Arizona Qualification System
The Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA) Arizona Qualification System (AQS) establishes guidance and tools to assist State, Local, and Tribal (SLT) Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) and Incident Command Organizations in developing qualified, certified, and credentialed deployable emergency personnel. The AQS is a voluntary system that has been established to support efficient state-wide deployment of personnel.
Overview
The AQS establishes a process for an effective and consistent statewide system that aligns with national standards to ensure a readiness to respond with qualified personnel. The AQS encourages local agencies to perpetuate all-hazards training and build a foundation of credentialed all-hazards personnel. Additionally, the AQS affords local management access to the resources needed to manage/support Emergency Operations Center’s and Incident Command Organizations effectively and safely within their own jurisdictional boundaries as per National Incident Management System (NIMS) standards.
Supporting Mutual Aid
Sharing emergency resources among jurisdictions and organizations is an important emergency preparedness strategy used throughout the nation. Utilizing the AQS to qualify, certify and credential personnel allows an Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) to share a common framework of defined minimum capabilities with other entities. This common framework makes the sharing of emergency resources through the process of mutual aid both possible and practical.
DEMA will maintain a database of qualified personnel that can be dispatched to incidents with AQS credentials to better serve Arizona communities during emergencies and disaster response. The AQS is designed to incorporate all agencies and organizations that have active roles in emergency management including, but not limited to public safety, emergency management, public works, public health, technical specialists, private sector, volunteer, and non-governmental organizations (NGO).
