If you are interested in the emergency management field, you may be wondering what kind of careers are available for someone who has just obtained their relevant bachelor’s degree. One great thing to keep in mind is that there is a decent amount of flexibility with what you can do with your degree, including these five career fields below.
Resource: Top 10 Emergency Management Bachelor’s Degrees Online 2016-2017
Emergency Dispatcher
An emergency dispatcher is the person who fields emergency calls and dispatches ambulances, fire trucks, and police to the closest locations of an active situation. They attempt to get first responders to the scene as quickly as possible. You will typically work very closely with emergency personnel as well. This is a great role for someone who doesn’t want to play a direct role in emergency situations. Many people in this role find it difficult to do in the long-term, however. This career is often used as a stepping stone to gain experience and move on to a higher tiered position.
Emergency Planner
An emergency planner is typically hired as a consultant to companies, schools, etc. to think through possible emergency situations that could arise, and what the appropriate response to each situation should be. Business and schools are typically required to have such a plan to ensure the safety of the people within a building. Emergency situations that may need planned out could be a fire, hurricane, tornado, or shooter situation. Sometimes, the emergency planner will even come up with a disaster recovery plan, which is what to do after the emergency situation has occurred–such as how long to wait to re-enter a building to search for survivors after an earthquake.
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
EMT positions are one of the most popular position for people with emergency management degrees. It is a very high-stress position, as you are typically right in the thick of the action which can result in very serious circumstances, but many people find the work to be extremely rewarding. EMTs are typically dispatched by emergency responders or hospitals, and respond to people that are injured. They may respond to heart attacks, car accidents, shootings, etc. Many of the jobs day to day are found to be challenging and require a high amount of concentration.
Security Officer
A security officer, also known as a security guard, is someone who patrols an area, reviews security footage, and inspects property. They can be hired on by one specific company, or recruited by a firm that sends them out to companies currently in need. They are there to help prevent and protect against fire, theft, and vandalism. They want to prevent illegal activities at any cost. In extreme cases, they are there to prevent terrorist activities. In addition to monitoring buildings and properties, they also monitor people at times. In the event that suspicious activity occurs, they may interview witnesses for court testimony or detain criminal violators.
Public Safety Officer
While a public safety officer does not have the same amount of authority as a police officer, they tend to have very similar roles. A public safety officer is typically hired by universities to patrol areas of campus and monitor safety reports through telephone and radio. When university students have issues, both legal and otherwise, they will first go through the public safety officers. Some common problems these officers can deal with are disorderliness, underage drinking, sexual assault, and property damage.
This guide is intended to give you an overview of different career fields that a bachelor’s in emergency management could prepare you for. While there are other areas that people with this degree can find employment, these are some of the most common and popular.