Welcome to the Emergency Management & Disaster Response Web Site

Leadership

William Hanlon Director Q

Daniel F Jacquish  Deputy Director Q

MISSION

  “The ICS framework is designed to bring order to a response.   The Coast Guard is the federally designated premiere maritime first responder and has provided the ICS expertise of its personnel during national emergency responses.” (Excerpts from The Defense Media Network, March 20, 2023). Visit CGOEMS on Facebook.

The Auxiliary supports the U.S. Coast Guard in its emergency management role via the Q-Directorate. The Emergency Management and Disaster Response Directorate is responsible for administering the Auxiliary preparation, response, recovery, and mitigation of natural and man-made disasters. We provide assistance in training and qualification of members who wish to work in the field, management and support of deployed personnel, plus planning and development of training and response materials. The Auxiliary performs these roles via emergency management professionals in both District and National staff positions.


AUXILIARY POSITIONS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Emergency Management is the general field name. It has various management positions in the Auxiliary, like District Staff Officer for Emergency Management (DSO-EM) and Assistant District Staff Officers for Emergency Management (ADSO-EM), that help run specific programs on the District level. One such program is the Coast Guard Agency Representatives (CG AREP), who would work in a local or county Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and represent a Coast Guard Sector.

On the National Staff level, there is the Emergency Management and Disaster Response Directorate (commonly referred to as the Q Directorate). The Q Directorate provides procedural oversight for Auxiliary emergency management functions and supports the Districts. There are several staff positions available on the national level in the Q-Directorate. Some of those functions do not require emergency management experience. For an individual interested in the Auxiliary emergency management career field, working for the Q Directorate might be a great opportunity to support the Coast Guard.

Finally, there are specific ICS positions that support CG units. We described one position, the “CG AREP” previously. ICS positions involve individuals who manage the response to an incident. At the top and in charge would be an Incident Commander (IC) or, if the situation is large enough, an Area Commander. There is a hierarchy command structure within ICS from the IC to his/her Command Staff, General Staff, Section Chiefs & Unit Leaders, etc. These positions require attaining Personal Qualification Standards (PQS) sign-offs for each position. Most higher positions require qualification in the position you would supervise and the need for advanced management courses and real-world experience.


HOW TO GET INVOLVED IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

If you wish to get involved in the exciting Emergency Management career field in the Auxiliary, begin with the Emergency Management Career Progression Guide. It will provide a clear understanding of Emergency Management in the Auxiliary, how to find training materials, and guide you on an organized career path.

If you decide that a specific ICS position in Emergency Management interests you, you must start by getting the basic information on the process and understanding the career progression. You will see progression tracks from one level to the next. There are four primary ICS tracks: Operations, Logistics, Planning, and Finance/Administration. Your first step is to get a copy of the new USCG PQS Training Guide. It is the authoritative source for gaining qualifications and a “must read” before you start the process. It shows the four basic tracks and how you progress from one level to the next. See which track interests you and where you might have some prior career knowledge that would help. All training and qualification materials are available on the left menu of this page. Lastly, don’t forget to speak with your DSO-EM to determine what ICS positions are needed in your area. When disaster strikes, the most qualified person is needed to help bring an end to the chaos. Those with the training and experience demonstrated and documented will be called upon to fill the roles.