Life As an Emergency Management Director

Example of Emergency Management Director Job 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.

List of Emergency Management Director Job Duties

• Coordinate disaster response or crisis management activities, such as ordering evacuations, opening public shelters, and implementing special needs plans and programs.
• Inspect facilities and equipment, such as emergency management centers and communications equipment, to determine their operational and functional capabilities in emergency situations.
• Study emergency plans used elsewhere to gather information for plan development.
• 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.
• Review emergency plans of individual organizations, such as medical facilities, to ensure their adequacy.
• Attend meetings, conferences, and workshops related to emergency management to learn new information and to develop working relationships with other emergency management specialists.

Qualities of an Emergency Management Director

Emergency Management Directors state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

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.

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.

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

Other Emergency Management Director Job Titles

• Homeland Security Program Specialist
• Emergency Management System Director (EMS Director)
• Civil Preparedness Officer
• Disaster Recovery Specialist
• Emergency Management Coordinator

Emergency Management Director Employment Estimates

In the United States, there were 10,100 jobs for Emergency Management Director in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 800 new jobs for Emergency Management Director by 2026. There will be an estimated 900 positions for Emergency Management Director per year.

The states with the most job growth for Emergency Management Director are Arizona, Utah, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in New Jersey, Wyoming, or Wisconsin. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

How Much Does an Emergency Management Director Make?

The average yearly salary of an Emergency Management Director ranges between $40,460 and $141,130.

Emergency Management Directors who work in District of Columbia, California, or Washington, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Emergency Management Directors in different U.S. states.

State	Annual Mean Salary
Alabama	$69,060
Alaska	$85,120
Arkansas	$47,680
California	$118,320
Colorado	$87,060
Connecticut	$91,120
District of Columbia	$119,820
Florida	$83,580
Georgia	$73,090
Hawaii	$81,660
Idaho	$86,000
Illinois	$81,830
Indiana	$52,810
Iowa	$69,300
Kansas	$55,780
Kentucky	$50,490
Louisiana	$83,610
Maine	$57,200
Maryland	$104,770
Massachusetts	$92,480
Michigan	$72,500
Minnesota	$84,990
Mississippi	$51,200
Missouri	$63,690
Montana	$52,740
Nebraska	$60,330
New Hampshire	$63,780
New Jersey	$93,410
New Mexico	$95,580
New York	$99,960
North Carolina	$74,600
North Dakota	$69,480
Ohio	$75,530
Oklahoma	$53,660
Oregon	$81,460
Pennsylvania	$69,850
Rhode Island	$86,710
South Carolina	$65,130
South Dakota	$49,760
Tennessee	$87,350
Texas	$89,810
Utah	$60,820
Vermont	$82,210
Virginia	$89,580
Washington	$113,860
West Virginia	$73,390
Wisconsin	$74,140
Wyoming	$57,810

What Tools & Technology do Emergency Management Directors Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Emergency Management Directors may use on a daily basis:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Web browser software
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Geographic information system GIS software
• Graphics software
• Statistical software
• McAfee
• IBM Lotus Notes
• Desktop publishing software
• Relational database software
• ESRI ArcGIS software
• MapInfo Professional
• SunGard Assurance

How to Become an Emergency Management Director

Education needed to be an Emergency Management Director:

What work experience do I need to become an Emergency Management Director?

Who Employs Emergency Management Directors?

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Those interested in being an Emergency Management Director may also be interested in:

• First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators
• Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors

References:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• College Factual
• O*NET Online

Image Credit: Staff Sgt. Christopher Hubenthal via Public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.