The roots of CEMAC go back to 1997-1998  when founder Luc Rombout worked as emergency planning & operations co-ordinator at Ghent University and came into contact with members of the emergency planning staff of the Gouvernor of the province of East-Flanders.

These contacts and multiple discussions with members from other government agencies lead to original concept and idea to create a research and services organisation based on a public-private-academic partnership.

To go from an ideal theoretical concept to a working legal structure proved rather difficult and in 2000 it was finally decided to create CEMAC as a not-for-profit organisation.

Not long after that CEMAC could start its first project: assist the Ministry of the Interior in creating a training film and the first ever concise handbook on disaster management: "Praktische Handleiding Rampenmanagement". This book + DVD became the national standard educational material for public sector emergency managers for over a decade.

Soon after that a first industry client found CEMAC and CEMAC started developing emergency plans, course modules and exercises for some of the major High Reliability Organisations (HRO) in Belgium.

By the mid 2000s, CEMAC was involved in its first European Commission project and gradually the scope of the international activities expanded, with project in Easter Europa, South America, North Africa and various other regions.

Luc Rombout started his career in emergency and crisis management in 1990 during his military service as reserve officer, where he was involved in the first ever concept and plan development for Non-Combatant Evacuation (NCE) with combined air/land assets and the development of post-crash management in Tactical Air Ops.

Luc Rombout is currently (2011-2013) President of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), Europa Council with a responsibility for all countries between the Atlantic Ocean and the Russian-Chinese border.

The philosophy of CEMAC is to develop and provide products and services which are based upon the practical application of science/knowledge based concepts.

Many consultants use commercially attractive or hype driven methodologies in delivering their services, CEMAC does not.

We analyse existing scientifically tested standards or try to contribute to their development and use these as the foundation of the products and services we offer.

We have (to name but a few items):

• a proprietary technique of exercise development and evaluation: Emergency Management Capability Assessment Programme (EMCAP), based partially on military and civilian exercise standards (CAR, EMF-ESF, AARIP, various STANAGs, ...);
• a proprietary checklist and technique for capability assessment during audits;
• a proprietary methodology for emergency management plans: Standardised Emergency Preparedness Plan (SEPP), based on over a decade of functional and ergonomic research;
• a methodology and software for the operational and tactical management of hazardous materials incidents, jointly developed with the Belgian Ministry of the Interior and Ghent University.

CEMAC methodologies have received IAEA "Good Practice" evaluation for use in the nuclear industry (Tihange Nuclear Power plant) and are appreciated and implemented by public and private sector clients in High Risk / High Reliability environments (such as energy utilities and the oil & gas industry).