Emergency Management Director

Also called: Civil Defense Director, Disaster Response Director, Emergency Management Coordinator, Emergency Management System Director (EMS Director), Emergency Planning and Response Manager

Emergency Management Director

Varies

estimated salary

Emergency management directors 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.

 

 

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Attend meetings, conferences, and workshops related to emergency management to learn new information and to develop working relationships with other emergency management specialists.
  • Inspect facilities and equipment, such as emergency management centers and communications equipment, to determine their operational and functional capabilities in emergency situations.
  • Propose alteration of emergency response procedures based on regulatory changes, technological changes, or knowledge gained from outcomes of previous emergency situations.
  • Develop and perform tests and evaluations of emergency management plans in accordance with state and federal regulations.
  • Keep informed of federal, state, and local regulations affecting emergency plans and ensure that plans adhere to these regulations.
  • Review emergency plans of individual organizations, such as medical facilities, to ensure their adequacy.
  • Develop instructional materials for the public and make presentations to citizens' groups to provide information on emergency plans and their implementation processes.
  • 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.
  • Study emergency plans used elsewhere to gather information for plan development.
  • Develop and implement training procedures and strategies for radiological protection, detection, and decontamination.
  • Inventory and distribute nuclear, biological, and chemical detection and contamination equipment, providing instruction in its maintenance and use.
Work Context
  • Electronic Mail — 96% responded "Every day".
  • Telephone — 84% responded "Every day".
  • Contact With Others — 72% responded "Constant contact with others".
  • Work With Work Group or Team — 63% responded "Extremely important".
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 68% responded "Every day".
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 68% responded "Every day".
  • Deal With External Customers — 52% responded "Extremely important".
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Work Activities
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside 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.
  • Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • 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.
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Knowledge

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

Complex Problem Solving
  • Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
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.
Service Orientation
  • Actively looking for ways to help people.
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Abilities

Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • SunGard Assurance Hot Technology
Office suite software
  • Microsoft Office Hot Technology
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