A cadre of professionals: Credentialing emergency managers to meet the disaster challenges of the future

Heriberto Urby, PhD, JD; David A. McEntire, PhD

doi:10.5055/jem.0560

Authors

Heriberto Urby, PhD, JD https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8749-2789
David A. McEntire, PhD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.0560

Keywords:

emergency management, credentialing professional emergency managers, professionalizing

Abstract

This paper underscores the need for the emergency management field to professionalize further and mentions how this could be accomplished through direct state licensing, Associate Emergency Manager and/or Certified Emergency Manager credentialing, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Independent Study courses, or other state certifications such as the Illinois Professional Emergency Manager credential, in that particular state and as found in other states. This paper identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and then reviews Drabek’s recommendations on how emergency managers may hone their professionalism through the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and abilities. The authors of this work add professional experience and in-person training to this list and discuss the implications of findings for research and practice by identifying several questions that will need to be addressed in the future. The overall recommendation of our article is that more efforts will be required to understand professionalism through research activities and collaboration across all types of emergency management organizations at the local, state, and federal levels—especially if we ever truly expect to enter licensing like professions such as medicine, law, engineering, accountancy, and teaching.

Author Biographies

Heriberto Urby, PhD, JD

Associate Professor, School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration, Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois

David A. McEntire, PhD

Professor, Emergency Services Department, Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah

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