Located in the interior portion of the state, the major metropolitan area of Charlotte is protected from the most devastating emergency situations that happen in North Carolina. As the state is located on the Eastern Coast of the country, North Carolina is often the victim of hurricanes- the most recent being Hurricane Irene in 2011, which stormed through Charlotte, but not with the force it had when it initially hit the state.
It is the responsibility of emergency management professionals in the city of Charlotte to create plans for the evacuation of residents in the city, as well as other plans for both natural and manmade disasters that may occur.
Emergency Management Degrees
The main requirement for emergency management positions in Charlotte is a college degree in a field closely related to the duties that will performed while on the job. Degrees can be obtained through online schooling, or through a traditional university.
The following are some, but not all, of the college degrees that are preferred for an emergency management position:
- Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, Emergency Management concentration
- Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management
- Masters Degree in Public Administration, Emergency Management concentration
Emergency Management Certification and Training
In addition to a college degree, those seeking emergency management positions must also receive training and certification in a variety of areas related to the duties of the job. Certifications include hazardous materials, national response planning and community preparedness and disaster management, among others.
Certification can be obtained through training with state, county or city-level emergency management organizations. The primary provider of emergency management training and certification is the North Carolina Emergency Management Certification program, which offers two different types of certification: Executive Emergency Management and Associate Emergency Management.
Certification is required in order to be able to obtain a career in emergency management in Charlotte, as well as the rest of the state of North Carolina. A college degree is required in order to get certification in the state and certification requires successfully completing a 50 question written test at the end of the training course.
Emergency Management Professionals Serving the Citizens of Charlotte
On the city level, the primary emergency management organization in Charlotte is the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management Office (CMEMO), which operates in both cities. The CMEMO works in partnerships with local law enforcement and emergency responders, as well as county, state and federal emergency management organizations. The office is responsible for coordinating all efforts and plans in preparation for any hazards that may happen in the greater metropolitan area of Charlotte, which has a population of more than 2.2 million residents.
Emergency management professionals in the Charlotte area can be expected to draft emergency management plans, coordinate with various officials and agencies, and be responsible for creating procedures related to emergency preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery operations.