Working in Emergency Management

Earlier this week, a fairly significant earthquake hit Virginia and was felt along the East Coast. Luckily, there were few lasting problems, but today, as I’m writing this post, the Eastern United States is preparing for yet another natural disaster as Hurricane Irene heads up the coast. Disasters aren’t limited to this part of the country, though. Communities around the world deal with fires, tornadoes, blizzards, and more, and workers are needed in emergency management to help keep everyone as safe as possible. Let’s take a look at some of the job opportunities in this field:

• Federal Emergency Management

Whenever a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or other major issue occurs, the government takes control of the situation to organize helpers and put a response plan into action. FEMA jobs include training specialists, community planners, education officers, and more, and in all of these positions, there’s the potential to earn a six-figure salary. Finding FEMA jobs is as easy as checking out the open positions at their website; keep in mind that for some of these positions, you need clearances or special education.

• Nonprofit Emergency Response

Nonprofit organizations, especially those in the healthcare field, often have emergency response positions open for workers who want to be in the field, helping people. There are positions for doctors and nurses, which require licensing in your state, as well as positions for organizers and EMTs. Some emergency responders from nonprofit organizations, especially with national groups like the Red Cross are the first who go into an affected area to provide care, so to work in this kind of position you have to be calm and collected, even in stressful conditions.

• Firefighter

Earthquakes are common in certain areas, while floods are common in other areas and so forth. However, no matter where you live, fires are a risk. Working as a firefighter means that you’ll be a first responder when a resident or business catches fire, and you may also help with wildfires, fires at the scenes of accidents, or other areas where fire is a risk. Some communities have volunteer departments, but in most large towns and cities, the fire department is government funded, so you can find a paying position. Some locations, such as power plants, also have firefighters on staff.

Emergency management doesn’t always put you at risk, but this can occasionally be the case, especially if you are a first responder. Interested in the thrill of a dangerous career? Check out the JobMonkey guide to dangerous jobs.