Emergency Management Directors

Overview
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Experience

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.

Education

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Job Training

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Examples

Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.

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.

Salary Salary

Salary at 10th Percentile: $42K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $55K
Median Salary: $76K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $104K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $142K

Demand
Career Demand by State Career Demand by State Legend
Core Tasks

Keep informed of activities or changes that could affect the likelihood of an emergency, as well as those that could affect response efforts and details of plan implementation.

Prepare emergency situation status reports that describe response and recovery efforts, needs, and preliminary damage assessments.

Coordinate disaster response or crisis management activities, such as ordering evacuations, opening public shelters, and implementing special needs plans and programs.

Develop and maintain liaisons with municipalities, county departments, and similar entities to facilitate plan development, response effort coordination, and exchanges of personnel and equipment.

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.

Apply for federal funding for emergency-management-related needs and administer and report on the progress of such grants.

Design and administer emergency or disaster preparedness training courses that teach people how to effectively respond to major emergencies and disasters.

Attend meetings, conferences, and workshops related to emergency management to learn new information and to develop working relationships with other emergency management specialists.

Collaborate with other officials to prepare and analyze damage assessments following disasters or emergencies.

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.

Inspect facilities and equipment, such as emergency management centers and communications equipment, to determine their operational and functional capabilities in emergency situations.

Develop and perform tests and evaluations of emergency management plans in accordance with state and federal regulations.

Propose alteration of emergency response procedures based on regulatory changes, technological changes, or knowledge gained from outcomes of previous emergency situations.

Keep informed of federal, state, and local regulations affecting emergency plans and ensure that plans adhere to these regulations.

Develop instructional materials for the public and make presentations to citizens' groups to provide information on emergency plans and their implementation processes.

Review emergency plans of individual organizations, such as medical facilities, to ensure their adequacy.

Maintain and update all resource materials associated with emergency preparedness plans.

Train local groups in the preparation of long-term plans that are compatible with federal and state plans.

Provide communities with assistance in applying for federal funding for emergency management facilities, radiological instrumentation, and other related items.

Conduct surveys to determine the types of emergency-related needs to be addressed in disaster planning or provide technical support to others conducting such surveys.

Inventory and distribute nuclear, biological, and chemical detection and contamination equipment, providing instruction in its maintenance and use.

Study emergency plans used elsewhere to gather information for plan development.

Develop and implement training procedures and strategies for radiological protection, detection, and decontamination.

Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Analytical or scientific software
Statistical software
Data base user interface and query software
SoftRisk Technologies SoftRisk SQL
Desktop publishing software
Desktop publishing software
Electronic mail software
IBM Lotus Notes
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
SunGard Assurance
Graphics or photo imaging software
Graphics software
Internet browser software
Web browser software
Map creation software
Geographic information system GIS software
Office suite software
Microsoft Office
Presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Project management software
Microsoft SharePoint
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Transaction security and virus protection software
McAfee
Word processing software
Microsoft Word
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Communications Devices and Accessories
Two way radios
Computer Equipment and Accessories
Desktop computers
Data Voice or Multimedia Network Equipment or Platforms and Accessories
Emergency alert notification systems
Measuring and observing and testing instruments
Radiation detectors
Personal safety and protection
Self-contained breathing apparatus
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Public Safety and Security
89%
Importance

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Administration and Management
88%
Importance

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Law and Government
81%
Importance

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

English Language
80%
Importance

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Communications and Media
77%
Importance

Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Customer and Personal Service
77%
Importance

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Education and Training
75%
Importance

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Personnel and Human Resources
69%
Importance

Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Telecommunications
68%
Importance

Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

Computers and Electronics
65%
Importance

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Top 10 Skills
Complex Problem Solving
85%
Importance

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Judgment and Decision Making
83%
Importance

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Service Orientation
83%
Importance

Actively looking for ways to help people.

Speaking
83%
Importance

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Active Listening
80%
Importance

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.

Coordination
80%
Importance

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Critical Thinking
80%
Importance

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Monitoring
80%
Importance

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Reading Comprehension
80%
Importance

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Writing
80%
Importance

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
83%
Importance

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression
83%
Importance

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Deductive Reasoning
80%
Importance

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Inductive Reasoning
80%
Importance

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Problem Sensitivity
80%
Importance

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Written Comprehension
80%
Importance

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Written Expression
80%
Importance

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Fluency of Ideas
78%
Importance

The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Speech Clarity
78%
Importance

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Speech Recognition
78%
Importance

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Top 10 Work Activities
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
96%
Importance

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
94%
Importance

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems
94%
Importance

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
92%
Importance

Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Developing and Building Teams
91%
Importance

Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Getting Information
89%
Importance

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
89%
Importance

Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
88%
Importance

Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Developing Objectives and Strategies
88%
Importance

Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
88%
Importance

Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Detailed Work Activities

Maintain knowledge of current developments in area of expertise.

Prepare reports related to compliance matters.

Develop emergency response plans or procedures.

Coordinate special events or programs.

Establish interpersonal business relationships to facilitate work activities.

Prepare proposals or grant applications to obtain project funding.

Prepare operational progress or status reports.

Confer with organizational members to accomplish work activities.

Communicate with government agencies.

Coordinate operational activities with external stakeholders.

Inspect condition or functioning of facilities or equipment.

Recommend organizational process or policy changes.

Evaluate program effectiveness.

Determine operational compliance with regulations or standards.

Present information to the public.

Maintain operational records.

Advise others on legal or regulatory compliance matters.

Conduct opinion surveys or needs assessments.

Implement organizational process or policy changes.

Develop safety standards, policies, or procedures.

Communicate organizational policies and procedures.

Manage inventories of products or organizational resources.

Work Context
Electronic Mail

How often do you use electronic mail in this job?

Telephone

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Contact With Others

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Face-to-Face Discussions

How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

Indoors, Environmentally Controlled

How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?

Work With Work Group or Team

How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

Deal With External Customers

How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?

Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results

What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?

Freedom to Make Decisions

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

Responsible for Others' Health and Safety

How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?

Education
Majors
Major
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Homeland Security
Emergency Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs
Interests
Social
91%
Importance

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Enterprising
81%
Importance

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Conventional
53%
Importance

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Realistic
53%
Importance

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Investigative
43%
Importance

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Artistic
29%
Importance

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Top 10 Work Styles
Dependability
94%
Importance

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Integrity
93%
Importance

Job requires being honest and ethical.

Leadership
93%
Importance

Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

Initiative
91%
Importance

Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Adaptability/Flexibility
90%
Importance

Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Cooperation
90%
Importance

Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Persistence
88%
Importance

Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Stress Tolerance
87%
Importance

Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Analytical Thinking
86%
Importance

Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Self Control
86%
Importance

Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Work Values
Independence
81%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Relationships
77%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Achievement
72%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Recognition
72%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Support
72%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Working Conditions
72%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.