While tornadoes are not the only emergency to worry about in the area, it is one of the primary concerns of emergency management organizations and agencies in Tulsa and the surrounding areas. Since 1950, there have been 72 major tornadoes that have struck the city of Tulsa, and there have been many more that have touched down in the counties outside of Tulsa as well. Other areas of concern for emergency management organizations and agencies in Tulsa County include terrorist activity, major storms and flooding, among other emergency situations.
Emergency management services in Tulsa County are supervised via a series of national and federal emergency management organizations, statewide initiatives, private sector organizations, city and county sponsored agencies and local law enforcement agencies. All of these organizations and agencies offer numerous job, internship and volunteer opportunities for people looking to get into emergency management in Tulsa County.
Emergency Management Organizations and Jobs in Tulsa, County
One of the primary emergency management organizations in Tulsa is the Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency (TAEMA.) This organization is responsible for mitigation, preparedness, prevention and response planning when an emergency situation occurs. The Tulsa Health Department is also a major emergency management provider in the county- especially when it comes to public health and safety concerns after an emergency has occurred. The Tulsa Department of Health often works in coordination with state and federal organizations and is not a private sector agency.
Emergency Management Degrees and Certification in Tulsa County
Degrees: All emergency management careers in Tulsa County require that an applicant have a degree that is relevant to emergency management in one way or another. The degrees include the following:
- Criminal Justice (terrorism, mediation & peace; leadership & executive management, etc.)
- Emergency Management (leadership & policy
- Homeland Security
- Public Administration
Certification: Not every emergency management position requires certification, but it is needed in some jobs, especially if the position involves working with various agencies across state and federal levels of emergency management. The following are the most common certifications that preferred in Tulsa County:
- Federal Emergency Management Agency Certification
- International Association of Emergency Managers Certification
- Environmental Hazard and Mitigation Certification
- Environmental Risk Assessment Certification
- Homeland Security Leadership Certification
Emergency Management Careers in Tulsa County
Emergency management careers in Tulsa County can be obtained on the local, state and federal level, as all those types of agencies have office locations in the county. The types of careers depend on which agency an applicant is seeking employment from. Careers include mitigation specialists, urban planning, emergency rescue and other specialized positions.