Ingham County has a higher chance of experiencing tornadoes than either the state of Michigan or the U.S. as a whole. In recent decades, it had 97 historical tornadoes (over a magnitude of two) and 592 floods. Lansing is especially prone to flooding because of the three rivers that intersect the city.
Requirements for an Emergency Management Career in Ingram County
The job of emergency management specialist requires a bachelor’s degree in the field or a degree in a related field and a certificate in emergency management. Several schools in Ingram County offer these credentials.
Jobs with the Ingram County Office of Emergency Preparedness can be located on the Ingram County Human Resources website or by contacting them at 5303 S. Cedar, Building 2, Suite 2101, Lansing, MI 48911; Tel. 517/887-4328.
The telephone contact for information about employment with the Ingram Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Management is 517-676-8205.
Job openings and online applications for jobs with the City if Lansing are available at the City of Lansing Human Resources website.
Emergency Management in Ingram County
The Ingram County Office of Emergency Preparedness is dedicated to promoting readiness for, and providing a prompt response to, any natural, biological, chemical, radiological, technological, pandemic disease or terrorist disaster that affects the county. Functions of the office include:
- Develop emergency response plans in cooperation with state/local partners.
- Educate the public about the steps needed to prepare for a disaster.
- Make plans for special populations like the disabled and the elderly.
The Ingram County Sheriff’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management utilizes the StormReady program first developed in Oklahoma in 1999 in order to help communities strengthen their emergency preparedness. The office oversees emergency management for all of Ingram County except Lansing. It involves:
- Developing/updating an emergency operations plan
- Making plans to protect residents (evacuation, shelters, emergency services)
- Coordinating disaster response and recovery
- Providing emergency management training opportunities
- Conducting emergency response exercises
- Promoting public awareness of hazards
In November of 2012, Sheriff Sergeant Robert Ott, program manager for the Ingram County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, was named “Emergency Management Coordinator of the Year” by the Michigan Emergency Management Association.
Emergency Management in Lansing, Michigan
The City of Lansing Emergency Operations Center (EOC) opens whenever an emergency in Lansing is too large for one agency to control. The focus is on lessening the impact of disasters on the people and property of Lansing by coordinating all agencies in order to ensure a prompt and efficient response and recovery. The EOC becomes the seat of city government during an emergency and is responsible for making decisions about city operations and services.
During non-emergency times the EOC staff is involved in:
- Developing emergency response plans
- Preparing initiatives
- Educating citizens and businesses
- Building response capabilities
- Mitigating hazards through regulations and other means
- Operating/maintaining indoor and outdoor (sirens) emergency alert systems
The Michigan State University Police Homeland Security and Planning Division is responsible for overseeing the four phases of emergency management (preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery) on the Michigan State University campus and coordinating these efforts with federal, state and local governments and agencies.