Pros and Cons of a Career in Emergency Management
Typically, emergency management professionals handle disaster response and manage emergency responders such as police officers and hospital workers. Three common career choices in this field are emergency management director, clinical manager and police chief. Here's a quick glance at each of these professions:
| Emergency Management Director | Clinical Manager | Police Chief | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Career Overview | Emergency management directors design, implement and administrate emergency management programs. | Clinical managers in the field of emergency management oversee departments of health care facilities devoted to emergency care. | Police chiefs oversee police departments in towns, cities and sometimes at the county level. |
| Education Requirements | Usually a bachelor's degree, although there are exceptions | Usually a bachelor's, but sometimes a master's degree | At least a high school diploma or a GED, but often an associate's or bachelor's degree |
| Program Length | 3-4 years for a bachelor's degree | 3-4 years for a bachelor's, 1-2 more for a master's | 1-2 years for an associate's, 3-4 years for a bachelor's degree |
| Certification and Licensing | Rarely if ever required | Licensure is sometimes required | Licensure is usually required |
| Work Experience | 1-5 years | Varies quite a bit | At least 10 years |
| Job Outlook (2014-2024) | Fast as average growth (6%) compared to all occupations* | Above average growth (17%) compared to all occupations * | Below average growth (4%) compared to all occupations* |
| Median Salary (May 2014) | Roughly $64,360* | Roughly $92,810* | Roughly $56,810* |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Emergency Management Director
As an emergency management director, you'll typically be in charge of managing the responses to various types of crises. This includes, but certainly isn't limited to, floods, fires, earthquakes, nuclear power emergencies, oil spills, hurricanes and even situations where there are hostages. You'll coordinate disaster relief with local officials, keep up on local regulations and plan out disaster responses in advance. While planning and executing disaster response is part of job, disaster prevention is another.
Requirements
The number of years of experience that you'll need to become an emergency management director differs depending on the position. Typically, you'll need to earn a bachelor's degree in emergency management, public administration or a similar field, although a graduate degree may also be necessary. Extensive on-the-job training is also commonplace.
Here are three job listings posted online in November, 2012:
- In Wisconsin, a county position coordinating and running emergency programs required a bachelor's degree and at least five years of administrative experience. Applicants were also required to have a valid driver's license.
- A New Orleans, LA, petroleum operations company was seeking an emergency management director to make sure the company was compliant with various military and environmental laws and procedures. A bachelor's degree and five years of experience were required.
- Another oil company in Oklahoma was hiring an emergency and crisis management director with a bachelor's degree and at least 10 years of related experience.
Standing Out
In order to stand out as an emergency management director, there are a number of measures that you can take. If you have three years of experience in the field and pass a required test, you can become a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) through the International Association of Emergency Managers. By becoming a CEM, you'll give your resume a boost and demonstrate to potential employers that in addition to your education and work experience, you have a solid understanding of administrative knowledge and skills as an emergency management professional.
Clinical Manager
Clinical managers are typically in charge of specific departments of medical facilities and clinics. If you're interested in emergency management, you might seek to become an administrator in an emergency care department and location. Often, you'll be in charge of emergency staff, planning, budgets, day-day operations and department goals.
Requirements
Clinical management positions usually require an associate's or bachelor's degree in nursing or a related discipline, although a master's degree may prove to be helpful. Several years of medical and/or administrative experience is a common requirement. In addition to this, you may need to become a Registered Nurse (RN) and have current CPR certification.
In November, 2012, employers posted the following three jobs on the Internet:
- In Houston, TX, the emergency room of a hospital was seeking a clinical manager with at least five years of experience. Candidates were expected to either have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or be close to finishing a degree plan.
- An emergency services clinical manager with two years of experience and a BSN was sought by a medical center in Vermont.
- A bachelor's degree in nursing or a combination of experience and education were required for a part-time evening medical center job in Sacramento, California.
Standing Out
Demonstrable leadership skills and an understanding of human resource administration can help you stand out as a clinical manager. Since emergency management will be the focus of your career, completing the Professional Development Series offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can also be useful. This is a series of independent study courses designed to sharpen your skills as a professional in the field of emergency management. By completing the Professional Development Series, it's likely you'll stand from other clinical managers who don't have the same level of expertise.
Police Chief
Police chiefs are typically in charge of the daily operations of local police departments. This, like firefighting or emergency room management, is a specific area of emergency management, in this case pertaining to law enforcement. As a police chief, you'll be in charge of a staff of officers at the town, city or county level.
Requirements
In order to enter the police force, you'll usually only need a high school diploma or a GED. However, to become a chief, you may need a degree in criminal justice, public administration or a related field. Sometimes, a higher-level degree is needed to enter a police department from the outside. The number of years of experience that you'll need depends on the employer, but is usually at least 10 years. In most cases, you'll also need to have your Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification from the state in which you intend to work. This is usually achieved at a police academy.
In November or 2012, potential employers listed the following three positions online:
- In Texas, a rural area transforming into to a suburban community was looking for a police chief with a bachelor's degree, although a master's degree was preferred.
- A Washington-state police department was looking for a police chief to work with 13 civilians, 45 police officers, two captains, two lieutenants and seven sergeants. A bachelor's degree was required.
- A police chief with a bachelor's or master's degree and 15 years of experience in law enforcement was sought in Georgia.
Standing Out
The skills that it takes to stand out as a police chief are often demonstrated through on-the-job training, and promotions to this position often happen within a police department. However, police departments also hire outside the department, and you'll need to find ways to stand out in the job market. In addition to earning your POST certification, consider gaining advanced management training from an institute such as the Bill Blackwood Institute or the FBI National Academy.
