Emergency Management Directors

Career summary

#checked 3/13/19 lh

Emergency management directors create and execute responses to disasters. Emergency management involves 4 phases:

Mitigation

The goal of mitigation planning is to prevent disasters or at least reduce their effects. This phase focuses on long-term measures for reducing or eliminating risk.

Preparedness

In the preparedness phase, emergency management directors develop plans of action for when a disaster strikes.

Response

The response phase includes getting emergency services and first responders to the disaster area.

Recovery

The last phase is recovery. The goal of this phase is to restore the affected area to its previous state. Recovery efforts focus on rebuilding destroyed property and getting people back to work.

Emergency management directors create response plans that outline what to do in the event of emergency. These plans are detailed and follow different laws and regulations. These plans include the:

• Organizations to involve
• Necessary emergency equipment
• Steps to take first
• Leadership at different locations

Emergency management directors often run tests of simulated emergencies to make sure that everyone knows their role and how to respond. They inspect facilities to make sure they are maintaining important equipment. They finalize plans and make sure that the plans are distributed, maintained, and updated as needed.

Emergency management directors educate community groups and the public on how to respond to emergencies. They provide trainings and direct public education efforts. They stay up to date on their skills and knowledge by attending conferences and meetings.

Related careers

This career is part of the Government and Public Administration cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Emergency Medical Technicians
• Firefighters
• General and Operations Managers
• Human Resources Managers
• Industrial Production Managers
• Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
• Police and Detective Supervisors
• Safety Engineers
• Social and Community Service Managers
• Storage and Transportation Managers

Military careers

• Emergency Management Officers
• Emergency Management Specialists

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to emergency management directors.

• Stay informed of any activities or changes that may increase the likelihood of an emergency.
• Prepare plans that outline how to respond to events such as hurricanes, nuclear meltdowns, and terrorist attacks.
• Prepare methods and plans for recovering from emergencies and disasters.
• Identify ways to modify emergency response plans based on changes in laws, technology, and knowledge.
• Maintain and update all records, plans, and documents.
• Coordinate disaster response or crisis management activities.
• Develop and maintain relationships with city, county, and state governments.
• Prepare status reports that describe response and recovery efforts, needs, and damage estimates.
• Train others how to plan for and respond to emergencies.
• Inspect buildings and facilities to make sure they are able to function during an emergency.
• Test emergency response plans to see how people respond and if changes need to be made.
• Consult with government, school, and hospital officials when creating emergency response plans.
• May apply for grants and other funding.
• Attend meetings, conferences, and workshops related to emergency management.
• Teach the public about the best way to handle an emergency.

Common work activities

Emergency management directors perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Establish and maintain relationships
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Develop and build teams
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Get information needed to do the job
• Guide, direct, and motivate others
• Develop goals and strategies
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Use computers
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Teach others
• Monitor and control resources
• Schedule work and activities
• Perform for or work with the public
• Evaluate information against standards
• Coach others
• Provide advice and consultation to others
• Document and record information
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Think creatively
• Convince others to buy goods or change their minds or actions
• Analyze data or information
• Process information
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Perform administrative tasks
• Recruit, interview, or hire others
• Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
• Assist and care for others

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, emergency management directors:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a very high level of interaction with others.
• Are substantially responsible for the health and safety of others.
• Are responsible for the work done by others workers.
• Are occasionally placed in conflict situations in which others may be rude or angry.
• Talk with others on a daily basis by telephone, e-mail, and in person. They also write letters and memos.
• Almost always work as part of a team.

Physical work conditions

• Almost always work indoors. Occasionally work outdoors.
• May work physically near others.
• May travel to different work sites via a truck, car, or van.
• May be exposed to different lighting conditions and hot and cold temperatures, usually depending on weather.

Work performance

• Make decisions that greatly impact coworkers or their company's reputation. They often act independently, only rarely consulting a supervisor.
• Must be very exact and accurate when performing work. Errors could cause serious harm to the public.
• Rarely consult a supervisor before setting daily goals and tasks.
• Must meet strict weekly and monthly deadlines.

Hours/travel

• Often work more than 40 hours per week.

