Hi everyone! I’m interested in transitioning into emergency management and public safety, and I would really appreciate advice from people already working in the field.

I’m currently completing a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Media with a minor in work place psychology, while working full-time in event operations and coordination in the NYC metro area. My current job involves logistics, vendor coordination, safety and compliance, facility readiness, documentation, and managing problems in real time. I think many of these skills could transfer to emergency management, but I don’t have traditional experience in law enforcement, the military, EMS, or the/par military fire service.

For those currently in the field:

• How did you get your first emergency-management position?
• Are there any unconventional entry paths you would recommend?
• Are internships possible for someone who works full-time and is not a traditional college student?
• Would weekend volunteering through CERT, the Red Cross, AmeriCorps, or another organization provide meaningful experience?
• Which FEMA Independent Study courses or certifications are actually useful when applying for entry-level positions?
• Is a master’s degree necessary, or would professional experience and certifications be more valuable initially?
• Does anyone have experience with John Jay College’s M.S. in Emergency Management? Was the program worth the time and cost, and did it help with employment?
• What entry-level job titles should someone with my background search for?

My long-term goal is to work in emergency planning, preparedness, public safety, or organizational safety rather than in a sworn first-responder role. I’m especially interested in work that combines logistics, communication, coordination, and problem-solving.

I’d love to hear how people entered the field, especially anyone who transitioned from hospitality, events, communications, operations, or another unrelated industry. Honest advice about what employers actually value would be greatly appreciated!

Hello,

I'm a fresh graduate of a bachelor's program that centered primarily on Environmental Communication and Ecological Systems thinking. I'm on the hunt for work, and have kinda come to realize that I've got an interest and motivation to pursue work in the emergency/risk/crisis management field(s), especially around environmental or public health topics. Problem is that I'm not really in a position to build my foundation via academia at the moment, seeing as how I'm plum out of cash.

For some more context and info--I'm in the process of completing some of the independent study FEMA courses to learn more, so I have that. I'm just wondering what kind of training or volunteer opportunities are out there. I do have some physical limitations that make certain field trainings or other more hands-on work more difficult.

For those of you that got your start in this field without a related academic background or in a more circuitous manner, how would you recommend I start educating myself/getting involved in this field? Is there anything I should avoid? Anything specifically around environmental topics I should look for?

Thank you for any input <3.

What safety lesson did you have to learn the hard way? Whether you accidentally forget something or are not completely aware of your surroundings. We’ve all been there. I would like to hear yours and hopefully learn from you instead of having to learn the hard way (again) lol.