How to hire an emergency planner

How to hire an emergency planner, step by step

Here's a step-by-step emergency planner hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an emergency planner job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new emergency planner
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an emergency planner do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an emergency planner, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an emergency planner to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an emergency planner that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of emergency planner salaries for various roles:

   Type of Emergency Planner	Description	Hourly rate
   Emergency Planner	Emergency management directors prepare plans and procedures for responding to natural disasters or other emergencies. They also help lead the response during and after emergencies, often in coordination with public safety officials, elected officials, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.	$15-52
   Emergency Management Coordinator	An Emergency Management Coordinator is responsible for strategizing techniques and facilitating programs to respond to emergencies and natural threats. They evaluate the effect of hazards and develop comprehensive plans to minimize or mitigate emerging risks to the community... Show more	$15-54
   Planner	As the name entails, planners assist in creating a broad vision for a community. They conduct research, design, and advanced programs... Show more	$21-42

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Emergency Preparedness
   • Public Health
   • Public Safety
   • Incident Command System
   • Emergency Response
   • DHS
   • Coop
   • Logistics
   • HSEEP
   • Nims
   • Provide Technical Assistance
   • Emergency Events
   • EOC
   • Law Enforcement

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Identify facilities and personnel resources within the state to achieve rapid effective dispensing of SNS.
   • Participate in numerous training courses provide by FEMA and state agencies.
   • Assist in developing detail checklists for the emergency support functions in the EOC.
   • Act as applicant liaison by notifying FEMA of cost overrun/under runs, final inspection requests, appeals, etc.
   • Provide BOM updates and configuration control verification.
   • Double TOS copay collections by educating staff about insurance eligibility, copay interpretation and patients about their responsibility.

   More emergency planner duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your emergency planner job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An emergency planner salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, emergency planners' average salary in nebraska is 45% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level emergency planners earn 70% less than senior-level emergency planners.
   • Certifications. An emergency planner with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an emergency planner's salary.

   Average emergency planner salary

   $61,090yearly

   $29.37 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level emergency planner salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average emergency planner salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$80,596	$39
   2	Massachusetts	$78,758	$38
   3	Connecticut	$78,746	$38
   4	New Hampshire	$77,421	$37
   5	Alaska	$75,691	$36
   6	District of Columbia	$75,345	$36
   7	Nevada	$74,214	$36
   8	Maryland	$72,165	$35
   9	West Virginia	$71,097	$34
   10	Pennsylvania	$70,911	$34
   11	Virginia	$67,934	$33
   12	Michigan	$66,865	$32
   13	Delaware	$66,054	$32
   14	Oregon	$65,470	$31
   15	Minnesota	$64,240	$31
   16	New Mexico	$62,413	$30
   17	Kentucky	$61,040	$29
   18	Wyoming	$60,709	$29
   19	California	$60,631	$29
   20	Montana	$60,354	$29

   Average emergency planner salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Booz Allen Hamilton	$104,986	$50.47	26
   2	Ball	$85,689	$41.20
   3	ICF	$81,418	$39.14	1
   4	Coconino Community College	$78,722	$37.85
   5	City of Jacksonville	$77,918	$37.46
   6	The George Washington University	$76,506	$36.78
   7	CDC Foundation	$71,511	$34.38
   8	Tetra Tech	$69,925	$33.62	2
   9	City of Baltimore	$69,129	$33.24	4
   10	Salt Lake County	$66,749	$32.09
   11	Amazon	$64,917	$31.21	55
   12	National Medical Association	$64,123	$30.83
   13	New Hanover County	$63,717	$30.63
   14	Johns Hopkins Medicine	$61,847	$29.73	16
   15	Multnomah County	$57,349	$27.57
   16	Maine	$52,036	$25.02
   17	NC.gov	$51,400	$24.71	2
   18	State Of Idaho	$50,340	$24.20
   19	County of San Joaquin, CA	$42,251	$20.31
   20	Liberty University	$35,068	$16.86

4. Writing an emergency planner job description

   A good emergency planner job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an emergency planner job description:

   Emergency planner job description example

   Emergency Management Preparedness Planner Zip Code: Houston, TX 77027 | Location : Galleria Area Employment Type : Temporary | Workplace Type: On-site Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8am – 5pm | Salary: $30 an hour Client Company: Harris County Public Health Service Harris County’s Public Health Service department is teaming up with ExecuTeam in locating an Emergency Management Preparedness Planner to join their COVID-19 Division. The Emergency Management Preparedness Planner will gather data and analyze the information to ensure the Standard Operating Procedures are being followed through. Take this opportunity to utilize your organizational skills and emergency management skills. Submit your resume today! Emergency Management Preparedness Planner ’s Responsibilities

   • Develop and maintain the Standard Operating Procedures and Standard Operating Guides for COVID-19 division
   • Promote trainings, exercises, and current operations conducted to evaluate new and existing plans
   • Collaborate with various planners to ensure coordination among the departments of HCPH
   • Design COVID operations and collaborate with COVID-19 and HCPH staff members
   • Gather data and analyze the information to create the quarterly and annual reports

   Emergency Management Preparedness Planner ’s Qualifications

   • Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Emergency Management, or a related field is required
   • Minimum 2 years of experience in emergency management is required
   • Planning or grant writing experience is preferred
   • Communication and public speaking experience is preferred
   • Knowledge of principles and practice of emergency response planning, training, and exercising is preferred

   Company Culture & Perk s

   • Located immediately off 610 Loop with easy access on and off the freeway
   • Minutes away from the Galleria mall for endless shopping and restaurants
   • Free covered parking with several kitchen/break room facilities on site
   • Be a part of a mission to promote health and safety in Harris County
   • Play a key role in preventing illness and injury, protecting yourself and your community
   • During your employment with ExecuTeam Staffing, you are eligible to enroll in our benefits program, including medical (3 plans to choose from), dental, disability, critical illness, life, vision, accident, and behavioral health insurance. Additional benefits include 401K, direct deposit, and our referral bonus program!

   Salary: $30 an hour Take this opportunity to utilize your management experience and work with a public health organization. Apply today ! Why ExecuTeam ? With ExecuTeam Staffing, you are never just a resume. We are proud to be Houston’s leading employment agency for over 30 years, acting as the trusted partner in your success. We offer Direct Hire, Temp-to-hire, and Temporary positions to allow you to choose the opportunities that best fit your needs. Whether you are seeking career advancement or a recent graduate, our team will give you the respect, care, and attention you deserve. View more open positions at www.executeam.com ExecuTeam is an affiliate of The Reserves Network, a family-owned and veteran-founded company. Since 1987, we have been a trusted partner to employers and job seekers in a variety of industries and positions. As an equal opportunity employer, we value our employees and foster an environment of respect, integrity, and trust in every aspect of employment. However you identify and whatever your background, we encourage you to apply today .

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right emergency planner for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with emergency planners they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit emergency planners who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your emergency planner job on Zippia to find and recruit emergency planner candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit emergency planners, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new emergency planner

   Once you've selected the best emergency planner candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new emergency planner. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an emergency planner?