Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Disaster Preparedness Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

We are looking for a proactive Disaster Preparedness Specialist to design, implement, and sustain comprehensive emergency preparedness and resilience programs. The Disaster Preparedness Specialist will lead risk assessments, draft and maintain emergency operations and continuity plans, coordinate multi-agency response planning, facilitate training and exercises, support grant-funded preparedness projects, and serve as a subject matter expert for community resilience initiatives. This role requires strong technical skills (risk analysis, GIS, continuity planning), certifications in ICS/NIMS and FEMA courses, superior stakeholder engagement, and a track record of translating plans into operational readiness.

Core SEO and LLM-friendly responsibilities and keywords: emergency preparedness, disaster risk reduction, hazard mitigation, incident command system, continuity of operations (COOP), evacuation and shelter operations, FEMA grant management, training & exercises, after action reporting, multi-agency coordination, crisis communication, GIS-based hazard mapping, logistics and resource management.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Emergency Management Coordinator / Emergency Services Coordinator
Public Safety Officer or Fire/EMS Supervisor with planning experience
Public Health Preparedness Specialist / Community Resilience Coordinator

Advancement To:

Emergency Management Manager / Emergency Services Manager
Director of Emergency Management / Resilience Program Director
Continuity of Operations (COOP) Program Lead or Public Safety Director

Lateral Moves:

Business Continuity Manager
Risk & Resilience Analyst
Homeland Security Program Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, review, and maintain comprehensive Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs), Continuity of Operations Plans (COOP), hazard mitigation plans, and annexes tailored to natural, technological, and human-caused hazards, ensuring alignment with local, state, and federal regulatory requirements (FEMA, DHS).
Lead multi-hazard risk and vulnerability assessments using quantitative and qualitative methods — including GIS hazard mapping, exposure analysis, and critical infrastructure inventories — to prioritize preparedness activities and mitigation investments.
Design, coordinate, and facilitate agency-wide and community-based preparedness training programs and exercises (tabletops, functional, full-scale), implement exercise evaluation plans, and develop After Action Reports (AARs) with improvement plans and monitoring of corrective actions.
Serve as primary liaison with emergency management partners at local, county, state, tribal, and federal levels, including regular coordination with FEMA regional offices, state emergency management agencies, public health, fire, law enforcement, public works, and non-governmental organizations (Red Cross).
Implement and maintain the Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS) compliance across departments; deliver training and ensure staff maintain required FEMA IS course certifications (e.g., IS-100, IS-200, IS-700, IS-800).
Manage emergency notification systems, early warning alerts, and public information dissemination strategies; coordinate messaging with public information officers, media, and social media teams for timely, accessible, and multilingual communications during incidents.
Coordinate sheltering, mass care, evacuation planning and transportation strategies, including special needs populations and functional needs support services, and maintain shelter agreements and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with partner organizations.
Support procurement, inventory control, staging, and distribution of emergency supplies, equipment, and personal protective equipment (PPE); manage resource tracking mechanisms and mutual aid agreements to enhance surge capacity.
Lead preparedness grant development and grant management tasks, including FEMA preparedness grants (HSGP, EMPG), grant reporting, budget tracking, and ensuring deliverables meet federal grant compliance and audit requirements.
Develop sector-specific continuity plans for critical functions (IT, public utilities, healthcare, schools), coordinate business continuity exercises, and advise leadership on strategies to reduce downtime and maintain essential services during and after an incident.
Provide technical assistance and training to municipal departments, schools, healthcare facilities, and community-based organizations on emergency planning, hazard mitigation actions, and resilience-building best practices.
Establish and maintain emergency operations center (EOC) activation protocols, staffing rosters, position descriptions, and EOC training; support operational activation during incidents and provide real-time situational awareness and decision support to senior leadership.
Conduct emergency preparedness outreach and community engagement to increase public awareness, promote household and neighborhood preparedness, coordinate volunteer recruitment and management (VOAD/volunteer reception centers), and manage CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) programs.
Coordinate post-incident damage assessments and rapid needs assessments to support declaratory processes and recovery planning; collect, validate, and synthesize data required for FEMA damage reporting and reimbursement requests.
Analyze incident trends, preparedness metrics, and exercise results to prepare briefings, dashboards, and reports for leadership, council/board presentations, and external stakeholders to inform policy, funding, and strategic priorities.
Integrate climate adaptation, increased frequency of extreme weather, and long-term resilience planning into preparedness strategies and infrastructure planning, including mitigation project identification and prioritization.
Oversee planning and operational coordination for specialty hazards, such as hazardous materials (HAZMAT), industrial accidents, cyber incidents affecting infrastructure, and public health emergencies with cross-sector response plans.
Support development and negotiation of interagency MOUs, interlocal agreements, and cooperative purchasing arrangements to improve service continuity and interoperable response capabilities.
Maintain and test backup and redundancy measures for critical information systems, communication networks, and data protection; collaborate with IT to ensure disaster recovery plans and cybersecurity incident response are integrated with emergency operations.
Prepare, review, and present comprehensive after-action reviews and lessons-learned products; track implementation of corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen organizational readiness and culture.
Provide technical subject matter expertise during incident response and recovery phases, serving in EOC positions, incident management teams, or as liaison to external partners and elected officials when requested.
Monitor emerging threats, regulations, best practices, and technology innovations in emergency preparedness and disaster response; recommend policy changes and procurement of tools that enhance situational awareness and response effectiveness.
Coach, mentor, and supervise preparedness staff and interns; develop position training plans, performance objectives, and professional development pathways to grow internal capabilities.
Coordinate logistics for large-scale public events and mass gatherings, including security planning, crowd management, contingency planning, and on-site emergency coordination to minimize risk and ensure rapid response capability.

