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.

What you'd actually do

• 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.
• Prepare emergency situation status reports that describe response and recovery efforts, needs, and preliminary damage assessments.
• Maintain and update all resource materials associated with emergency preparedness plans.
• 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.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the work happens outdoors. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0% of emergency management directors are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are take-charge, organized and detail-focused and analytical.

Related careers

• Education Administrators, All Other
• Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
• Education Administrators, Postsecondary
• General and Operations Managers
• Social and Community Service Managers
• Facilities Managers

Quick questions

How much does a emergency management director make?

The median pay is $44.87 per hour — roughly $93,500 a year, with the real range running from about $26.06/hr (10th percentile) to $80.02/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a emergency management director?

The typical entry-level education is: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation level: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).

What does a emergency management director actually do all day?

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.