Best Careers: Emergency Management Specialist

As one of the 50 Best Jobs of 2011, this should have strong growth over the next decade

December 6, 2010 RSS Feed Print

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The rundown:

Firefighters and police are the people we see on the ground when an emergency happens. But typically, a number of professionals have been working behind the scenes to make that response possible. Emergency management specialists develop disaster response plans, train other people in an organization in disaster and emergency preparedness, and coordinate with various emergency personnel (such as those at state, local, and municipal levels) to make sure emergency contingencies are covered. Obviously, many jobs of this type are in the public sector; the military, law enforcement, and state and local governments are major employers. But there are a variety of private-sector or nonprofit employers that require emergency management specialists because of a particularly sensitive line of work where emergencies are prone to happen or could be potentially devastating. Examples of these employers include hospitals, colleges and universities, and community relief organizations.

[See a list of The 50 Best Careers.]

The outlook:

The effects of the September 11 attacks still reverberate through both public- and private-sector organizations. As a result, they have been willing to spend more on emergency management. (In some cases, they have been forced to.) As a result, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment to grow by 2,800, or 22 percent, between 2008 and 2018.

Money:

The median annual earnings for emergency management specialists in 2009 were about $53,000. California, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island were the states with the highest-paid specialists. The average wage in California was $78,650.

Upward mobility:

The degree of mobility depends on the ambitions of the individual. For example, you might be content with working for a small organization, such as the government of a small town. A higher-profile post, such as organizing disaster preparedness for a large city, would require more responsibilities and result in higher pay. The variability in pay is pronounced; according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the bottom 10 percent of emergency management specialists earned less than $28,370, while the top 10 percent earned more than $90,340 in 2009.

Activity level:

Moderate. On the majority of days, you will be working in an office, perhaps venturing out to conduct training sessions. The job requires a great deal of communication with people of all backgrounds.

[See a list of the best social service careers.]

Stress level:

Moderate to high. The stress level is not particularly great on an average day. But if disaster strikes, the specialist's job can be one of the most stressful imaginable. For example, some of the duties of emergency management specialists working for the Virginia state government include ordering evacuations and opening public shelters in case of disaster.

Education and preparation:

A bachelor's degree is one prerequisite. Many employers, especially in the public sector, will require certification in the National Incident Management System, a framework for disaster response designed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Courses to get certified in NIMS can be taken online. Check www.fema.gov for more information.

[Find online degree programs in social services.]

Real advice from real people about landing a job as an emergency management specialist:

For a career that puts you under the gun, the ability to manage stress is key. Communication and collaboration skills are also essential in dealing with complex bureaucracies and ensuring that the public is informed through the right media channels. "Collaboration is very important. Emergency management specialists are kind of a planning clearing house for that activity," says Daniel J. Klenow, department head of the emergency management department at North Dakota State University.

Corrected on 12/9/10: An earlier version of this story misspelled the name of Daniel J. Klenow.

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I'm currently in school right now getting my BA in Emergency and Disaster Management with a certificate in Homeland Security. Every single aspect of this job makes me giddy with excitement. I plan to do 1 internship during my undergrad degree and 1 internship during my grad degree (which will be in Emergency and Disaster Management with a certificate in Weapons of Mass Destruction Preparedness). I'm hoping the combination of experience and the degrees will give me an edge when I'm applying for an actual job.

Natalie of AZ 12:21AM May 19, 2013

I'm an EM major at school right now, but I'm switching it to something else, not because I don't like it, but I honestly think you will need a solid foundation in something before learning how to best protect it from damages of any kind. I'm in an internship right now, and though it is an entry-level position, I still don't know anything at all about what they are talking about. They are right in saying that it will be in great demand, and the pay is also very truthful. However, they are also very correct in saying that the majority of the time, it is a very low-key, not stressful desk job life. For someone coming right out of college, this might just drive you crazy, like it was starting to do for me. However, I will say again, this is only my opinion.

DA of CT 3:54PM February 02, 2013

The pay is never going to be outstanding, but there are other avenues you can pursue as well... I get paid a ton more than the 14/ 17hr , minimal benefits etc.
I work for a private company and I was hired with no experience. I came on as a contract employee during Haiti and shortly after I was hired full- time. Since then I've responded to disasters all over the world including the Arctic as a first responder.
Now working on my sociology degree followed by masters in Emergency Disaster Management.
For those of you still searching, we aren't in need of full- time employees but we hire contract employees all over the world. Currently we have about 1500 worldwide. We are hoping to double that number within the next year and a half. Depending where we are activated (what part of the world) and how large the incident is, we'd contact you at the time of the incident and see if you are available for 2 to 3 weeks to work with us. You would be paid a daily rate (commensurate with the position we bring you in for on that partcular deployment), plus a per- diem. Hotels are covered, flights are covered. You are required to furnish your own up to date passport and cover whatever shots are required.
No requirements on where you live. We will fly you out from your nearest airport.
It is a great way to earn the experience all of you are speaking of, on an international level and be involved in some possible big events in the process.
Example: In Haiti, we were there for close to 4 months after the earthquake and had nearly 400 team members (contract employees) cycling through every two weeks.
If anyone is interested check out www.kenyoninternational.com to find out more and fill out an application. Look up Team Members.
This last year was slow in regards to disasters, but in this field, sometimes they are slow, and other years we have deployed back to back with more than one happening at the same time.
I have only provided some very basic information for you here. Check us out at the website i listed if you would like to know more. We are the oldest and most well known private disaster company in the world.

DisasterGuy of TX 5:08PM November 13, 2012