Emergency Management Director

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.

On the job, you would:

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.
Develop and maintain liaisons with municipalities, county departments, and similar entities to facilitate plan development, response effort coordination, and exchanges of personnel and equipment.
Coordinate disaster response or crisis management activities, such as ordering evacuations, opening public shelters, and implementing special needs plans and programs.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Emergency management directors must be able to clearly convey their emergency preparedness plans, both orally and in writing, to a variety of audiences.

Critical-thinking skills. Emergency management directors must anticipate hazards and problems that may arise from an emergency in order to respond effectively.

Decision-making skills. Emergency management directors must analyze and choose among options, often in stressful situations. They must identify the strengths and weaknesses, costs and benefits, and other variables of each approach.

Interpersonal skills. Emergency management directors must work with other government agencies, law enforcement and fire officials, and the public to coordinate emergency responses.

Leadership skills. To ensure effective responses to emergencies, emergency management directors need to organize and train a variety of people.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		92%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		91%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		89%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		86%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		85%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		85%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		84%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		84%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		81%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		78%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		77%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		74%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		74%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		68%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		68%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
		66%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		89%	Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
		78%	Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		78%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		72%	Relationships - 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.
		67%	Achievement - 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.
		67%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
		67%	Recognition - 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.
		67%	Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		78%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		78%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		78%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		78%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		75%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		75%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		75%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		75%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		72%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		72%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		72%	Fluency of Ideas - 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).
		69%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
		66%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
		66%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		53%	Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		77%	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
		75%	Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
		71%	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
		66%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
		63%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
		61%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
		61%	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
		61%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		61%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
		59%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		59%	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.
		59%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
		59%	Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
		59%	Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
		59%	Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
		57%	Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
		57%	Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
		55%	Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
		54%	Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Maintain knowledge of current developments in area of expertise.

Develop emergency response plans or procedures.

Recommend organizational process or policy changes.

Maintain operational records.

Coordinate special events or programs.

Establish interpersonal business relationships to facilitate work activities.

Determine operational compliance with regulations or standards.

Maintain knowledge of current developments in area of expertise.

Prepare reports related to compliance matters.

Develop emergency response plans or procedures.

Develop training materials.

Inspect condition or functioning of facilities or equipment.

Communicate with government agencies.

Coordinate operational activities with external stakeholders.

Evaluate program effectiveness.

Develop emergency response plans or procedures.

Maintain knowledge of current developments in area of expertise.

Confer with organizational members to accomplish work activities.

Present information to the public.

Teach safety standards or environmental compliance methods.

Develop emergency response plans or procedures.

Conduct opinion surveys or needs assessments.

Develop emergency response plans or procedures.

Prepare proposals or grant applications to obtain project funding.

Prepare operational progress or status reports.

Implement organizational process or policy changes.

Develop safety standards, policies, or procedures.

Communicate organizational policies and procedures.

Manage inventories of products or organizational resources.

Advise others on legal or regulatory compliance matters.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		98%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		94%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		88%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		85%	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?
		85%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		84%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		83%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		81%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		78%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		78%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		76%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		68%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		68%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		67%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
		66%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		64%	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?
		64%	In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment - How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)?
		61%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		58%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		54%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
		52%	Frequency of Conflict Situations - How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
		75%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		88%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		88%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		87%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		86%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		86%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
		84%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		83%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		82%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - 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.
		81%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		81%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		81%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
		78%	Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
		78%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		78%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
		76%	Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
		75%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		74%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		73%	Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
		72%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
		72%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		70%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		70%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		69%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		68%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		68%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
		68%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
		68%	Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
		66%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		65%	Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
		64%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		63%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		57%	Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
		54%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
		54%	Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
		53%	Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.

What Emergency Management Directors Do

Emergency management directors may help train volunteers and first responders in emergency procedures.

Emergency management directors prepare plans and procedures for responding to natural disasters and other emergencies. They also help lead the response during and after emergencies, often in coordination with public safety officials, elected officials, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.

Duties

Emergency management directors typically do the following:

Assess hazards and prepare plans to respond to emergencies and disasters in order to minimize risk to people and property
Meet with public safety officials, private companies, and the public regarding emergency response plans
Organize emergency response training for staff, volunteers, and other responders
Coordinate the sharing of resources and equipment within and across communities to assist in responding to an emergency
Analyze and prepare damage assessments following disasters or emergencies
Review emergency plans of individual organizations, such as medical facilities, to ensure their adequacy
Apply for federal funding for emergency management planning, responses, and recovery, and report on the use of funds allocated
Review local emergency operations plans and revise them if necessary
Maintain facilities used during emergency operations

Emergency management directors are responsible for planning and leading the responses to natural disasters and other emergencies. Directors work with government agencies, nonprofits, private companies, and the public to develop effective plans that minimize damage and disruptions during an emergency.

To develop emergency response plans, directors typically research “best practices” from around the country and from other emergency management agencies. Directors also must prepare plans and procedures that meet local, state, and federal regulations.

Directors must analyze the resources, equipment, and staff available to respond to emergencies. If resources are limited or equipment is lacking, directors must either revise their plans or get what they need from another community or state. Many directors coordinate with fire, emergency medical service, police departments, and public works agencies in other communities to locate and share equipment during an emergency. Directors must be in contact with other agencies to collect and share information regarding the scope of the emergency, the potential costs, and the resources or staff needed.

