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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Emergency Response Specialist

💰 $ - $

🎯 Role Definition

We are seeking an experienced Emergency Response Specialist to join our public safety and emergency management team. This role focuses on rapid on-scene response, implementation of incident command system (ICS) principles, coordination with municipal, state, and federal partners (including FEMA and local public health), and support of organizational continuity of operations (COOP). The Emergency Response Specialist will lead life safety interventions, hazardous materials containment, emergency communications, community outreach, and post-incident after-action reporting. This position emphasizes readiness through planning, training, and exercise development, and requires someone who can operate effectively under pressure while maintaining rigorous documentation and regulatory compliance.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Paramedic
  • Firefighter / Firefighter-EMT
  • Security or Safety Officer

Advancement To:

  • Emergency Response Supervisor or Team Lead
  • Emergency Management Coordinator
  • Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Manager
  • Director of Emergency Management / Safety Director

Lateral Moves:

  • Occupational Health & Safety Specialist
  • Business Continuity Planner
  • Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Serve as an on-scene Emergency Response Specialist, rapidly assessing incidents, establishing incident objectives, and implementing life-safety decisions using the Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS) best practices.
  • Lead incident command activities for multi-hazard events, including medical emergencies, hazardous materials releases, structural collapse, workplace violence, severe weather, and transportation incidents; coordinate resources and prioritize rescue and stabilization actions.
  • Conduct comprehensive hazard and vulnerability assessments, prepare risk mitigation plans, and recommend structural, procedural, and personnel changes to reduce organizational exposure and improve resilience.
  • Develop, maintain and update emergency response plans, standard operating procedures (SOPs), evacuation and sheltering protocols, and continuity of operations (COOP) plans to ensure compliance with FEMA, OSHA, NFPA, and local regulatory requirements.
  • Coordinate with external agencies (fire departments, EMS, law enforcement, public health, environmental agencies, and utility providers) to manage multi-jurisdictional responses and mutual aid agreements; act as the primary liaison during coordinated operations.
  • Operate and manage Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activations, including resource tracking, situation reporting (SitReps), operational planning, logistics requests, and briefings to senior leadership and stakeholders.
  • Provide tactical triage oversight, medical stabilization coordination, and patient movement planning during mass-casualty incidents; collaborate with medical services to ensure continuity of care and proper documentation.
  • Deploy and manage hazardous materials containment and decontamination procedures in accordance with HAZWOPER, DOT, and local HazMat protocols; ensure the safety of personnel, the public, and the environment.
  • Manage emergency communications systems, including public warning systems, mass notification platforms, two-way radio networks, and incident-specific communication plans to ensure accurate, timely messaging to employees and the community.
  • Plan, design, and deliver realistic emergency exercises, tabletop drills, functional exercises, and full-scale exercises; evaluate outcomes, capture corrective actions, and maintain an active exercise program to improve readiness.
  • Develop and conduct training programs for internal staff, contractors, and community partners on topics such as ICS, emergency response operations, CPR/AED, first aid, evacuations, and hazard recognition; maintain training records and certification tracking.
  • Maintain and coordinate emergency response equipment, vehicles, PPE, medical supplies, and specialized tools; ensure readiness through routine inspections, inventory controls, maintenance scheduling, and calibration.
  • Perform incident documentation and record-keeping, including incident action plans (IAPs), logs, chain-of-custody for evidence or hazardous samples, after-action reports (AARs), and recommendations for process improvements.
  • Implement and monitor permit and regulatory compliance programs related to emergency response, including reporting to state and federal agencies, maintaining certifications, and ensuring corrective actions for audit findings.
  • Conduct post-incident investigations and after-action reviews to identify root causes, lessons learned, and opportunities for process, training, and equipment improvements; present findings and recommended mitigations to leadership.

