The Emergency Management Agency of Providence, Rhode Island is the first in the nation to earn accreditation by the national Emergency Management Accreditation Program. The Providence Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) met all 63 of the program’s standards of excellence and therefore achieved this honor. Some of the activities that PEMA performed over a five-year period to earn this accreditation include 42 emergency response drills, training of 200 volunteers, eight full-scale exercises, and adding to the Providence area surveillance cameras (at the Port of Providence), chemical detectors and new sirens. PEMA prides itself on its good working relationship with state, local and federal agencies, which is an important facet of a successful emergency management agency at any level.
Although not all emergency management agencies do so, PEMA integrates emergency management and homeland security into one agency. Its “Ready Providence” campaign helps to educate city residents of all ages on how to prepare and respond to emergencies. Fifth grade students in Providence were trained in response to emergency scenarios. PEMA also helps Providence residents to make emergency plans and stay informed in the event of an emergency. Those who obtain emergency management training, certification or even a degree should be well prepared to hold emergency management jobs in Providence, Rhode Island.
Emergency Management Education in Providence
Emergency management education in Providence, Rhode Island may be available at many levels. Some emergency management training, such as that offered by the national Emergency Management Association Program, is offered to those who already hold emergency management jobs in Providence. The State of Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency also offers training to communities throughout the state in improving their existing emergency management services.
For those who are not already working in emergency management but desire a career in emergency management in Providence, obtaining a degree or certification increases the chances of employment. Degrees and certificates at the undergraduate and graduate levels, depending upon one’s current level of education, are available. In the Providence area and online, emergency management certificates and applicable degrees include:
- Rhode Island Association of Emergency Managers Professional Certification Program, where certification is available at various levels
- Basic level certification classes, totaling 300 hours of training, include:
- Emergency management orientation
- Household hazardous materials
- Points of distribution
- Introduction to incident command
- Emergency response to terrorism
- Are you ready – an in-depth guide to citizen preparedness
- Intermediate certification classes, which total 650 hours of training, include:
- Principles of emergency management
- Exercise design
- Leadership and influence
- Emergency Planning
- Resource Management
- Multiagency Coordination System
- Advanced level certification, which totals 1000 hours of training, includes:
- Decision making and problem solving
- Developing and managing volunteers
- Introduction to Mitigation
- Introduction to the Public Assistance Process
- Anticipating Hazardous Weather and Community Risk
- Basic level certification classes, totaling 300 hours of training, include:
- Other certificates and degrees available in Providence and online that apply to emergency management careers include:
- Certificate in Emergency Management and/or Homeland Security
- Associate of Science or Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Technology
- Master of Science in Homeland Security and Emergency Management
- Graduate certificate in Cybersecurity and Intelligence
Employers of Emergency Management Professionals in Providence
Careers in emergency management in Providence, Rhode Island may be available through the government or private sector companies and agencies. They include:
- Providence Emergency Management Agency –career titles here could include Director, Regional Catastrophic Planner, Mitigation Coordinator, Preparedness Coordinator, Recovery Coordinator and Response Coordinator
- State of Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency in Cranston (three miles from Providence) – career titles here could include Program Manager, Director and Coordinator
- Textron, Inc., a Fortune 500 multi-industry company in Providence with five government contracts– career titles here could include Project Manager, Systems Engineer, Test Specialist, and Information Technology Security Analyst
- Lighthouse Computer Services in Lincoln (six miles from Providence) – career titles here could include Enterprise Security Analyst, Information Technology Analyst, Virtualization Specialist and Enterprise Content Management Specialist