Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs

09/14/2026

🛠️📜 Standardizing Excellence: Inside the Arizona Qualification System (AQS) 🛡️🌵

When major disasters strike, communities rely on qualified emergency managers and responders who can step in immediately and work together seamlessly. DEMA’s Arizona Qualification System (AQS) establishes the tools and guidance to make that possible across the Grand Canyon State!

Aligned with National Incident Management System (NIMS) standards, AQS creates a voluntary, statewide framework to ensure deployable emergency personnel are properly trained, evaluated, certified, and credentialed.

🔑 Key Benefits of the Arizona Qualification System:
🤝 Shared Standards for Mutual Aid: Establishes a common framework of defined capabilities across local, state, and tribal agencies—making statewide resource sharing and mutual aid fast and efficient.

📚 Position Task Books (PTBs): Utilizes clear performance-based task books for critical roles—from Incident Commanders and Section Chiefs to EOC Directors—ensuring standardized capabilities in the field.

⚖️ State Qualification Review Board (QRB): Brings together subject-matter experts from across Arizona to objectively review and validate completed credentials.

🌐 Inclusive Participation: Designed for all emergency response partners, including public safety, public health, emergency management, public works, NGOs, and volunteer organizations.

By maintaining a statewide database of certified personnel, AQS ensures Arizona is always equipped with qualified leaders ready to manage any crisis safely and effectively! 🏢✨

🔗 Learn more about AQS guidelines, Position Task Books, and training resources at: dema.az.gov/emergency-management/arizona-qualification-system

09/11/2026

25 Years Later, We Remember

The lives lost.
The sacrifices made.
The day the world changed.

Let us take a moment to commemorate that tragic September day so that we may never forget.

09/11/2026

🤟📢 Equally Effective Communication: The ERIC Program Ensures Emergency Access for All 🛡️🌵

During a disaster, access to life-saving information must reach everyone in our communities. Over 1 million Arizona residents have hearing loss, and approximately 25,000 are culturally Deaf individuals whose primary language is American Sign Language (ASL).

To ensure clear, accessible communication during critical events, DEMA partnered with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) and the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ACDHH) to create the Emergency Response Interpreter Credentialing (ERIC) Program!

🤝 How the ERIC Program Works:
🎓 Specialized 3-Day Disaster Training: Administered by DEMA, this intensive course trains ASL Interpreters and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) Captioners in the Incident Command System (ICS), disaster-specific vocabulary (for wildfires, floods, extreme heat, and severe weather), and integration into emergency response teams.

🌐 Statewide Availability: ERIC-credentialed interpreters and captioners can be requested by any land management agency, emergency management department, or response organization (such as the American Red Cross) across county, state, federal, and tribal jurisdictions.

🛡️ Removing Barriers in Crises: Ensures that live briefings, press conferences, and field operations deliver real-time, equally effective communication to Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind Arizonans when seconds count.

Inclusive emergency management builds stronger, safer communities for everyone! 🏢✨

🔗 Learn more about emergency preparedness resources at: ein.az.gov

09/09/2026

📄🛡️ How Arizona Responds: The State Emergency Response and Recovery Plan 🌵⚡

When emergencies threaten Arizona communities, having a unified, flexible game plan is essential for saving lives and speeding up recovery. That framework is established in the State Emergency Response and Recovery Plan (SERRP)!

Built upon the National Response Framework, this comprehensive guide outlines exactly how the State of Arizona conducts all-hazard responses—ensuring seamless coordination across every level of government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector.

🔑 Key Highlights of the Plan:
🔄 Scalable & Adaptable: Designed to handle everything from serious local incidents to large-scale, catastrophic natural disasters or complex security threats.

🤝 Aligned Roles & Responsibilities: Clearly defines specific authorities and operational roles, ensuring state, county, local, and tribal partners work as one unified team.

💡 Grounded in Best Practices: Incorporates battle-tested emergency management principles to ensure resources and assistance flow quickly where they're needed most.

Whether preparing for seasonal monsoons or coordinating major multi-agency operations, the SERRP ensures Arizona is always ready to respond! 🏢✨

🔗 Learn more about Arizona's emergency management plans and guides at: ein.az.gov/get-prepared

09/09/2026

Soldiers from E. Co. of the 2-285th Aviation Regiment incorporated some high intensity PT into their fueling operation where they raced each other to assemble a Forward Air Refueling Point (FARP) during their support of the air assault training exercise earlier in the summer.

Training like this helps test the soldiers’ speed and efficiency in the assembly of a complex system, forcing them to work as a team and fight through stress and fatigue in order to become more efficient in their operations.

A FARP is a crucial support element because it helps extend the range of the operation while reducing downtime between missions to keep aircraft closer to the fight.

A big shout out to Tyler Tolby for providing these great 📸!

09/04/2026

🎓💼 Launch Your Career with DEMA: Emergency Management Internship Opportunities! 🛡️🌵

Are you an undergraduate or graduate student studying Emergency Management or a closely related field? Step beyond the textbook and gain real-world experience protecting Arizona communities with DEMA’s Emergency Management Internship Program!

This unpaid internship program gives rising professionals hands-on exposure to complex government coordination across federal, state, local, and tribal partners. It's the ultimate opportunity to apply your academic skills, build your resume, network with industry experts, and explore exciting career paths!

🚀 Hands-On Projects & Hands-On Experience:
🗺️ Specialized Focus Areas: Work alongside DEMA/EM staff in preparedness planning, hazard mitigation, training, exercise design, operational coordination, and Geographic Information Services (GIS).

📊 Real-World Responsibilities: Assist with research assignments, special projects, drafting official documents, and creating reports.

🌐 Professional Networking: Attend key planning meetings, community events, and assist staff in day-to-day operations within the Emergency Management Division.

Ready to gain valuable career skills and help keep Arizona prepared? 🏢✨

🔗 Learn more about DEMA internship opportunities and application details at: dema.az.gov/careers

09/04/2026

09/04/2026

Training leaders. Strengthening the force.

National guard soldiers with the 48th Ordnance Group strengthened their operational capabilities and force readiness during the Team Leader Training Academy in Flagstaff.

Across nine practical lanes, team leaders experienced comprehensive real-world scenarios to advance, refine, and complete their Team Leader Validation. The lanes evaluated soldiers across a diverse set of EOD skills while challenging their teamwork and leadership.

This training ensures our national guard EOD technicians remain ready, reliable, and lethal across all operations.

Check out the link to learn more!

Soldiers with the 48th Ordnance Group (OD GRP) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) sharpened their operational capabilities and technical readiness during a three-day Team Leader Training Academy (TLTA), August 9-11.

09/03/2026

🚨 Emergency Bag 101: Be ready for whatever comes next.

In an emergency, you may need to shelter in place or evacuate quickly. Knowing what to pack ahead of time can make all the difference.

Prepare now. Stay safe. Be ready.

For more information, or to see our go-bag checklists, visit our website at Maricopa.gov/ready

09/03/2026