In 1978, the city of Rapid City, South Dakota and the county of Pennington, South Dakota, entered into a contract to form a joint emergency and disaster services organization. Although the Rapid City Pennington County Emergency Management department serves the county, it also serves the city and has members of the city’s police, fire and mayor’s offices on its board of directors.
The Rapid City Pennington County Emergency Management department has plans for the city and the county in the event of emergencies including severe weather, mass casualty incidents, civil disorder, hazardous materials emergencies, weapons of mass destruction events, terrorist events, and school safety crises. Those holding emergency management jobs in Rapid City, South Dakota are crucial in the city’s efforts to prepare for, plan for, mitigate and respond to emergencies occurring throughout the city.
Emergency Management Degrees in Rapid City
The South Dakota Department of Public Safety Emergency Management Training Program provides training in emergency management for those who already work in emergency management in Rapid City and statewide. South Dakota Department of Public Safety’s Emergency Management Independent Study program is intended for those interested in emergency management jobs and for those already involved in emergency management in Rapid City.
Rapid City citizens who are interested in beginning emergency management careers should seek certification and degrees in emergency management. These may be available at state institutions and online. These certificates and degrees are helpful o Rapid City citizens seeking employment in emergency management:
- Graduate certificate in Crisis Leadership
- Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
- Associate of Science in Criminal Justice
- Bachelor of Science in Homeland Safety and Public Security
- Master of Science in Homeland Security and Emergency Management
Emergency Management Jobs in Rapid City
Various types of organizations contribute to emergency management within a city. Rapid City is home to many federal and state-related government organizations that factor into emergency management for the city and for the entire state of South Dakota. It also has its own emergency management department. Emergency management careers in Rapid City could be started within any of these government and related agencies:
- Rapid City Pennington County Emergency Management- Emergency management jobs here could include Program Director, Emergency Management Coordinator and Planner
- South Dakota Air National Guard, Rapid City- Emergency management jobs here could include Training Specialist and Program Analyst
- South Dakota Army National Guard, Rapid City- Emergency management jobs here could include Training Officer and Program Analyst
- Rapid City Satellite Office of the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms)- Emergency management jobs within this agency could include Special Agent and Industry Operations Investigator
- Rapid City Resident Agency of the FBI (Federal Bureau of Intelligence)- Emergency management jobs here could include Intelligence Analyst, Cyber Security Specialist and Wireless Monitoring Specialist
- Rapid City Fire Department – Emergency management jobs here involve first-responders such as Firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs)
- Rapid City Police Department – Emergency management jobs here could include Police Officer and Investigator