What Does it Take to Be an Emergency Management Director?
Career Description 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.
Life As an Emergency Management Director
- 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.
- Inventory and distribute nuclear, biological, and chemical detection and contamination equipment, providing instruction in its maintenance and use.
- Inspect facilities and equipment, such as emergency management centers and communications equipment, to determine their operational and functional capabilities in emergency situations.
- Maintain and update all resource materials associated with emergency preparedness plans.
- Study emergency plans used elsewhere to gather information for plan development.
- Review emergency plans of individual organizations, such as medical facilities, to ensure their adequacy.
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Skills Needed to be an Emergency Management Director
When polled, Emergency Management Directors say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Types of Emergency Management Director
- Homeland Security Program Specialist
- Emergency Management Coordinator
- Public Safety Director
- Disaster Recovery Specialist
- Hostage Negotiator
Job Opportunities for Emergency Management Directors
There were about 10,100 jobs for Emergency Management Director in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 800 new jobs for Emergency Management Director by 2026. The BLS estimates 900 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Emergency Management Director are Arizona, Utah, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in New Jersey, Wyoming, or Wisconsin. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Emergency Management Directors Salary
The typical yearly salary for Emergency Management Directors is somewhere between $40,460 and $141,130.
Emergency Management Directors who work in District of Columbia, California, or Washington, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Emergency Management Directors in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $69,060 |
| Alaska | $85,120 |
| Arkansas | $47,680 |
| California | $118,320 |
| Colorado | $87,060 |
| Connecticut | $91,120 |
| District of Columbia | $119,820 |
| Florida | $83,580 |
| Georgia | $73,090 |
| Hawaii | $81,660 |
| Idaho | $86,000 |
| Illinois | $81,830 |
| Indiana | $52,810 |
| Iowa | $69,300 |
| Kansas | $55,780 |
| Kentucky | $50,490 |
| Louisiana | $83,610 |
| Maine | $57,200 |
| Maryland | $104,770 |
| Massachusetts | $92,480 |
| Michigan | $72,500 |
| Minnesota | $84,990 |
| Mississippi | $51,200 |
| Missouri | $63,690 |
| Montana | $52,740 |
| Nebraska | $60,330 |
| New Hampshire | $63,780 |
| New Jersey | $93,410 |
| New Mexico | $95,580 |
| New York | $99,960 |
| North Carolina | $74,600 |
| North Dakota | $69,480 |
| Ohio | $75,530 |
| Oklahoma | $53,660 |
| Oregon | $81,460 |
| Pennsylvania | $69,850 |
| Rhode Island | $86,710 |
| South Carolina | $65,130 |
| South Dakota | $49,760 |
| Tennessee | $87,350 |
| Texas | $89,810 |
| Utah | $60,820 |
| Vermont | $82,210 |
| Virginia | $89,580 |
| Washington | $113,860 |
| West Virginia | $73,390 |
| Wisconsin | $74,140 |
| Wyoming | $57,810 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Emergency Management Directors
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Emergency Management Directors may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Geographic information system GIS software
- Graphics software
- Statistical software
- McAfee
- IBM Lotus Notes
- Desktop publishing software
- Relational database software
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- MapInfo Professional
- SunGard Assurance
How to Become an Emergency Management Director
Are there Emergency Management Directors education requirements?
What work experience do I need to become an Emergency Management Director?
Where Emergency Management Directors Work
The table below shows the approximate number of Emergency Management Directors employed by various industries.
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those thinking about becoming an Emergency Management Director might also be interested in the following careers:
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators
- Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors
References:
Image Credit: Staff Sgt. Christopher Hubenthal via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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