Emergency Management Directors

Emergency management directors work in standard office settings. A typical workday includes meetings with colleagues; liaisons from other departments, agencies, or municipalities; consultants; and others, as well as travel to meet with representatives of various government agencies, community groups, and private companies. Directors may periodically inspect properties that are under their management.

When an emergency (e.g., civil unrest, flooding, tornado damage) occurs, their work becomes much more stressful and demanding. Directors must be able to make good decisions under high levels of pressure without sometimes having all of the information that they need. They may work 24 hours straight until the emergency situation is under control. In this type of situation, directors may work at an on-site command center or travel throughout an affected area by helicopter, boat, car, or other forms of transportation to assess damage and the needs of first responders and residents.