Career Overview
Plan and direct disaster response or crisis management activities, provide disaster preparedness training, and prepare emergency plans and procedures for natural (e.g., hurricanes, floods, earthquakes), wartime, or technological (e.g., nuclear power plant emergencies or hazardous materials spills) disasters or hostage situations.
Also Known As
- Emergency Management Director
- Emergency Management System Director (EMS Director)
- Emergency Planner
- Public Safety Director
Alternate Job Titles
- 911 Communications Manager
- Change Management Specialist
- Civil Defense Director
- Civil Preparedness Officer
- Disaster Response Director
- Emergency Management Coordinator
- Emergency Management Director
- Emergency Management Planner
- Emergency Management Program Manager
- Emergency Management System Director (EMS Director)
- Emergency Manager
- Emergency Planner
- Emergency Planning and Response Manager
- Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
- Emergency Preparedness Manager
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Consult with officials of local and area governments, schools, hospitals, and other institutions to determine their needs and capabilities in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency.
- Develop and maintain liaisons with municipalities, county departments, and similar entities to facilitate plan development, response effort coordination, and exchanges of personnel and equipment.
- Coordinate disaster response or crisis management activities, such as ordering evacuations, opening public shelters, and implementing special needs plans and programs.
- Prepare emergency situation status reports that describe response and recovery efforts, needs, and preliminary damage assessments.
- Maintain and update all resource materials associated with emergency preparedness plans.
- Prepare plans that outline operating procedures to be used in response to disasters or emergencies, such as hurricanes, nuclear accidents, and terrorist attacks, and in recovery from these events.
- Develop and perform tests and evaluations of emergency management plans in accordance with state and federal regulations.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Public Safety and Security
- Administration and Management
- Law and Government
- Communications and Media
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Telecommunications
- Education and Training
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Service Orientation
- Speaking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Coordination
- Social Perceptiveness
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
- Speech Clarity
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Inductive Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
- Information Ordering
- Fluency of Ideas
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Stress Tolerance
- Integrity
- Dependability
- Adaptability
- Leadership Orientation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Independence
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Chemical protective boots
- Chemical protective clothing
- Desktop computers
- Emergency alert notification systems
- Hard hats
- Laptop computers
- Personal computers
- Protective hoods
- Radiation detectors
- Safety gloves
- Self-contained breathing apparatus
- Two way radios
Work Environment
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $51,260 |
| Median | $86,130 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $160,420 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 12,570
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If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.