Following the Action Steps in Navigating the Chaos

Not long ago, a LinkedIn connection I recently started to follow, Stephanie DeLorenzo, launched her new book. Navigating the Chaos: The Ultimate Emergency Management Career Guide is designed for entrants at any stage of their careers: college students, veterans, and career changers like me.

Although I've long insisted on charting my own path apart from others' influence (which, let's face it, often isn't altruistic) something about DeLorenzo's approach appealed to me. I purchased the book on Kindle, and as I read through it, I realized two things:

1. Emergency management feels like the first real "true to me" career path I've been able to identify since everything else fell apart a couple of years ago.
2. I was already a good portion of the way on that path.

I still have a ways to go, of course. This post explores how and why and what it all means.

The easy parts

In Chapter 3, DeLorenzo advises readers to create a FEMA Emergency Management Institute SID account. I actually did this before I ever started to think seriously about a career in emergency management.

Three independent study courses, including two on DeLorenzo's list -- IS-100, Introduction to the Incident Command System, and IS-700, An Introduction to the National Incident Management System -- were required for my new full-time role.

I completed the other two on her list (IS-200, Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response, and IS-800, National Response Framework, an Introduction) next. Then I kept going, choosing courses I felt were relevant to my role, and those that might help me communicate with professionals from other agencies and industries.

Ultimately I completed 18 more courses, managing to achieve the Professional Development Series certificate from FEMA. That was how I came to another of DeLorenzo's action steps: "Identify opportunities to incorporate an EM perspective into your current role."

I'm not ready to say yet what I'm working on or for whom. This post is more about how I'm working on getting there, using DeLorenzo's recommendations as a framework for where I'm at.

The first action step: goals with realistic deadlines

"Documenting your objectives not only boosts accountability but also transforms your aspirations into a tangible plan, significantly increasing your chances of making meaningful progress," writes DeLorenzo.

Throughout most of my life, though, I had no idea how to set goals – much less objectives. I'd grown up believing that my goals came second to whatever those I cared about wanted. When I did set goals, they were big and lofty, audacious but amorphous. I didn't know how to set objectives to get where I wanted to be.

Besides, when I did set goals, things had a way of falling apart.

Arguably, all that meant was that I didn't really want those things. On some level, I think I believed I should want something different, so I never dedicated myself to what I wanted. Maybe I thought I wasn't worthy to decide what I wanted for my life, or I thought deserving better meant waiting for it to drop in my lap.

The opportunities that did, of course, only confirmed these beliefs. That was, until they fell apart too.

Now that I'm rebuilding my entire life from the ground up, I'm more feeling my way along. Recovering from severe burnout, I'm not setting deadlines. My objectives appear as I go – much like managing a large scale disaster.

Start thinking about your "Why." Write it down.

My "why" has a few layers. As a Law Enforcement Explorer years ago, I was actually interested in emergency management, even before 9/11. I even attended the Northeast Regional All-Hazards Conference in 1996 at Boston's World Trade Center.

As my freelance career grew, I wrote about topics like the Global Justice XML Data Model and interoperability more generally, the value of police/fire cross training, and communicating during exercises.

My writing career diverted to digital forensics (arguably not totally divested from emergency management), but it wasn't until I started to work directly for municipal government that I realized I could have a much more direct impact on my community.

And then I personally managed a couple of not-so-minor crises in my professional sphere. Those reminded me where I came from, gave me confidence in the skills I could bring to where I am now, and got me thinking about my future.

Research the Industries / Specializations and note the ones that most interest you.

As I mentioned, I'm already in local government, so there's one industry. Quasi government agencies, like Sallie and Fannie Mae, are another. Airlines and port / transit authorities, a third -- I live not far from an international airport. And although I'm not a great fan of tourists, I've lived all my life in states with strong tourist appeal.

Specializations are trickier. Planning and preparedness draw me because I've been caught unawares often enough in life that I'd like to head it off in the future. But recovery and resilience draw me because being caught unawares taught me you can't possibly prepare for the worst case. You have to be able to work with what you've been given.

I also have to admit I'm drawn to incident management and response because the fast moving pace of emergencies actually helps my ADHD brain to focus. Not being a knowledgeable or experienced first responder, though, I feel those specializations are less likely for me to be effective in.

Note: this task shows up again in Chapter 4, Mastering the Job Hunt.

Identify a few jobs within those Industries or Specializations and read what the qualifications are [to] achieve those roles.

Jobs like Emergency Preparedness Manager, Emergency Planner, Emergency Management Specialist, and Emergency Management Coordinator appear to require some mix of a college degree in emergency management, public administration, or homeland security, a Project Management Planner (PMP) and/or Certified Emergency Manager credential, and, of course, experience.

I'm sure I could massage my considerable experience managing marketing projects, editorial calendars, and research into a resume that might convince someone I'd be a good fit. De Lorenzo's book describes the kinds of transferable skills that can be useful in emergency management, including relationship building, public speaking, working under stress, report writing, and so on.

But I'd just as soon add experience thinking about and anticipating emergencies before I start seriously applying for jobs. As DeLorenzo writes, a strong foundation "is built on three key areas: Training, Networking, and Volunteering."