Secondary Functions

  • Maintain and update GIS maps, critical infrastructure databases, asset inventories, and resource staging plans used to inform response operations and situational awareness.
  • Support business continuity planning by identifying mission-critical operations, recovery time objectives, alternate facilities, and personnel cross-training needs to minimize downtime after disruptive incidents.
  • Assist in public information and crisis communications, drafting press releases, holding media briefings, and coordinating joint information center (JIC) activities in partnership with communications and public affairs teams.
  • Provide crisis intervention and debriefing support to affected staff and responders, coordinating with organizational Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and mental health partners to address responder stress and trauma.
  • Test, maintain, and document emergency notification systems, sirens, mass notification apps, and pager systems; coordinate scheduled tests and troubleshoot outages to ensure reliable alerting capabilities.
  • Support logistics operations including procurement of emergency supplies, vendor management, mutual aid resource requests, and tracking of incoming/outgoing equipment during prolonged incidents.
  • Maintain relationships with community partners and stakeholders through outreach, public education programs, and collaborative planning sessions to build community resilience and increase awareness of emergency procedures.
  • Perform regular safety inspections and hazard identification surveys of facilities, worksites, and field locations; generate remediation plans and track completion of corrective actions.
  • Assist with grant writing and administration for emergency preparedness funding, evaluating program needs, preparing budget justifications, and ensuring compliance with grant deliverables.
  • Provide administrative support for the emergency management program, including scheduling meetings, maintaining training logs, updating policy manuals, and compiling data for monthly and annual readiness reports.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Incident Command System (ICS) proficiency — ICS-100/200/300/400 level experience and practical application in field responses and EOC activations.
  • National Incident Management System (NIMS) knowledge and demonstrated ability to integrate NIMS principles in multi-agency operations and mutual aid responses.
  • Certified in CPR/AED, Basic First Aid; experience or certification as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Paramedic preferred.
  • HAZWOPER and Hazardous Materials operations experience (24/40-hour training) with ability to assess, contain, and decontaminate HazMat incidents safely.
  • Proficient with emergency management software and tools, including mass notification systems (e.g., Everbridge, CodeRED), CAD systems, Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD), and resource tracking platforms.
  • Experience operating and maintaining two-way radio systems, interoperable communications, and radio frequency (RF) planning for incident communications.
  • Strong technical writing skills for producing Incident Action Plans (IAPs), After-Action Reports, SitReps, SOPs, and regulatory submissions.
  • GIS and mapping competency to support situational awareness, evacuation route planning, and critical infrastructure analysis.
  • Familiarity with FEMA grant programs, emergency preparedness funding cycles, and requirements for financial and performance reporting.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and collaboration platforms (SharePoint, Teams, Google Workspace) for planning and reporting.
  • Knowledge of OSHA standards, NFPA 1600, and relevant local environmental and public health regulations related to emergency response.

Soft Skills

  • Calm, decisive leadership under pressure with the ability to prioritize tasks and make rapid safety-critical decisions during high-stress incidents.
  • Clear and concise communicator capable of briefing executives, leading multi-agency meetings, and delivering public safety messaging to diverse audiences.
  • Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills to adapt plans on-scene, manage resource constraints, and troubleshoot complex operational challenges.
  • Team-oriented collaborator who can build partnerships across agencies, vendors, and community stakeholders to achieve coordinated response outcomes.
  • Empathy and resilience to support impacted individuals, team members, and communities during and after traumatic events.
  • Detail-oriented and organized, with an emphasis on accurate documentation, procedural compliance, and effective follow-through of action items.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent plus relevant professional certifications (e.g., CPR/AED, HAZWOPER, ICS courses). Candidates with substantial field experience will also be considered.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management, Homeland Security, Public Safety, Fire Science, Public Health, Environmental Science, or closely related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Emergency Management / Homeland Security
  • Fire Science / Fire Protection Engineering
  • Public Health / Emergency Medical Services
  • Environmental Health & Safety
  • Criminal Justice / Public Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2–5 years of progressive experience in emergency response, emergency management, fire service, EMS, HazMat response, or a related public safety role.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of hands-on emergency response experience with demonstrated leadership in ICS/NIMS roles, EOC operations, or coordination of multi-agency responses. Experience with urban search and rescue (USAR), mass-casualty incidents, or industrial emergency response is a plus.
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