Emergency Management

You are training to be an Emergency Management Specialist — the Air Force's emergency preparedness and response coordinator. You work at the intersection of natural disaster response, chemical/biological/radiological/nuclear (CBRN) defense, anti-terrorism force protection, and continuity of operations planning.

Complete 3E9X1 initial skills training at Sheppard AFB, TX. Learn emergency management fundamentals — CBRN defense concepts, chemical and radiological detection equipment operation, emergency operations center (EOC) operations, and the emergency planning process. Study the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS) that govern all emergency response in the United States. Learn the Air Force emergency management program requirements — the types of plans required, the exercises that test them, and the reporting requirements for emergency management readiness. Earn your FEMA NIMS ICS certifications.

• 01CBRN defense fundamentals, chemical and radiological detector operation, emergency operations center procedures, NIMS/ICS (ICS-100/200/300/400), emergency planning process, Force Protection Condition (FPCON) procedures, emergency management plan types

• —AFI 10-2501 (Emergency Management Program), AFI 10-245 (Antiterrorism), NIMS, ICS training publications, Sheppard AFB 3E9X1 training publications

• —Pass 3E9X1 initial training; FEMA ICS certifications earned; CBRN detector operations demonstrated; EOC procedures understood; emergency plan types identified; FPCON procedures known; initial certifications completed

• —Operating chemical or radiological detection equipment without understanding what the readings actually mean — a detector alarm is not a complete answer; the responder must interpret the reading in the context of the environment, the detector type, and the potential agent to determine the appropriate protective action.

An apprentice who reads the installation emergency plans during their first weeks at the unit — understanding what actions are pre-planned before an emergency rather than learning what the plan says during the emergency.

You are a qualified Emergency Management Specialist maintaining emergency plans, running CBRN defense training, and supporting emergency exercise programs.

Maintain the installation's emergency management plans — updating the Emergency Management Plan, the CBRN defense annexes, and the supporting plans that govern how the installation responds to emergencies. Conduct CBRN defense training for installation personnel — collective protection refresher, detection equipment familiarization, MOPP gear training. Support emergency exercise planning and execution — helping design the scenarios, evaluating unit performance, and preparing the after-action reports. Staff the emergency operations center during exercises and real emergencies. Maintain emergency management equipment inventory and serviceability.

• 01Emergency plan maintenance, CBRN defense training, exercise planning support, EOC staffing, emergency management equipment maintenance, after-action report preparation, NIMS/ICS execution, FPCON transition support

• —AFI 10-2501, AFI 10-245, FEMA CPG 101 (Comprehensive Preparedness Guide), NIMS, applicable CBRN defense publications

• —Emergency plans current and reviewed on schedule; CBRN training completed on schedule; exercises supported; EOC operations executed; equipment maintained; after-action reports completed; NIMS/ICS qualifications current

• —Updating an emergency plan with the current version of higher headquarters guidance without verifying that the referenced points of contact, telephone numbers, and local procedures are also current — an emergency plan that has current boilerplate language but stale local contact information fails during an actual emergency.

A SrA who maintains a living exercise lessons-learned tracker — documenting what went wrong in every exercise and tracking whether the corrective actions from previous exercises were actually implemented before the next exercise.

You are a senior Emergency Management Specialist developing advanced planning and exercise expertise and training the emergency management workforce.

Perform advanced emergency management functions and develop toward the emergency management NCOIC role. Lead emergency plan development for the installation — coordinating with base agencies to develop and maintain the comprehensive emergency management plan suite. Design and execute emergency exercises — developing realistic scenarios, coordinating with players across the installation, evaluating performance, and producing actionable after-action reports. Train junior specialists. Develop expertise in specific emergency management domains — CBRN defense planning, continuity of operations, or anti-terrorism force protection.

• 01Emergency plan development leadership, exercise design and execution, CBRN defense planning, continuity of operations planning, anti-terrorism planning, after-action report quality, junior specialist training, multi-agency coordination

• —AFI 10-2501, AFI 10-245, FEMA CPG 101, Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) methodology, NIMS/ICS, applicable CBRN publications

• —Emergency plans meeting Air Force and FEMA standards; exercises designed to HSEEP methodology; after-action reports actionable; corrective actions tracked; CBRN planning current; junior specialists trained; multi-agency coordination effective

• —Designing exercises that only test familiar capabilities rather than known weaknesses — a realistic exercise program deliberately tests the scenarios and gaps identified in previous after-action reviews, not the scenarios the installation is already known to handle well.

An SSgt who coordinates with local emergency management agencies to integrate installation exercises with community emergency response — building the relationships and interoperability that real emergencies require rather than only exercising within the installation fence line.

