Emergency Management (EM) Degree vs EM Role Specific Training - A Cost Benefit Discussion

Mountains (photo by V.A. McMillan)

 

Title: Emergency Management (EM) Degree vs EM Role Specific Training – A Cost Benefit Discussion

Very recently I completed an emergency management role specific training program for the Planning Section Chief role. Also, in the not-too-distant past I completed my Emergency & Security Management Degree from the Justice Institute of British Columbia. So, I find myself pondering which training was most valuable to get into a paying EM job and which type of training is providing the most impact for an emergency management career…

Here's what I had to say about the Planning Section Chief course on my blog post at The GOOD Plan Blog (https://thegoodplanblog.blogspot.com/2024/04/planning-section-chief-course-review-02.html): The Town of High River with the High River Fire Department hosted the Planning Section Chief course delivered by Daryl Black of Exigent Academy (https://www.exigentinc.ca/43055/academy/). The program was delivered at the Memorial Centre in High River, Alberta between the 2^nd and the 5^th of April 2024. The Alberta Emergency Management Agency was also present to ensure their endorsement was not misplaced. The program had other ICS role specific training – Incident Commanders, Operations Section Chiefs, Logistics Section Chiefs, and Task Force Leaders/Strike Team Leaders. In all, over 100-students received exceptional training in their specialty.  

For many who take ICS (Incident Command System) training, there is little opportunity for enhanced training beyond the ICS-100, ICS-200, ICS-300, and ICS-400 courses. Thankfully, organizations like Exigent Academy are stepping in to fill this knowledge gap. The first operational period should NOT be the place where you learn about the role you need to fulfil. Daryl Black and his team of instructors did a fantastic job of sharing their personal experiences and knowledge of ICS and incident management. I did not encounter any student who expressed any displeasure with their learning experience. Kudos, Daryl!

So, what did it cost, you ask??? Each role specific training cost $875 and that included access to digital student manuals and the catered lunches. In my biased opinion, it was a good value. For those considering getting onboard for the next training opportunity, just know that ICS-300 is a pre-requisite. So, not including the cost of the ICS-300 course, to get all the training from Exigent in this program would cost about $4400 ($875 x 5 = $4375) and take about a month (4-day x 5), if back-to-back courses were available. So, to take Basic Emergency Management, ICS-100, ICS-200, & ICS-300 to have your pre-requisites taken care of, let’s add another month. So, total investment less than $6000 and less than three months. Could you get a job?? From what I have learned in the last year and a bit…I would say probably. The BC Wildfire team needs qualified members for their Incident Management Teams (IMT) and wildfire seems to be a growing business. The season is longer and the fires more numerous and more intense. That means IMTs rotate through more cycles per season. Without adequate depth, there is real possibility of burning out your IMT staff. However, other employers do not even look at resumes or applications if there is a lack of a degree…Parks Canada, for instance is very particular about a degree being present.

According to the JIBC website (https://www.jibc.ca/areas-of-study/emergency-management/emergency-security-management-besms) it cost approximately $22,500.00 for the four year Bachelor of Emergency & Security Management degree. Which is likely time well spent if you are pursuing emergency management as a twenty-something or thirty-something. As for those in their fifties…time is running out to secure meaningful employment before forced retirement. So, 40-courses breaks down to about $563/course ($22,500 / 40 = $562.50). Four-years and forty courses, that is a major commitment when changing careers and at end of career timeline. Now the degree has opened doors for me, but I would be amiss if I said my degree has fully prepared me for the work.

My current job requires me to function as the Planning Section Chief or other Planning roles in our Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), when responding to an onsite or offsite incident. It is my opinion that the recent four-day course has done a better job of preparing me for the Planning Section Chief role than my four-year degree program. However, my position is not limited to the EOC. For the full depth of my roles and responsibilities, I am confident that my degree has prepared me very well for conducting research and writing the required reports to support administrative and operational decisions being made in our emergency management department.

So, what is the bottom line? In my opinion, since emergency management is the calling for those who want to help others, and there are many paths that lead to achieving that outcome…follow the path the feels right for you. I have grown up being told I was a jack of all trades but master of none. On reflection, emergency management IS the mastery of the jack of all trades. Problem-solving, which is a core function of emergency management draws upon so many other disciplines that to be master, you must have a very wide breadth of knowledge. You do not need mastery of all those different fields of study, but you do need to know where to draw knowledge from to be successful in emergency management. And it does not matter how you acquire the knowledge, in my biased opinion, all sources offer value – volunteering, working, or going to school. In fact, you need a blend of all three, because at some point in your career you will need to communicate with someone from those other fields to achieve your mission. Communication is easier when you understand the language and culture.

 

Until next time…Get some training!

And make the most of what you learn.

 

Mountainman.