The Development of Emergency Management Technology Program at Jackson State University

Disaster takes many forms: an earthquake, a fire, a flood, a hurricane, a tornado, a hazardous chemical spill, a radiological accident, or anything else where people are at risk. Natural disasters and man-made calamities occur anytime, anywhere. Every year, millions of Americans face disaster and its terrifying consequences. These events pose great threats to public security. Therefore, it is necessary to create a concentration in emergency management technology to well prepare students as Emergency Management professionals. Jackson State University (JSU) has established an “Emergency Management Technology” (EMT) program. This undergraduate program introduces emergency management technology into education and research. These efforts promote and encourage undergraduate students to pursue a degree in Homeland Security-related Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (HS-STEM) as well as ensure that they will have the skills needed to manage a crisis, to help prevent the worst, and to improve outcomes in all types of disasters. This paper discusses the program development and experiences in the first year of operation of EMT program.