Emergency Management Careers in Clackamas County, Oregon

Located in the northern part of Oregon- among forests, rivers and mountains- Clackamas County experiences many situations in which emergency management professionals ensure the safety of the more than 300,000 residents in the area. The most common types of emergency situations that occur in Clackamas County include forest fires, mudslides, snowstorms and rain storms and floods. While the emergencies tend to not be very severe, it is always important to be prepared incase a major disaster of some kind happens.

One emergency situation that has been on the radar of Clackamas County emergency management workers is the possibility of a major earthquake in the area. It is expected that an earthquake of at least a 9 on the Richter Scale will happen somewhere near Clackamas County. It is the responsibility of emergency management professionals to prepare plans for such emergencies, which include how to evacuate residents in an efficient manner, how to mitigate damage and how to keep the area and its residents as safe as possible during an emergency or disaster situation.

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Emergency Management Careers Found in Clackamas County

The types of emergency management jobs in Clackamas vary depending on the sector an applicant wishes to work in. Local hospitals, like the Kaiser Permanente hospital in Clackamas County, hire emergency management coordinators, as well as contract with private sector businesses like Emergency Planning International, which has a northwest regional office located in Wilsonville.

Other emergency management employers include the state of Oregon, the Clackamas County Emergency Management department and smaller, city-level emergency management organizations in the cities of Oregon City (the county seat,) Milwaukie, Sandy and Wilsonville. The most common jobs offered in Clackamas County are as emergency management supervisors and coordinators.

Degrees, Training and Certification in Clackamas County

In order to be considered for an emergency management position, it is often required that an applicant have relevant management experience. This experience is typically gained through a degree, training or certification in emergency management or a related field.

Degrees: There are many types of emergency management degrees offered in Clackamas County, which can be obtained through traditional university and community college education, or via an online school. Typical degrees include Bachelor’s Degrees in Business Administration and Management, Homeland Security and Emergency Management, as well as Associate Degrees in Leadership & Executive Management, Homeland Security and Criminal Justice.

Training: Clackamas County offers a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training for anyone looking to volunteer with the group. There are three locations to get CERT training in the cities of Oregon City, Milwaukie and Happy Valley. Training can also be obtained through the American Red Cross.

Certification: Emergency management certification can be obtained through the Oregon Certified Emergency Management Program, which is a collaboration between Oregon Emergency Management and the Oregon Emergency Management Association. In order to receive certification, a person must meet some of the following requirements and qualifications:

  • Prior experience working with full-scale exercises or actual emergency situations
  • 50 hours of training in emergency situations
  • 50 hours of management experience
  • At least a GED (college degree preferred)

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