The information on this page was last updated 24 July 1998.

The Certified Crisis Operations Manager professional certification is sponsored by the Emergency Services Management degree program of the School of Continuing Studies at the University of Richmond. The CCOM certification identifies individuals with the knowledge, skills, and aptitudes to effectively manage the response phase of a major emergency in an operations center environment. Certification is open to individuals who manage emergency operations at any level in government, non-profit organizations, and business. Candidates for certification are expected to have a solid understanding of:

(1) Incident command and management systems.

(2) Field command post organization and management.

(3) Emergency operations center operations and management.

(4) Interfaces between operations centers and management structures.

(5) Development of response strategy and tactics.

(6) Use of plans, standard operating procedures, and checklists.

(7) Emergency communications technologies and procedures.

(8) Information management and display, including applications of computer systems.

(9) Incident documentation.

(10) Professional standards and ethics.

If you already hold a state or national emergency management professional certification or are certified by one of the business contituity certifiers, the CCOM credential further demonstrates your expertise in response. If you do not hold one of the broader certifications, the CCOM is a way to show your professional mastery of one of the critical components of emergency management and business continuity.

1. PREREQUISITES: Candidates for certification must meet one of the following criteria:

a. Associates degree or equivalent college education with a minimum of 18 semester hours credit in courses related to the management of crisis operations, or

b. Two years full time equivalent employment in a position with significant responsibilities for the management of crisis operations and a minimum of 100 hours of professional training in crisis management.

Individuals who have questions about whether their service, experience, or education qualify are encouraged to contact the School of Continuing Studies for assistance.

2. REQUIREMENTS: To earn the certification candidates must meet the prerequisites and successfully complete the CCOM examination. In addition, candidates must subscribe to the code of ethics established by the Certification Committee.

3. CERTIFICATION PERIOD: Certification is for three years. Recertification requires completion of a minimum of 48 hours of continuing education related to the management of emergency operations and the completion of a self-assessment examination.

Certification as a Certified Crisis Operations Manager requires completion of a four part examination designed to test your knowledge and your ability to do key components of the job. The examination is given over a full day with a break for lunch. The examination parts are:

Part I - a written test of knowledge, application, and analysis. Multiple choice questions include the range from recall level knowledge through analysis of key elements of scenarios. This part is 90 minutes long.

Part II - a written test of decision making skills using questions that assess your ability to choose correct courses of action and to react to changes in the situation. The multiple choice questions are linked so that each choice creates a thread of actions and further questions. This part is 2 hours long.

Part III - an in-basket exercise to test your ability to read, comprehend, and make rapid decisions about problems. This part is 1 hour long.

Part IV - a practical team exercise in a simulated emergency operations center to test your ability to work with other staff members to resolve a major incident. This part is 90 minutes long.

Parts that are not successfully completed may be retaken at a future examination offering.

If you feel your experience and knowledge are adequate, you may take the examination without preparation (the current fee is $100.00). However, if you wish assistance in preparing there are two options: a study guide will be available for self-study in August (cost $45.00) or you may take a 10 hour, four session review course (cost $95.00 including all materials). One Continuing Education Unit will be awarded for completion of the review course. To request a study guide or register for the course contact the School of Continuing Studies at the University of Richmond in August or September at (804) 289-8133.

The first examination will be given on 31 October 1998. A review course will be offered on 6, 13, 20, and 27 October from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm.

Currently the examination is only scheduled to be given on the campus of the University of Richmond. However, we encourage professional groups interested in making the examination available to their members to inquire about testing at other locations. We are also exploring technical solutions to delivery of the examination on the Internet.

Emergency Management and Business Continuity Certification Links

Electronic Journal of the Emergency Services

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Certified Emergency Manager (CEM)

Sponsored by the International Association of Emergency Managers.

Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP)

Sponsored by Disaster Recovery Institute International.

Certified Recovery Planner (CRP)

Sponsored by Harris Disaster Recovery Associates.

Fellow of the Business Continuity Institute (FBCI)

Sponsored by the Business Continuity Institute