You are the Emergency Management NCOIC, responsible for the installation's emergency management program and the readiness of the installation to respond to all-hazards threats.

Serve as the Emergency Management section NCOIC. Own the installation emergency management program — the plan suite, the exercise schedule, the training program, and the equipment readiness. Brief the Civil Engineering Squadron commander and the Installation Commander on emergency management program health and readiness. Coordinate with the Wing Inspector General on emergency management inspection readiness. Interface with local emergency management agencies. Support the Anti-Terrorism Officer on force protection planning. Lead the section through major emergency exercises and real emergencies.

• 01Emergency management program ownership, Installation Commander advisory, IG inspection leadership, local agency coordination, Anti-Terrorism Officer interface, major exercise and real emergency leadership, emergency management plan suite management

• —AFI 10-2501, AFI 10-245, applicable higher headquarters emergency management publications, FEMA CPG 101, HSEEP, unit emergency management section instructions

• —Emergency management program meeting Air Force and DHS/FEMA standards; plans current; exercises on schedule and executed; IG inspection preparedness; local agency relationships maintained; force protection planning supported; section personnel trained

• —Certifying the installation's emergency plan suite as current without conducting a full review for regulatory changes — emergency management guidance from FEMA, DHS, and higher headquarters changes regularly, and plans that reference superseded guidance fail inspection.

A TSgt who tracks corrective action implementation from every exercise after-action report — following up with responsible units to verify that corrective actions are actually being implemented rather than documenting good intentions that don't change behavior.

You are the senior Emergency Management NCO, advising commanders on installation emergency preparedness and managing the emergency management workforce.

Serve as the Civil Engineering Squadron Emergency Management superintendent. Advise the squadron commander and Installation Commander on emergency management program health, CBRN defense readiness, and force protection planning. Interface with AFCEC and MAJCOM emergency management staff on program requirements and best practices. Manage complex personnel actions. Contribute to Air Force emergency management policy. As 1stSgt, own the welfare and discipline of the emergency management formation.

• 01Squadron emergency management oversight, Installation Commander advisory, AFCEC and MAJCOM emergency management engagement, CBRN defense readiness advisory, force protection advisory, complex personnel management, senior enlisted advisory

• —AFI 10-2501, AFI 10-245, AFCEC emergency management publications, applicable DHS/FEMA programs, applicable NIMS/ICS publications

• —Installation emergency management program meeting Air Force and federal standards; CBRN defense readiness current; AFCEC and MAJCOM engagement productive; force protection advisory accurate; personnel actions appropriate

• —Not integrating installation emergency management with local community emergency planning — the Air Force base that plans and exercises in isolation will face coordination gaps when a real emergency requires unified command with local agencies.

An MSgt who has established formal emergency management coordination agreements with local emergency management agencies — documenting the mutual aid relationships, communication protocols, and unified command procedures before the emergency that will require them.

You are the most senior Emergency Management enlisted leader, shaping Air Force emergency management policy and the preparedness of the entire Air Force for all-hazards threats.

Serve as the AFCEC or Air Staff Emergency Management career field functional manager or senior enlisted advisor. Shape training standards and the pipeline producing emergency management specialists. Advise four-star commanders and Air Staff leadership on Air Force emergency management program health, CBRN defense readiness, and the workforce requirements for sustaining emergency preparedness across the Air Force. Interface with Air Staff A4, DHS, FEMA, and OSD on emergency management policy. Contribute to Air Force emergency management doctrine.

• 01Career field functional management, AFCEC and Air Staff A4 engagement, DHS/FEMA institutional engagement, enterprise CBRN defense advisory, emergency management doctrine, four-star advisory, pipeline oversight, OSD engagement

• —AFI 10-2501, AFI 10-245, AFCEC emergency management publications, applicable DoD and DHS emergency management policy, FEMA programs, applicable NIMS and ICS publications

• —Career field producing qualified emergency management specialists; Air Force emergency management program meeting federal standards; CBRN defense readiness current enterprise-wide; doctrine current; DHS/FEMA relationships productive; four-star advisory accurate

• —Allowing Air Force emergency management to drift from NIMS/ICS compliance — the Air Force that operates under an emergency management framework that diverges from the National Incident Management System will face interoperability failures when integrated with federal and local responders during real emergencies.

A CMSgt who has assessed Air Force emergency management readiness against the DHS/FEMA whole-community emergency management framework — identifying where Air Force installations are well-integrated into community emergency response and where gaps in local coordination need to be addressed across the enterprise.