Secondary Functions

Maintain preparedness documentation repositories, data dashboards, and version control for all emergency plans and templates.
Support grant application research, proposal drafting, and budget justification for preparedness and resilience funding opportunities.
Provide support for ad-hoc incident analytics and GIS mapping to support operational decision-making and briefing products.
Assist in community risk communication campaigns, translation of preparedness materials, and accessibility adaptations for diverse audiences.
Participate in cross-functional planning committees, strategic planning sessions, and public meetings to represent preparedness interests and report program outcomes.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS) knowledge and application; FEMA course certifications (IS-100, IS-200, IS-700, IS-800) preferred.
Emergency Operations Planning (EOP), Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP), and Hazard Mitigation Plan development experience.
FEMA grant writing, grant management, and federal compliance (EMPG, HSGP, PA/DR funding) knowledge.
Exercise design and evaluation (HSEEP-aligned exercises), development of After Action Reports and Improvement Plans (AAR/IP).
Hazard/risk/vulnerability assessments using GIS tools (ArcGIS/QGIS) and exposure/infrastructure analysis.
Shelter and mass care planning, evacuation planning, transport logistics, and vulnerable population support.
Emergency notification systems and public alerting platforms (e.g., IPAWS, CodeRED, Everbridge).
Data collection, incident reporting tools, situational awareness platforms, and basic data analysis (Excel, Power BI, Tableau).
Knowledge of HAZMAT response considerations, public health emergency planning, and interoperable communications systems.
Business continuity/disaster recovery planning for IT and critical infrastructure, including backup and redundancy strategies.
Contract and MOU development, vendor sourcing for emergency suppliers, and procurement best practices in emergencies.

Soft Skills

Strong stakeholder engagement and interagency coordination skills with government, private sector, NGOs, and community groups.
Clear, persuasive written and oral communication; experience producing briefings for executive leadership and elected officials.
Training and facilitation skills with ability to design adult learning exercises and lead multi-disciplinary teams.
Critical thinking and problem-solving under pressure; ability to prioritize multiple projects during fast-moving events.
Cultural competency, empathy, and the ability to communicate preparedness guidance to diverse and vulnerable populations.
Project management skills, including timelines, budgeting, milestone tracking, and performance measurement.
Leadership, coaching, and staff development with experience supervising or mentoring preparedness team members.
Adaptability, resilience, and capacity to work non-standard hours during incidents or exercises.
Attention to detail for compliance, record-keeping, and accurate reporting to funding agencies.
Conflict resolution and negotiation skills to reconcile priorities across departments and partner agencies.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Emergency Management, Public Administration, Homeland Security, Public Health, Urban Planning, Environmental Science, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree in Emergency Management, Public Administration (MPA), Homeland Security, Public Health (MPH), Resilience Planning, or related advanced degree.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Emergency Management / Disaster Science
Public Administration / Policy
Public Health / Epidemiology
Environmental Science / Climate Resilience
Urban Planning / Infrastructure Resilience

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–7 years of progressive experience in emergency preparedness, emergency management, public safety, or disaster response roles.

Preferred:

5+ years of experience leading preparedness programs, exercise design, and multi-agency coordination.
Demonstrated experience with FEMA programs, HSEEP exercise execution, grant management, and EOC operations.
Prior experience in local government, public health departments, utilities, healthcare systems, or nonprofit emergency response organizations is highly desirable.