Typically, those seeking a bachelor’s degree in disaster and emergency management, as well as related areas, are interested in a career in both the emergency management and public safety sectors. The skills implemented in these careers are needed for a variety of fields, such as in government, business, and academia.
While participating in these types of programs, students are more likely to encounter courses that focus on hazardous materials, terrorism, border or coastal security, explosives, and quarantine. Other specific courses will generally include Public Policy, Emergency Planning, Natural Disaster Management, and Disaster Psychology.
With this degree, graduates should be prepared for a variety of jobs in the emergency management sector. Some of these positions include an emergency management specialist, homeland security officer, emergency medical technician (EMT), hospital emergency preparedness manager, and emergency dispatcher. Those who do not immediately work with emergencies on a daily basis, such as EMTs or emergency dispatchers, are generally involved in prevention and preparedness planning.
Having a team of capable people on multiple fronts is paramount. In the case of a large-scale emergency, such as the event that took place on September 11, 2011, responders need to get to an area as quickly as possible. While the emergency services send victims to hospitals and continue to search for survivors, medical institutions receive patients and provide appropriate care. Sometimes this may involve just a few people, while other times a hospital may see hundreds of patients at a time.
Students who choose to pursue a career as a hospital emergency preparedness administrator will enter courses that are more administrative in nature. However, these students must also be well versed in all emergency situations. Students must also have developed planning skills, as you must prepare for all kinds of situations: hazardous waste, chemicals, explosions, and many other acts of terrorism.
A bachelor’s degree is typically required for these positions, along with additional training designed to prepare students for these roles. Students who choose to pursue the career of an emergency management specialist will also assume the role of teacher. Your job will be to prepare and train others for emergency responder roles. As with a hospital emergency preparedness manager, students will also need to have the skills to communicate and plan with others for disaster response.
Many of these positions also value prior experience before entering a full career. For example, if students are looking to go into the medical field, as an EMT, a certain number of hours traveling alongside EMT professionals is usually required to complete a bachelor’s degree program.