Physical demands

Emergency management directors frequently:

• Sit for long periods of time.

It is important for emergency management directors to be able to:

• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for emergency management directors to be able to:

• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.

Skills and abilities

Emergency management directors need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Understand written information.
• Read and understand work-related materials.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.

Reason and problem solve

• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.
• Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Identify what must be changed to reach goals.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Make sense of information that seems without meaning or organization.

Use math and science

• Use math skills to solve problems.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Manage the time of self and others.
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.
• Go back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information without becoming confused.

Work with people

• Look for ways to help people.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.

Perceive and visualize

• Imagine how something will look if it is moved around or its parts are rearranged.
• Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.
• Quickly and accurately compare letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Emergency Management
• Homeland Security
• Law Enforcement and Police Science

Other programs of study to consider

• Business, General
• Logistics and Materials Management
• Operations Management
• Political Science and Government
• Public Administration
• Sociology

Training

To work as an emergency management director, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• have a bachelor's degree; and
• have five years or more of related work experience.

Education after high school

Many emergency management directors have at least a bachelor's degree. Some have worked or are working for local, state, and federal government agencies. While there is no major or specific training for this field, degrees in political science, public administration, sociology, or business may help.

Work experience

While education is important for this occupation, work experience is just as important. You can prepare for this occupation in many different ways. Most emergency management directors gain experience in the type of company or organization that they want to manage. For example, directors working for the federal government often begin as program coordinators or managers in the same or similar department. Often, they gain experience by working on projects that plan how to respond to a natural disaster, for example.

It is typical for directors to have at least five years of work experience before they move into this position.

On-the-job training

Few emergency management directors receive training on the job. Employers hire experienced, proven directors, or promote experienced lower-level managers and employees in related fields.

Military training

Some branches of the military train people to be emergency management specialists or officers. For specialists, training lasts from eight to ten weeks, depending on your specialty. Additional training occurs on the job.

You need a bachelor's degree before you can enter the emergency management officer military occupation. Training lasts two to nine weeks and you receive additional training on the job.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Communications
• Computer Applications
• Journalism
• Public Speaking

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Most directors are hired for their knowledge of the organization and for their previous work experience. They are usually recognized as experts in their field. They also are recognized for their previous performance at another job. For example, someone who has managed disaster relief projects for a state government may advance to a regional or federal position.

In addition, emergency management directors must have a mind that can quickly assess a situation and decide the best way to handle it. They must be able to figure out what information is most important and how it affects others. In addition, directors must be able to communicate clearly and be able to convince others of their ideas.

Costs to workers

Workers who join a professional association may pay a membership fee and annual dues.

Licensing/certification

Some states require directors to be certified within a certain timeframe after being hired in the position. Requirements vary by state.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Emergency Management Specialists 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Wages vary among agencies and by area of the country. Wages also vary based on the director's level of education and responsibility.

Most full-time emergency management directors receive benefits. These include vacation, sick leave, and health insurance. They may also receive a retirement plan.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Local and state government agencies
• Power companies

National outlook

Demand for this occupation will remain steady as more powerful storms hit our coasts, especially those near large metropolitan areas. Demand for this occupation will be very high in hospitals and schools to help them prepare for natural disasters. Growth will also be high in consulting services.

Budget cuts by governments will limit job openings. Competition for jobs will be strong. Some job openings will occur as people retire.

Other resources

American Meteorological Society 
45 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
617.227.2425

International Association of Emergency Managers 
201 Park Washington Court
Falls Church, VA 22046
703.538.1795

National Emergency Management Association 
1776 Avenue of the States
Lexington, KY 40511
859.244.8000

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Room 5128
Washington, DC 20230
202.482.6090

Washington State Emergency Management Association 

References

Career cluster

• Government and Public Administration

Career path

• Social

O*Net  occupation

• Emergency Management Directors (11-9161.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 4 - Considerable preparation needed. A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.

DOT occupation

• Civil Preparedness Officer (188.117-022) 

Strong Interest Inventory

• Vocational Agriculture Teacher

Holland occupational clusters

• Social/Enterprising/Conventional
• Social/Enterprising/Realistic

COPSystem

• Service Skilled