First State Emergency Management + Jobs - June 2026
Emergency management news and updates from the First State.
First State EM ~ Monthly Digest
Hello, again. Welcome to the June edition of First State Emergency Management + Jobs, where we’ll dive into the latest happenings in the emergency management space as they relate to Delaware, locally relevant jobs, training, and student opportunities, as well as other miscellaneous tidbits.
The big emergency management news nationally this month is the release of the FEMA Review Council’s Final Report and NOAA calling for a below-normal hurricane season (Fingers crossed). Locally, here in the Diamond State, besides the start of hurricane and air quality alerting season, we have the advancement of Senate Bill 310, which would establish the much-needed “Delaware Disaster Recovery Fund.” Kudos to DSHA and DEMA for their persistent efforts here. Otherwise, as always, thank you to those who’ve subscribed, and feel free to reach out with any story ideas, suggestions, or questions! Enjoy.
Jobs and things:
Hybrid CERT Basic Training. This free, flexible version is a FEMA-approved alternative 2-part delivery method teaching all elements of the standard Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Basic Training course by blending self-paced online lessons (around 12 hours) with essential in-person, hands-on practical skills sessions (about 16 hours). Made available by the University of Utah and the National CERT Association and your local CERT Sponsor. This self-paced online course covers CERT foundational knowledge through multimedia learning experience; videos, virtual reality simulations, audio voice over, interactive knowledge checks, live IT, and more.
Emergency Preparedness Fellow, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The Emergency Preparedness Fellowship Program at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is a 1-year program (with a vested option for extension) designed to give a current student in a recognized Master’s program or recent graduate the opportunity for career and professional development in a health care setting. The Emergency Preparedness Fellowship prepares the candidate for career and leadership opportunities in the fields of emergency management, public health preparedness, healthcare emergency preparedness, and other related employment avenues through direct participation in activities created to build and strengthen essential planning, mitigation, response, and recovery skills. The Emergency Preparedness Fellow will follow a quarterly program that is designed to guide and demonstrate competencies of specific tasks through each quarterly section. Fellows will be prepared to submit for their AEM/CEM certifications by the end of the Fellowship.
Executive Director, American Red Cross (Delmarva). The Chapter Executive Director (ED) serves as the primary community-facing leader and facilitator for the American Red Cross at the chapter level. As a facilitative meta-leader, the ED, in partnership with functional supervisors, convenes, aligns, and empowers cross-functional teams and external partners to deliver core services, deploy secondary services where needed most, and strengthen community resilience. The ED represents the organization publicly, leads collaborative chapter planning with and alongside the community, and stewards strategic relationships to achieve regional program, revenue, volunteer recruitment and engagement, blood collection, and community engagement goals.
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Specialist, Fireside. The EOC Specialist (Flight Monitoring Specialist) will guide and support aviation clients experiencing critical events and emergencies and coordinate Fireside Partners’ emergency response activities. While not responding to emergencies, the EOC Specialist’s primary role will be monitoring a large fleet of aircraft and marine vessels for emergencies and service disruptions and also researching and analyzing briefings, news reports, social media platforms, and other data sources for potential impacts on clients’ operations. Finally, the EOC Specialist will assist clients with general requests and service inquiries and support Fireside Partners’ Air-SOS, HELP Team, Effects Management Center, and Production personnel.
Hazardous Materials Program Manager, Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management. The HazMat Program Manager is a full-time position within the Philadelphia Managing Director’s Office of Emergency Management (MDO-OEM). This position is responsible for improving the City of Philadelphia’s preparedness for hazardous materials-related events through coordination across industry, government, and the public. The HazMat Program Manager leads the City’s Tier II compliance program, facilitates the Philadelphia Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), coordinates hazardous materials planning and response activities, and serves as a subject-matter expert with OEM and external stakeholders.
THIS MONTH’S
TOP STORIES
Credit: Delaware Emergency Management Agency
Hurricane preparedness week promotes pre-season preparation
by Delaware Emergency Management Agency on May 15, 2026
“In anticipation of the upcoming hurricane season, June 1st to November 30th, 2026, Governor Matt Meyer has proclaimed May 18th to May 22nd Hurricane Preparedness Week. In support of this, the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA), along with state, county and local agencies are urging citizens to help communities mitigate against threats posed by hurricanes and other tropical storms.
As the lowest-lying state in the country, hurricane conditions are particularly dangerous. These disasters can produce storm surge, flooding, gale-force winds, beach erosion, and mass power outages that not only impact coastal regions throughout the state but also can create high-risk areas for public safety, businesses, and homes in other areas throughout Delaware.”
DNREC releases new wetland program plan, focus on restoration and education
by Torie Seagraves on May 18, 2026
“DNREC has released a new five-year Delaware Wetland Program Plan aimed at guiding wetland research, conservation, education and management efforts statewide through 2030. The 2026-2030 Delaware Wetland Program Plan, developed by DNREC’s Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program within the Division of Watershed Stewardship, outlines strategies to increase wetland acreage and improve wetland conditions across Delaware. According to DNREC, nearly half of the state’s wetlands are in Sussex County.”
Behind the scenes: UD’s EOC supports inauguration celebration
by Josh Kelly on April 28, 2026
“On April 17, as the UD [University of Delaware] community celebrated the inauguration of President Laura Carlson, a network of campus partners worked behind the scenes to support a safe, seamless and memorable event. At the center of this effort was UD’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which was activated to provide coordinated situational awareness and real-time support throughout the celebration.”
Delaware Responder christening set for June 9 in Lewes
by Madeleine Overturf on May 11, 2026
“The Delaware Bay and River Cooperative announced a christening ceremony for the Delaware Responder, a fast response oil spill response vessel built by Rozema Boat Works of Mount Vernon, Washington. The ceremony is scheduled for noon Tuesday, June 9, at the University of Delaware Adrian S. Hooper Marine Operations Building, 700 Pilottown Road in Lewes.”
First State Emergency Management
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