Note: this task also shows up in Chapter 4, advising readers to research five interesting jobs and then customizing their resume to align with the requirements. More on that in a bit.

Create a USAJobs account.

This one, I'm putting off till the dust settles. Although I grew up around federal civil servants, the landscape has changed dramatically. And as survivor of three layoffs, I'm in no rush to keep flogging myself working for "government run like a business."

That includes not just the surprise layoffs, but also the potential to be seconded to other agencies. For example, FEMA security and human resources staff were sent to DHS for 90 days heading into hurricane season.

Although a DHS statement insisted this deployment would not disrupt FEMA’s critical operations, The Hill noted the timing would mean these employees would not be available to help FEMA hire local disaster response staff.

There's also the competition. Another of DeLorenzo's tasks in this section is to identify which hiring path(s) you fall under. Based on USAJobs' website, though, I'd likely only be eligible for "open to the public" jobs anyway -- assuming, again, they wouldn't end up on the chopping block.

So that lets off two other tasks: "Review 3-5 job announcements to familiarize yourself with how to read and understand them," and "Begin crafting your federal resume." I did, however, manage one final task in this section: follow DeLorenzo on social media, which I did on LinkedIn.

Join two online Emergency Management forums.

I'll be honest: I'm kind of over internet forums. I started in college on Usenet. Listservs when I started my freelance career. Forums were the obvious next step. At that time, I connected with fellow expectant (and later, new) moms. No one called it social media, but people genuinely connected.

These days forums are fraught. Bots have taken over, the real humans who are left are sketchy as hell, and often there's a lot of posturing, because that's what "social media" hath wrought. There's also the time-suck potential. I think mine is better spent elsewhere, at least until I gain more experience to have an informed opinion.

I do follow emergency management accounts on Mastodon and Bluesky, along with leaders in the space on LinkedIn. I tend to be gunshy -- have been for years -- about posting my opinions on topics I know little about. But I can at least repost news items and pithy hot takes, at least for now.

Research two Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOADs) to join and begin the sign-up process.

This is one that might take me some time. I've volunteered a lot of time in my life, to the point where I overextended myself. Like so many other people, I also live on a tight income and may need another part-time job, which won't leave me a lot of time to volunteer.

For example, local Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) require about two and a half days of intensive training. As with the ICS 300 and 400 courses, I'd need to take time off from work.

It's also possible that volunteering with a CERT during an emergency might mean missing out on an opportunity to gain experience in a Departmental Operations Center (a department version of an Emergency Operations Center).

CERTs, of course, aren't the only VOAD option. But at this point, with controversies having surrounded the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, and regional nonprofits like Conserving Carolina finding their influence limited, I also feel a need to take the time to research organizations and their impact.

An outfit like Organizing Resilience is appealing because of its claim to "incredible successes in post-disaster organizing to win affordable housing, labor standards, and storm-resilient flooding and energy infrastructure" -- in short, "to prepare for [climate disasters] to shape our collective future."

There are time costs to all of this, of course. The major benefit to this task is that it already has me thinking, discovering an organization I'd never heard of before, and trying to work out various ways I can be more involved locally. In other words: getting past my limiting beliefs.

Create or update your resume using the principles outlined in this chapter.

DeLorenzo's resume advice is pretty standard, including:

• Tailoring your resume. DeLorenzo recommends understanding what employers want, pulling out key words and phrases, and compiling relevant examples and emphasizing them throughout.
• Making your resume compelling in the top 1/3 of the page, focusing on your accomplishments.
• Making your resume relevant, succinct, well formatted, and of course proofread.

That said, what I appreciate is the attention DeLorenzo pays to the keywords and transferable skills readers can use to rethink their career path to this point.

The challenge I'm running into is rethinking how to frame my extremely nonlinear, unconventional career path. I've started down paths I never went the distance on. Military, university tech support, freelance writing, corporate life, and now civil service all salt my resume.

If I said they all represent failure, I'd be told I'm being too hard on myself. But I can see all the places I self sabotaged, gave into the impostor syndrome, allowed others to chart my path for me. At minimum, deciding I wasn't really making any difference, at times I quit and moved on.

I definitely have not climbed any ladders, much less broken any glass ceilings. And I can see, even in the brief time I've been researching emergency management, that it's one of those career fields that can frustrate practitioners no end. But maybe all that means is it's a good match for me.

Anyway, there are skills I'm strong in, others I'm still working on shoring up, and some (like data analysis) that are misaligned but still foundational. Journaling will be key: not just what I'm working with, but also what I believe about my work to this point. Then, just as I learned in therapy, I can work on reframing my experiences.

If applicable, register with state's EM training office to take local course offerings.

Definitely applicable. As I came to the last of the FEMA independent study courses I'd identified as relevant, I very quickly found a one-day course local to me. Although it was offered only on a day off, I took it anyway, unpaid. It was a good course, and I was happy to connect with a local dispatcher as well as the trainer.

