What Safety & Emergency Services Career Field Should You Pick? [Flowchart]

A blurred scene of two EMTs unloading a gurney from an ambulance at an emergency room entrance
Category: Careers
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By Brittany Fillmore
Posted on

With so many career opportunities in the safety and emergency services industries, it may be hard to narrow down the options. This flow chart will help you decide the best career for you based on your wants and needs.

Infographic displaying paths to different EMS careers

“I want to help prevent a crisis in the workplace.”

Occupational Safety and Health: A career in occupational safety and health allows you to protect and prevent workplace injury. This specialization is essential for workers in a variety of industries. By protecting workers against sickness, disease and other health hazards, you will be protecting the lives and livelihoods of the workers around you.

“I want to help prevent a crisis in my community.”

Criminal Justice: You want to see the faces of the people you are helping firsthand. You want to see the impact you are making on your community as it grows and changes. A career in criminal justice will allow you to help others while improving the world you live in day-to-day.

“I want to help prevent a crisis in my country.”

Homeland Security: In the wake of national security threats, our country needs dedicated workers like you to keep us safe. Protecting infrastructure, gathering and analyzing intelligence data, and maintaining order to prevent a crisis are the types of objectives you will master in the homeland security field.

“I want to help others deal with emergencies before, during and after they occur.”

Emergency Services Management: Natural disasters can drastically alter the lives of those affected. By becoming an emergency management professional, you will work to prepare for the worst and protect the communities and cities which may be in distress. You would also respond immediately to disasters by planning relief efforts and bringing organization to chaos.

“I want to help others during a crisis, and I would run into a burning building to help someone.”

Fire Science: It takes a special individual to be able to run into a burning building and save the life of another. Firefighters and fire science professionals do this every day by using their knowledge of fire safety, investigation, leadership and administration.

“I want to help others during a crisis, and I don’t mind blood and guts as long as I’m able to help others.”

Emergency Medical Services Administration: EMS professionals make life-altering decisions in the blink of an eye. If helping others in times of crisis seems like something you would excel in, this is the career field for you. Skills like situational awareness, hazard assessment and hazard control will be valuable assets while on the job in EMSA.