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What did it take you to become a Command member in a Emergency Service Agency?

I am a Freshman in High School doing research about careers in the Emergency Service field. I am currently a Volunteer Firefighter, and I am interested in doing more research into the Emergency Service Agencies other than firefighting.

#emergencyservices #emergencyservicecommand #lawenforcement #police #fire #dispatch

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Meighan’s Answer

Have you considered exploring the free coursework offered by FEMA's Emergency Management Institute? From FEMA's website, "The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) offers self-paced courses designed for people who have emergency management responsibilities and the general public. All are offered free-of-charge to those who qualify for enrollment."

I had to complete some of these courses for my Master's Degree coursework, and they are self-paced, offered online, and free. These courses were helpful to me as a military officer, but also are tailored to first responders, fire department personnel, police, and anyone else involved in incident or emergency response.

Developing your own study plan from these courses could help prepare you for future employment opportunities in this field, and help you learn more about what aspects of emergency management interest you the most. These courses could also be listed on your resume or college application in the future, and some even award college credits for completion.

Meighan recommends the following next steps:

View FEMA's Independent Study Program home page: https://training.fema.gov/is/
View FEMA's Independent Study Program Fact Sheet: https://training.fema.gov/is/docs/factsheet.pdf?v=20200421
View FEMA's Independent Study Program Brochure: https://training.fema.gov/is/docs/independentstudyflyer.pdf?v=20200421
Thank you comment icon Thanks! It was so long ago, the FEMA name had escaped me. I enjoyed those courses! Kim Igleheart
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Kim’s Answer

Brittain,

I am a retired Airport Police Officer. Some of the things I've seen, in no particular order:
1. good attitude. always willing to do the "it's not my job" tasks, cheerfully.
2. maintaining your knowledge at a current level, and being on the cutting edge of what's "up and coming" in the field
3. training. lots of it.
4. try to participate in disaster exercises as much as possible.
5. fast and good decision-making.
6. leadership traits. People respect you and listen to you.
7. ability to manage resources -both personnel and equipment.
8. situational awareness and creative thinking. train wreck, toxic fumes, blowing towards an uninhabited area. That's a dream. What if the wind shifts? There's a school nearby. . . or, plane crashes on the highway. Traffic Jam. How are we going to get to the crash site?
9. Ability to get along with others -within your agency, and other agencies. The problem of ego continues to plague the coordination of emergency responses. Police, fire, local, federal, all want to be "in charge." People need to be able to put egos aside.
10. Management - understanding of budgets, grant funding, and things like that.
11. Resourcefulness - ability to get things for your troops - sometimes by creative (but lawful!) means. I remember acquiring office furniture that a corporation had put out beside its dumpster. Really nice stuff!

Hopefully the department you volunteer with has made you aware of the free on-line training you can take. Thanks for volunteering!

Kim
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