How to Become an Emergency Management Specialist

Emergency management specialists play a critical role in emergency preparedness and disaster response. Daily tasks might include:

Emergency management specialists are also responsible for logistics during disasters. This can involve determining how to allocate resources, tracking supply inventory and disseminating supplies as needed, and ensuring that all recovery operations run smoothly. 

These individuals need to be able to communicate effectively as they may be responsible for presenting updates to the public, government agencies, and/or law enforcement.

The exact roles an EMS may take on depend on the crisis. For example, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency management specialists were called on to plan events like vaccine distribution and deal with the demand surges in hospitals. 

Conversely, during a hurricane, EMS might be tasked with setting up shelters, communicating evacuation routes, and distributing resources to affected locations.

To become an emergency management specialist, you’ll likely need to obtain a bachelor’s degree in emergency management, homeland security, or public health. 

A bachelor’s degree can help you build core skills, such as risk assessment, emergency preparedness, disaster response planning, and crisis communication. Courses may include hazard mitigation, incident management, and emergency operations coordination.

Students who want to take their careers a step further might pursue a master’s degree, like a Master of Public Health (MPH) or a Master of Public Administration (MPA). These degrees can give students a competitive edge in the job market as they teach public health policy analysis, data-driven decision-making, and health systems. This knowledge, in turn, enables students to handle situations like complex emergencies or team leadership. 

Dual-degree programs can also be advantageous for students who want to explore even broader career paths. For example, a Master of Science (MS) degree in Emergency and Disaster Management combined with an MPH allows students to integrate public health knowledge with emergency management skills.

Once the desired education path has been completed, emergency management specialists can obtain professional certifications and licensure. Certifications are not required to become an EMS, but they help build credibility, offer training in new processes, and might lead to better overall job prospects.

Emergency management specialists have the option of obtaining the following certifications.

Aspiring emergency management specialists need to possess certain skills and competencies to perform on the job.

When a large-scale evacuation or public health crisis occurs, emergency management specialists work with various stakeholders, including first responders. They need to be able to lead thoughtfully and communicate effectively under pressure. By mastering these skills, professionals can adapt to emergencies of all magnitudes.

Due to the rising need for disaster preparedness, demand for emergency management specialists remains strong. Emergency management specialists are found in these roles, working within or alongside local and federal government agencies and power supply companies to help after a natural disaster. Annual salaries for more experienced emergency management specialists can run as high as $81,000, with specialists seeking higher paying director-level roles over time⁷. 

The BLS cites the average annual salary for emergency management directors as $93,690 in 2023⁸. Salaries can vary depending on geographic location, level of experience, and working environment. For example, they tend to be higher in states like California ($131,580), Washington ($126,200), and the District of Columbia ($167,680). 

States like Florida, Texas, and Louisiana tend to hire emergency management specialists at higher rates due to their coastal locations and propensity towards natural disasters. Because of this need, these regions tend to post more job openings that often come with higher salaries⁸.

At a Glance: Emergency Management Specialist Salary and Job Growth⁸

A career in emergency management can take a number of paths depending on the individual’s interests, goals, and desired geographic location.

The first step in this path may be as an Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. In this role, professionals get hands-on experience in emergency planning, drills, and evacuation efforts. Then, they might transition to a mid-level role as an Emergency Manager or Director of Emergency Management. 

As they proceed through their career, emergency management specialists can choose to focus on one particular area, such as hospital preparedness, continuity planning, or homeland security. They can also explore cross-disciplinary paths by venturing into epidemiology, disaster surveillance, and/or environmental risk policy. 

Eventually, emergency management specialists can advance to higher-level roles like directors. At these levels of leadership, they’ll play a greater role in shaping strategies at local, state, and even national levels. 

Some emergency management specialists decide to transition into academia, taking on roles as teachers, professors, or policy advisors. Others may choose to move into international relief and humanitarian response. 

For example, following a major natural disaster, they may be called on to work on disaster relief by assessing the needs of the affected area, coordinating with NGOs, volunteers, and local governments to facilitate aid delivery, or managing temporary shelters or camps if a large number of people are displaced.

The flexibility of this role presents a variety of professional opportunities, all of which can have a sizable impact on public safety and health on a global scale.

When you’re ready to start your career as an EMS, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, try to get as much real-world, hands-on experience as you can. Consider volunteering with local emergency services in your area or joining AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps to see what it’s like on the front lines of emergency preparedness and disaster relief. 

With this training, you’ll have a better idea of whether you want to continue pursuing a career in emergency management and, possibly, in which area you’d like to specialize.

The next step is to pursue an entry-level job or internship in emergency management. Common positions might include Emergency Planning Assistant, Safety and Security Analyst, or Emergency Management Fellow. You can also look into internships with government organizations, school districts, or nonprofits where you can gain practical experience that can potentially lead to a full-time role.

As you move through your career, lean into the power of networking. Joining professional organizations like IAEM or the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) can connect you with training opportunities and professionals in the field. Through these connections, you might find job leads, mentorship, and continuing education opportunities.

Like with most other professional fields, emergency management has organizations that offer resources, networking opportunities, professional development, and training for members. 

For emergency management, some of the leading associations include IAEM, NEMA, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute provides free, self-paced courses for emergency management specialists of all levels. 

In addition to these professional organizations, lifelong learners can also sign up for courses through Coursera, Udemy, DisasterReady.org, EdX, and the CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response program. Some of these platforms have specific test-prep courses that can help students study for their AEM or CEM exams.