The primary goal of emergency management procedures
should be to stop disasters from happening, but if this is not possible, they should create a solid action plan to lessen their effects. Personnel with the necessary skill set is required to establish an effective plan of action for disaster management. Typically, the first line of defense against a catastrophe, whether it be natural or man-made, is an emergency management specialist (Hooper, 1999). The specialists can work in a variety of organizations and government agencies to aid in disaster preparation, assess emergency plans, and collaborate closely with many stakeholders to ensure that the demands of the impacted parties are satisfied. The Department of Interior and the State of New Mexico advertised for similar job vacancies about the emergency management specialists. This study will examine different aspects of the two opportunities for the sake of a prospective career development in the field of emergency management.
Comparative Analysis
The two opportunities create a window for career development in the field of emergency management. In the event of some of the most devastating catastrophes to ever happen on the United States soil, that is, the September 11 attack and the hurricane Katrina, the possibility of disasters striking transformed into a reality. This forced government departments and organizations to reorganize their emergency response strategies, calling for the creation of emergency management arms that were run by specialists who possessed a topnotch level of skills to enhance preparedness.
The State of New Mexico Emergency Management Specialist position
The State of New Mexico advertised for an Emergency Management Specialist post. The purpose of this position is to create an opening for an individual to serve as a Recovery Officer within the Bureau for Recovery and Response. The key role of this position is to facilitate the administration of calamity recovery grant programs for disasters and emergencies affect the state. The Supervisory Emergency Management Specialist post advertised by the Department of the Interior provides more responsibilities than those required by State of New Mexico (Supervisory Emergency Management Specialist, n.d.). These include an all-time management of the Emergency Operations Division, provision of strategic direction with respect to emergency activities programs formulation and planning efforts, coordination of Interior Operations Center undertakings, and preparation, maintenance, and update of emergency guidelines, procedures, and instructions for operations (Supervisory Emergency Management Specialist, n.d.). The bottom-line for the responsibilities of the two positions is to provide strategic leadership necessary for disaster management.
Qualifications for the Department of the Interior position
Qualifications for the Department of the Interior position calls for specialized experience for both the series and the grade being applied for. The experience may be obtained through a full year experience in Federal service or a comparable service that is not necessarily Federal (Supervisory Emergency Management Specialist, n.d.). On the other hand, the State of New Mexico pays more attention to a combination of academic qualification and experience. An individual is required to have any college or university degree that is obtained through a four-year program and at least two years of experience in emergency management and operations (Emergency Management Specialist, n.d.).
Benefits and Compensation
A career with either the federal or state government promises an employee numerous benefits. The state job has a salary range of 31,782.4 – 55,307.2 United States Dollars per year (Emergency Management Specialist, n.d.). On the other hand, the federal post offers 131,767 – 161,900 United States Dollars per year (Supervisory Emergency Management Specialist, n.d.). The State of New Mexico offers total compensation which refers to balance in the value an employee obtains from the benefits and salary offered by the employer. The Federal government provides a comprehensive benefits package which includes healthcare insurance, paid leave, and dental and vision programs (Supervisory Emergency Management Specialist, n.d.). Additionally, some of the benefits extend to a level of covering the employee’s immediate family.
Personal Preference
At a personal level, I would prefer the federal government post to that of the State of New Mexico. The Supervisory Emergency Management Specialist opening is associated with more responsibilities than the State of New Mexico. This situation would offer a chance for me to have diversified experiences as a result of handling many tasks which is vital to my career growth. The federal government job entitles one to more benefits than the state job.
Personal Experience
During the September 11 attacks, I was serving as a volunteer with Red Cross America. I was a team leader for the group that conducted rescue operations and first aid services on the victims. The magnitude of this calamity acted as an eye opener and forced us to go for more training on disaster management. This calamity gave me an opportunity to do disaster management exercises at the Emergency Management Institute under the scholarship of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). I also received training on multi-threat emergency management. These skills came into play when hurricane Katrina struck.
I was bestowed with the responsibility of administering first aid to injured victims, oversee search and rescue operations by some members of the Red Cross, and write field reports about our operations. With this experience, it is possible to make an application for the federal post that majorly relies on experience. However, my level of experience is partially limited since I mostly played an active role during the two calamities whereas the position requires extensive experience. I look forward to engaging in more volunteer programs to enhance my competency and improve the experience levels.
Conclusion
Emergency management is a field that calls for strategic specialists who can effectively devise ways to mitigate the harmful effects of a disaster. They build their ability through rigorous training and fieldwork experience.
References
Emergency Management Specialist (DHSEM #10109887). (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2017, from https://www.governmentjobs.com/jobs/1864927-0/emergency-management-specialist-dhsem-10109887
Hooper, M. K. (1999). Emergency management. New York: Dekker.
Supervisory Emergency Management Specialist. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2017, from https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/482847400#benefits
