime CEM credential from a current IAEM-Global Board member or CEM Commissioner.

IAEM Bulletin, June 2010

AEM^® and CEM^® are registered trademarks of the International Association of Emergency Managers.