ARLINGTON — Hard work has paid off for a fire department employee.

Chris Badger, emergency management coordinator for the Arlington Fire Department, recently received national certification from the International Association of Emergency Managers.

Only 832 emergency managers across the United States have obtained certification from the association.

Badger said she spent the past six months looking over training documents, writing multiple drafts for an essay and preparing for a 100-question test required by the association.

Although the entire process was time-consuming, Badger said writing the essay might have been the most difficult part.

“We’re so used to writing emergency plans, it was strange to write an essay,” said Badger, who also coordinates the Arlington School District and Cascade Valley Hospital emergency plans.

She also submitted a comprehensive notebook filled with documents showing the experience she has obtained during her 11-year career in emergency management with multiple districts.

Having a background in coordinating multiple agencies likely had a hand in Badger’s certification, Arlington Fire Chief Jim Rankin said.

“I’m sure that played into it,” he said.

He said that to the best of his knowledge no other Arlington emergency managers had received certification in the program.

The Certified Emergency Manager Program is a peer-reviewed process administered through the association of managers.

Badger said she found out in June that she had been certified.

Certification lasts for five years, but can be renewed.

The certification program is supported by FEMA and the National Emergency Management Association.