What Do Emergency Managers Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for emergency managers?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what emergency managers do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Emergency Managers Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about emergency managers by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Emergency Managers 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.
Popular Job Titles For Emergency Managers
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Directors of Emergency Services
- Emergency Management Specialists
- Emergency Managers
- Emergency Management Coordinators
- Emergency Services Managers
- Emergency Response Managers
- Emergency Preparedness Managers
- Emergency Preparedness Coordinators
- Emergency Management Directors
- Emergency Preparedness Specialists
- Emergency Response Teams
- Emergency Response Specialists
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for emergency managers can be found.
Best Industries for Emergency Managers
Emergency Managers Jobs By Industry
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 52.2%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 15.1%
- Federal Government, Military: 12.3%
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: 3.3%
- Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services: 2.3%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 2%
- Other: 12.8%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of emergency managers can be found working in the Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals sector. In 2023, about 52.2% of all jobs for emergency managers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (15.1%), Federal Government, Military (12.3%), General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (3.3%), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (2.3%) and Education and Hospitals (State Government) (2%).
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Degree Options for Emergency Managers
Launch an exciting career as a police officer, corrections officer, or investigator by learning the ins and outs of the U.S. criminal justice system and all its interconnected components, including law enforcement, corrections, and the courts.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Maintain social order and earn credentials for a leadership role in police, corrections, security, or court administration.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Acquire specialized knowledge while developing a holistic view of the criminal justice system.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 6
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Tackle critical issues facing individuals and communities with advanced leadership and management skills ideally suited for a complex criminal justice system.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Earn your master's degree online and earn real-world skills to advance your career within public service.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Earn a 14-month online Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a Specialization in Healthcare and gain interdisciplinary communication and decision-making skills alongside specialized knowledge on healthcare policies, operations and analytics.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Earn your Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a Specialization in Human Resources and build the leadership skills to advance a government or public service agency alongside an emphasis on strategic HR best practices.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Do Emergency Managers Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what emergency managers do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work emergency managers do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that emergency managers tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for emergency managers, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Emergency Managers
Based on 9,155 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Emergency Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Management | 4,117 | 45% |
| Emergency Response | 3,190 | 35% |
| Emergency Preparedness | 2,506 | 27% |
| Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) | 1,497 | 16% |
| Incident Command Systems | 1,439 | 16% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Emergency Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Operations | 4,291 | 47% |
| Communication | 4,264 | 47% |
| Management | 4,111 | 45% |
| Planning | 3,449 | 38% |
| Leadership | 3,361 | 37% |
Based on 9,155 job postings related to emergency managers, emergency management was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 45% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for emergency response, emergency preparedness, federal emergency management agency (fema), incident command systems and project management were also highly sought.
As for common skills, operations was the most desired skill found in job postings for emergency managers, followed by communication, management, planning, leadership and coordinating.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Management | 4,117 | 45% |
| Emergency Response | 3,190 | 35% |
| Emergency Preparedness | 2,506 | 27% |
| Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) | 1,497 | 16% |
| Incident Command Systems | 1,439 | 16% |
| Project Management | 1,434 | 16% |
| National Incident Management Systems | 1,274 | 14% |
| Nursing | 1,167 | 13% |
| Emergency Departments | 907 | 10% |
| Public Administration | 852 | 9% |
| Law Enforcement | 751 | 8% |
| Crisis Management | 676 | 7% |
| Disaster Response | 665 | 7% |
| Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) | 624 | 7% |
| Disaster Recovery | 615 | 7% |
| Emergency Medical Services | 608 | 7% |
| Disaster Preparedness | 561 | 6% |
| Risk Analysis | 559 | 6% |
| Mental Health | 558 | 6% |
| Emergency Response Planning | 553 | 6% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Operations | 4,291 | 47% |
| Communication | 4,264 | 47% |
| Management | 4,111 | 45% |
| Planning | 3,449 | 38% |
| Leadership | 3,361 | 37% |
| Coordinating | 2,977 | 33% |
| Preparedness | 2,127 | 23% |
| Writing | 1,526 | 17% |
| Customer Service | 1,323 | 14% |
| Presentations | 1,161 | 13% |
| Problem Solving | 1,092 | 12% |
| Microsoft Office | 1,058 | 12% |
| Research | 1,000 | 11% |
| Microsoft Excel | 976 | 11% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 840 | 9% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 827 | 9% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 770 | 8% |
| Business Administration | 734 | 8% |
| Decision Making | 729 | 8% |
| Program Management | 696 | 8% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Emergency Managers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Directors of Emergency Services | 3,618 | 29% |
| Emergency Management Specialists | 1,757 | 14.1% |
| Emergency Managers | 833 | 6.7% |
| Emergency Management Coordinators | 653 | 5.2% |
| Emergency Services Managers | 576 | 4.6% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was directors of emergency services, with 975 unique job postings. Emergency management specialists were second, with 374 postings, followed by emergency managers, emergency management coordinators and emergency services managers.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to emergency managers.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Directors of Emergency Services | 3,618 | 29% |
| Emergency Management Specialists | 1,757 | 14.1% |
| Emergency Managers | 833 | 6.7% |
| Emergency Management Coordinators | 653 | 5.2% |
| Emergency Services Managers | 576 | 4.6% |
| Emergency Response Managers | 856 | 6.9% |
| Emergency Preparedness Managers | 570 | 4.6% |
| Emergency Preparedness Coordinators | 440 | 3.5% |
| Emergency Management Directors | 300 | 2.4% |
| Emergency Preparedness Specialists | 356 | 2.9% |
| Emergency Response Teams | 422 | 3.4% |
| Emergency Response Specialists | 314 | 2.5% |
| Emergency Management Planners | 340 | 2.7% |
| Emergency Management Analysts | 196 | 1.6% |
| Supervisory Emergency Management Specialists | 294 | 2.4% |
| Emergency Response Coordinators | 243 | 1.9% |
| Emergency Coordinators | 199 | 1.6% |
| Emergency Management Program Managers | 211 | 1.7% |
| Management Coordinators | 103 | 0.8% |
| Crisis Managers | 208 | 1.7% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for emergency managers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for emergency managers.
How much do emergency managers make?
Emergency Managers: How do you become one?
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