Day in the life
A Day in the Life of an Emergency Management Director
What emergency management directors actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
Review weather forecasts and threat briefings. From there, the day usually includes assess hazards and risks, write emergency operations plans, and coordinate with agencies and partners. Most work full-time business hours, with long, intense hours during emergencies and on-call duty.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for an emergency management director working full time.
- Review weather forecasts and threat briefings.
- Meet with fire and police leaders about an upcoming exercise.
- Update the hurricane evacuation plan.
- Write a FEMA hazard mitigation grant application.
- Present preparedness tips at a community meeting.
- Test the emergency alert system.
- Monitor a severe storm watch and brief officials.
Where emergency management directors work
Emergency managers work in offices and emergency operations centers, and travel to sites during incidents.
Hours and schedule
Most work full-time business hours, with long, intense hours during emergencies and on-call duty.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Assess hazards and risks
- Write emergency operations plans
- Coordinate with agencies and partners
- Plan and run training and exercises
- Activate and lead emergency operations centers
- Communicate with the public during emergencies
- Manage recovery and grant programs
Tools you’ll use every day
- Emergency notification systems
- GIS mapping
- WebEOC or similar platforms
- Radios
- Planning templates
- Weather monitoring tools
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Meaningful leadership work
- Variety of challenges
- Collaboration across agencies
- Strong public sector benefits
What’s hard
- Stressful emergencies
- Long hours during disasters
- Complex regulations and grants
- Requires years of experience
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I like planning for what could go wrong
- I stay calm in crises
- I work well with many agencies
- I communicate clearly
- I want to protect communities
- I have public safety or military experience
Not sure? Take the free Emergency Management Director fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Plan for responder safety in every operation
- Manage fatigue during long activations
- Use clear, accurate public messaging
- Coordinate safety with all agencies