Located just south of Oklahoma County, and the largest metropolitan area of Oklahoma City, the primary concern of emergency management organizations and agencies in the Cleveland County area are tornadoes. Terrorist activity, sever storms and snow storms and flooding are also big concerns for emergency management professionals in Cleveland County.
There are many local, state and federal emergency management agencies and organizations in the county, including the Cleveland County Emergency Management Department and local emergency management agencies located in the cities of Norman, Lexington, Moore and Noble (all located within Cleveland County.) There is also an emergency management department that operates as part of the University of Oklahoma- Norman campus, which offers degrees, certificates and training in Cleveland County.
Emergency Jobs and Careers in Cleveland County
There are various types of emergency management careers available in Cleveland County. Some of the emergency management agencies on the local level only use volunteers to assist in emergency procedures and practices, but other private firms and some of the state agencies hire full-time staff. Most people seeking employment will get jobs with the Cleveland County Emergency Management Department and the various city entities located throughout the county. Jobs and careers in emergency management include ones in the following career sectors:
- Public Health
- Non-Profit Organizations
- Homeland Security
- Business Administration
- Environmental and Social Sciences
- Engineering and City Planning
- Information Technology
- Environmental Mitigation
Emergency Management Degrees, Training and Certification in Cleveland County
Degrees: The primary emergency management degree providers in the state are located in the Tulsa area, but the University of Oklahoma’s campus in Norman does provide some degrees, as well as a host of online schools. The types of degrees offered include the following:
- Emergency Management
- Fire & Emergency Management
- Crisis & Disaster Management
- Homeland Security
- Homeland Security- Leadership & Policy
- Public Administration
- Emergency Readiness & Response
Training & Certification: Some emergency management positions require applicants to have certifications in specialized areas. People who receive emergency management training in Cleveland County will often receive a certificate upon completion of the training program.
The most common types of certifications received through training include Emergency Management Specialist, Certified Emergency Management, Associate Emergency Management, CPR, First Aid and Homeland Security, among many others.
During training, people will learn the following skills:
- Decision making and critical thinking
- Risk assessment and response
- Community organization
- Program management and leadership
- Human behavior and ethics
- Communication skills
- Mitigation and prevention