Emergency and Disaster Management Degrees
Emergency services can be one of the most demanding careers available today; however, it can also be one of the most rewarding. A degree in Emergency and Disaster Management provides those interested in public safety with the opportunity to be at the forefront of Emergency Services. Following the devastation in New York after 9-11 as well as the Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans, the need for Emergency and Disaster Management personnel has never been higher.
Obtaining this degree prepares the student to coordinate and manage emergency personnel and volunteers in order to adequately handle the human, natural, and structural damages following a natural, man-made, terrorist, or other occurring disaster. This degree generally prepares the student for many different employment positions such as Homeland Security positions, Director of Operations positions within fire and EMS providers, county and state EMS coordinators, emergency preparedness instructions, and many others.
The need for graduates of this program is great. Sadly, natural disasters have been around since the beginning of time: earthquakes, floods, volcano’s, ice and snow storms, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornados, forest fires and many more. All of these things require someone to manage and coordinate emergency responses to minimize loss of life and property. The graduate of the Emergency and Disaster Management degree is prepared to deal with these situations professionally and methodically.
The median wage expected to be earned with this degree varies according to the area you are working, your level of education, and your experience level. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website you can expect the following median wages within the following industries:
- Local Government - $48,000
- State Government - $50,000
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - $59,000
- Community Food and Housing, Emergency and other Relief Services - $44,000
As the demand for qualified emergency and disaster personnel has risen, many accredited colleges and universities have stepped up to meet the challenge of creating degree programs that educate perspective leaders with the skill and knowledge needed to effectively and efficiently manage emergency and disaster related scenes. Some of these schools are:
- Emergency Management
