New Hampshire Emergency Management Careers

As a state in the upper Northeastern part of the U.S., New Hampshire is subject to many of the severe winter weather events common to the region.  One of the most devastating of these was the winter snowstorm of 1993 that is commonly referred to as the Storm of the Century.  This storm produced 144 mph winds in the state, and dropped almost two feet of snow on parts of New Hampshire. This storm caused the deaths of 310 people and caused $6.6 billion in damage.

Training and Requirements for Emergency Management Jobs in New Hampshire

Emergency management classes in New Hampshire are sponsored by federal agencies like the Emergency Management Institute as well as state agencies. 

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These courses include:

  • Fire officer I
  • Rescue systems II
  • Hazardous materials technician
  • EMS function in the incident command system
  • Exercising leadership to facilitate adaptive change
  • Understanding & planning for school bombing incidents
  • Coordinated response to food emergencies

The state also offers certification programs for fire and EMS personnel. Testing includes knowledge of the field as well as, potentially, physical abilities.

Public health is a major component of the emergency management industry, with hospitals, emergency medical professionals and public health agencies providing critical services during natural or manmade disasters.  A recent job posting for an EMS coordinator at St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua required applicants to meet the following criteria:

  • Possession of a bachelor’s degree is preferred
  • Three to five years of experience in administrative or clinical management
  • Membership in an EMS professional association
  • Certification in EMS is preferred

New Hampshire Homeland Security and Emergency Management

New Hampshire’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) is the state agency responsible for preparing against and recovering from any manmade or natural disasters.  HSEM has its headquarters at the Incident Planning and Operations Center, and currently supports a staff of 40 employees.

HSEM utilizes a variety of programs to help local agencies prepare for large scale emergencies including the Emergency Alert System (EAS). The warnings that are transmitted to the public originate from the National Weather Service, New Hampshire State Police Communications or BEM Communications.  Transmissions are sent to five television stations and 84 radio stations, providing complete statewide coverage.  The most common warnings are weather related and provide early warning of hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms and floods.

HSEM also provides response planning for any emergencies related to the nuclear power plant in Seabrook, NH. These emergency plans fall into four categories:

  • Unusual events—involve  a minor change in safety level
  • Alert—involve only minimal release of radiological material or the potential for a release
  • Site area emergency—include major failures of equipment needed for public safety, but material release is limited to plant site
  • General emergency—describes a reactor core meltdown with significant radioactive material release to the environment

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