Classroom training made it possible to complete another action step: "Connect with three current EM professionals." I'd already briefly connected with DeLorenzo about her book, but I continue to try to identify locals -- perhaps someone involved in local special events planning.

DeLorenzo additionally recommends searching state training calendars and the NDEMU website to identify ICS 300 and 400 course offerings in your area. I'm pleased to report that I soon found one 300 course within a convenient driving distance, and though I was waitlisted, I was registered after a chance cancellation.

I'm grateful to work for an organization that supports my career aspirations and is willing to work with me on rescheduling my shifts. Besides ICS 300, I also signed up for a couple of two-day courses that would enable me to work towards my FEMA Advanced Professional Series certificate. They're about a month apart, each in towns about an hour away. I'm looking forward to seeing parts of the state I haven't visited before, and networking with more professionals.

Identify specialty trainings and their registration deadlines.

DeLorenzo recommends two specialized tracks: the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP), and the Basic Public Information Officer program. The latter gave me kind of an ironic chuckle. After working as a freelance writer for so many years, I'm pretty much over media relations on either end.

It's not just that writing puts me in my head, when I'm working on grounding in the present moment and actually living life. It's the constant battle against misinformation, including AI slop, and the time pressure of getting accurate information in a rapidly changing situation. In a true emergency, I'd rather be managing the flow of information among responders.

HSEEP, however, is of potential interest. Whether or not my current public works path leads me to training, I can see a need for it.

DeLorenzo sets a task to "Tell your supervisor about your interest in taking specialty courses," I'm sure as an accountability tactic. But my managers have known I was interested in this field since I interviewed, and as long as I maintain interest and keep self-advocating, if I opt to specialize, they'll be among the first to know.

Identify which "deploy" option to focus on pursuing.

"Deploying to assist after a disaster is one of the most impactful ways to advance your career and enhance your ability to serve the public," DeLorenzo writes. "Traveling to a disaster site is a powerful force multiplier, allowing you to apply your training in real-world scenarios, learn from the practices of other organizations, and give back to communities in need while supporting your peers in the profession."

Options she lists include FEMA Reservist, joining an Incident Management Team or Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) ("if you do not have the time or opportunity to join an IMT"), or joining a VOAD. From what I can tell, IMTs and EMACs rely on people who are already trained, experienced, and/or knowledgable, making a VOAD my best bet.

Identify at least one suggestion from the "Lead," "Share," and "Mentor" subsections to pursue.

DeLorenzo recommends leading by:

• Applying for leadership roles within your organization.
• Volunteering to take on high impact projects at work.
• Pitching a new project or initiative to your leadership team.
• Joining a committee at IAEM or with the state Emergency Management Association.
• Running for a regional or national leadership position in IAEM.
• Taking on a leadership role with a VOAD.

The projects I'm working on in my job involve some of the first three. The second three will have to wait a few years, till I have more experience and thus credibility.

Sharing, meanwhile, can include everything from social media sharing to speaking at conferences or forums about projects, engaging with legislators, and writing articles. DeLorenzo also mentions breaking down silos across departments and organizations, which I'm happy to say I've already been engaged with.

I'm feeling like this blog / newsletter combines aspects of "Share" as well as "Mentor," since I relaunched it in the hopes that others might learn how to heal self and community together.

Confirm with your supervisor if there is professional development funding available to pursue any credentials or certifications.

I've already asked, and there may or may not be. My supervisor didn't jump on it, but there's been a lot going on at work, and I also think our management wants to see more experiential commitment from me before they commit to paying for a credential for me. Also, I should probably successfully complete my probationary year.

No, really. I'm less than a year into my full time role, just over a year working for the city. I've been told I'm supervisory material, but in many ways, I really just settled into what I'm doing. After many many years working solo, there are more foundational things I'm finding I need to learn before I start trying to credential myself.

(That said, my employer does offer tuition reimbursement, so I'm starting to look at obtaining a graduate certificate or even degree. Baby steps.)

So although DeLorenzo's final task is to "Begin the process of applying or preparing for the credentials, certifications or leadership programs identified," this one – aside from the graduate program – is on hold. Again: one of those things that will either fall into place, or not.

Other action steps I haven't (yet) taken

I've yet to "Invite a seasoned coworker to coffee or similar to learn about their career," or to "Reach out to a non-coworker to learn about their career."

One of my professional development goals for the coming year is to "shadow a mentor," so I'm sure this will fit nicely, even if they aren't technically in emergency management. I could shadow a maintenance supervisor, or someone from management, to learn about emergencies they've led through and learned from.

Do I connect with an emergency management pro in my public works division? Local law enforcement? Or county level emergency management, since that's where I live? Much of this will depend on what path I find myself going down, with whom I'm able to network, and of course timing.

Likewise to "Identify which credentials, certifications, or leadership programs to pursue." Going back to that very first action step, I'm not yet at a point where I feel able to look much beyond the FEMA Advanced Professional Series.

I've already completed two of those courses and have my eye on three more in the next few months. It's only a certificate rather than a certification, but it would be another step, and would definitely demonstrate my commitment.

Interested in how I continue to navigate my own chaos and how my experience might help you with yours? Please subscribe!