How much does a emergency director make?

In the U.S., pay varies by location and employer type, and years of experience or a certification can help someone qualify for certain jobs. BLS wage data differ across industries, and some employers prefer professional certifications.

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.

What's a typical day like?

They update disaster plans, meet with police, firefighters, hospitals, and community groups, and run practice drills. During a real emergency, they may work from a command center, coordinating evacuations or opening shelters.

In the U.S., earn a bachelor’s degree in emergency management or a related field, then gain years of disaster-response work; it’s a later-career job. Some states require certification; IAEM’s optional CEM needs experience and an exam.

Usually a bachelor's degree (preparation level 4 of 5)

Good for people who like leading and selling and keeping things organized.

An emergency plan may need routes and trailers for horses, goats, or pigs—not just people and pets.