All About Emergency Management Directors
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.
Emergency Management Director Responsibilities
- Propose alteration of emergency response procedures based on regulatory changes, technological changes, or knowledge gained from outcomes of previous emergency situations.
- 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.
- Attend meetings, conferences, and workshops related to emergency management to learn new information and to develop working relationships with other emergency management specialists.
- Review emergency plans of individual organizations, such as medical facilities, to ensure their adequacy.
- Keep informed of federal, state, and local regulations affecting emergency plans and ensure that plans adhere to these regulations.
- Coordinate disaster response or crisis management activities, such as ordering evacuations, opening public shelters, and implementing special needs plans and programs.
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Things an Emergency Management Director Should Know How to Do
These are the skills Emergency Management Directors say are the most useful in their careers:
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.
Related Job Titles
- Emergency Management Consultant
- Civil Defense Director
- Emergency Preparedness Program Specialist
- Homeland Security Program Specialist
- Emergency Management System Director (EMS Director)
Is There Job Demand for Emergency Management Directors?
In the United States, there were 10,100 jobs for Emergency Management Director in 2016. 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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 900 job openings in this field each year.

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.
Salary for an Emergency Management Director
Emergency Management Directors make between $40,460 and $141,130 a year.

Emergency Management Directors who work in District of Columbia, California, or Washington, make the highest salaries.
How much do Emergency Management Directors make in each U.S. state?
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
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Emergency Management Directors:
- 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
Becoming an Emergency Management Director
What education is needed to be an Emergency Management Director?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Who Employs Emergency Management Directors?

The table below shows the approximate number of Emergency Management Directors employed by various industries.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those interested in being an Emergency Management Director may also be interested in:
- 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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