Emergency Management Directors

Keep informed of activities or changes that could affect the likelihood of an emergency, as well as those that could affect response efforts and details of plan implementation.

Prepare emergency situation status reports that describe response and recovery efforts, needs, and preliminary damage assessments.

Coordinate disaster response or crisis management activities, such as ordering evacuations, opening public shelters, and implementing special needs plans and programs.

Prepare plans that outline operating procedures to be used in response to disasters or emergencies, such as hurricanes, nuclear accidents, and terrorist attacks, and in recovery from these events.

Develop and maintain liaisons with municipalities, county departments, and similar entities to facilitate plan development, response effort coordination, and exchanges of personnel and equipment.

Apply for federal funding for emergency-management-related needs and administer and report on the progress of such grants.

Design and administer emergency or disaster preparedness training courses that teach people how to effectively respond to major emergencies and disasters.

Inspect facilities and equipment, such as emergency management centers and communications equipment, to determine their operational and functional capabilities in emergency situations.

Collaborate with other officials to prepare and analyze damage assessments following disasters or emergencies.

Attend meetings, conferences, and workshops related to emergency management to learn new information and to develop working relationships with other emergency management specialists.

Consult with officials of local and area governments, schools, hospitals, and other institutions to determine their needs and capabilities in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency.

Develop and perform tests and evaluations of emergency management plans in accordance with state and federal regulations.

Propose alteration of emergency response procedures based on regulatory changes, technological changes, or knowledge gained from outcomes of previous emergency situations.

Keep informed of federal, state, and local regulations affecting emergency plans and ensure that plans adhere to these regulations.

Review emergency plans of individual organizations, such as medical facilities, to ensure their adequacy.

Develop instructional materials for the public and make presentations to citizens' groups to provide information on emergency plans and their implementation processes.

Maintain and update all resource materials associated with emergency preparedness plans.

Train local groups in the preparation of long-term plans that are compatible with federal and state plans.

Provide communities with assistance in applying for federal funding for emergency management facilities, radiological instrumentation, and other related items.

Inventory and distribute nuclear, biological, and chemical detection and contamination equipment, providing instruction in its maintenance and use.

Conduct surveys to determine the types of emergency-related needs to be addressed in disaster planning or provide technical support to others conducting such surveys.

Study emergency plans used elsewhere to gather information for plan development.

Develop and implement training procedures and strategies for radiological protection, detection, and decontamination.