After they develop plans, emergency management directors typically ensure that individuals and groups become familiar with the emergency procedures. Directors often use social media to disseminate plans and warnings to the public.

Emergency management directors oversee training courses and disaster exercises for staff, volunteers, and local agencies to help ensure an effective and coordinated response to an emergency. Directors also may visit schools, hospitals, or other community groups to provide updates on plans for emergencies.

During an emergency, directors typically maintain a command center at which staff monitor and manage the emergency operations. Directors help lead the response, prioritizing certain actions if necessary. These actions may include ordering evacuations, conducting rescue missions, or opening public shelters for those displaced by the emergency. Emergency management directors also may need to conduct press conferences or other outreach activities to keep the public informed about the emergency.

Following an emergency, directors must assess the damage to their community and coordinate getting any needed assistance and supplies into the community. Directors may need to request state or federal assistance to help execute their emergency response plan and provide support to affected citizens, organizations, and communities. Directors may also revise their plans and procedures to prepare for future emergencies or disasters.

Emergency management directors working for hospitals, universities, or private companies may be called business continuity managers. Similar to their counterparts in local and state government, business continuity managers prepare plans and procedures to help businesses maintain operations and minimize losses during and after an emergency.

Work Environment

Emergency management directors held about 11,800 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of emergency management directors were as follows:

Local government, excluding education and hospitals	56%
State government, excluding education and hospitals	15
Hospitals; state, local, and private	5
Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private	3
Professional, scientific, and technical services	3

Although most emergency management directors work in an office, they also typically travel to meet with various government agencies, community groups, and private companies.

During disasters and emergencies, directors often work in stressful situations.

Work Schedules

Most emergency management directors work full time. In addition, most are on call at all times and may need to work overtime to respond to emergencies and to support emergency management operations. Others may work evenings and weekends to meet with various community groups in preparing their emergency response plans.

Getting Started

Education:

59%

Bachelor's Degree

14%

Master's Degree

How to Become an Emergency Management Director

Applicants need years of work experience in law enforcement, fire safety, or an emergency management field.

Emergency management directors typically need a bachelor’s degree and many years of work experience in emergency response, disaster planning, or public administration.

Education

Emergency management directors typically need a bachelor’s degree in security and protective service, business, or emergency management. Some directors working in the private sector in business continuity management may need a degree in computer science, information systems administration, or another computer and information technology (IT) field.

Small municipalities or local governments may hire applicants whose highest level of educational attainment is a high school diploma. However, these applicants usually must have extensive work experience in emergency management if they are to be hired.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Candidates typically need many years of work experience before they can be hired as an emergency management director. Their experience usually must be with the military, law enforcement, fire safety, or in another emergency management field. Work experience in these areas enables candidates to make difficult decisions in stressful and time-sensitive situations. Such experience also prepares them to coordinate with various agencies to ensure that proper resources are used to respond to emergencies.

For more information, see the profiles on police and detectives, firefighters, police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers, and EMTs and paramedics.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Some states require directors to obtain certification within a certain timeframe after being hired in the position.

Many agencies and states offer voluntary certification programs to help emergency management directors obtain additional skills. Some employers may prefer or even require a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP), or equivalent designation. Emergency management directors can attain the CEM designation through the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM); the CBCP designation is given by the Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRI).

Certification must be renewed after a specified number of years. Both organizations require candidates to complete certain continuing education courses prior to recertification.

Job Outlook

Employment of emergency management directors is projected to grow 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 900 openings for emergency management directors are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

The importance of preparing for and minimizing the risks from emergencies will help sustain demand and employment opportunities for emergency management directors. These workers will be needed to help businesses and organizations continue to provide essential services during and after emergencies.

The outlook for public-sector employment of these managers is often related to budget constraints. Some local and state governments rely on federal financial assistance to fund their emergency management agencies. Counties may not hire full-time, stand-alone emergency management directors, choosing instead to shift the job responsibilities to the fire chief, police chief, or other government employees.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about emergency management directors and their certifications, visit

Disaster Recovery Institute International

National Emergency Management Association

International Association of Emergency Managers

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of emergency management directors.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Budget Analysts	Budget analysts help public and private organizations plan their finances.	Bachelor's degree	$82,260
EMTs and Paramedics	Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics assess injuries and illnesses, provide emergency medical care, and may transport patients to medical facilities.	Postsecondary nondegree award	$39,410
Firefighters	Firefighters control and put out fires and respond to emergencies involving life, property, or the environment.	Postsecondary nondegree award	$51,680
Management Analysts	Management analysts recommend ways to improve an organization’s efficiency.	Bachelor's degree	$95,290
Police and Detectives	Police officers protect lives and property. Detectives and criminal investigators gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes.	See How to Become One	$69,160
Project Management Specialists	Project management specialists coordinate the budget, schedule, staffing, and other details of a project.	Bachelor's degree	$95,370
Top Executives	Top executives plan strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals.	Bachelor's degree	$100,090

Emergency Management Director

What they do:

On the job, you would:

Important Qualities

Personality

Characteristics of this Career

Strengths

Values of the Work Environment

Aptitude

Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Skills | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Job Details

Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent

Tasks & Values

What Emergency Management Directors Do

Duties

Work Environment

Work Schedules

Getting Started

How to Become an Emergency Management Director

Education

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Job Outlook

Employment

Contacts for More Information

Similar Occupations