The Illinois Emergency Management Agency awarded Jason Marks, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator of Peoria City/County Health Department, special designation as Illinois Professional Emergency Manager in honor of his achievement in Emergency Management on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 in Springfield.

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), in partnership with Illinois Emergency Services Management Association (IESMA), developed specialized training to provide emergency managers with the skills and tools necessary to not only succeed, but to excel in the total process of emergency management. The training covered all four phases of the emergency management process – preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.

The IPEM program, established in 2001 and updated in 2007 requires each candidate to complete twelve hours of state and federal sponsored training, including writing research papers, to meet goals specific to the emergency management career and the particular needs of the local jurisdiction served.

Marks credits his expertise in emergency management to years of hard work, hands-on experience in planning, and implementing emergency preparedness programs.

Marks is currently using his new skills and tools to coordinate a community response for the H1N1 flu campaign.