I coordinate resources to respond to emergencies
Susan K. Reinertson, 42, Bothell, Wash., FEMA administrator for the Northwestern states
"You need to know who to call if something catastrophic happens--who can bring the sandbags, who can do the inspections and how the pieces will fit together. I build relationships with those people and then, during a catastrophe, I bring them together.
When I started working as a 911 dispatcher, in Grand Forks, N.D., I realized this type of work really suited me. I loved being the one person in the whole city who knew what was going on in a crisis. Eventually I graduated to the same job at the state level, and I enjoyed an even greater perspective. When I later worked on a policy level for a think tank in Washington, D.C., I was often called for advice on how to deal with emergencies or to help with preparedness activities. But I missed being at the center of the unfolding action. So when I got a call asking if I would apply to be the administrator for the Northwest for the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], I was honored beyond belief.
Since Sept. 11, emergency planning has changed a lot. We used to prepare just for natural disasters; now we prepare for acts of terrorism, too. National defense and security issues have complicated everything. So much thought and planning has to happen to prepare for so many different possibilities, it's mind-boggling. We run through drills and exercises to practice for emergency situations. I've been involved in exercises where just a handful of us brainstorm different scenarios and then we plan responses. I also coordinate full-scale exercises that involve hundreds of people in a park, on a field, on a road, in a building or on an airstrip. We might imagine that a weapon of mass destruction has gone off and we need to evacuate victims from the chemical plume. We'd bring in people to play the victims, and the first responders practice bringing people to chemical decontamination tents. It's hard to comprehend how valuable these pretend scenarios are, but without them, employees wouldn't know how to do their jobs in a real emergency.
I'm on call 24/7, 365 days a year--I have to respond at the drop of a hat. And as much as it could control your life, you can't really let it. I used to think, "I don't dare go to a movie. What if something happens?" But I've learned that life can change in a moment, so you have to make room for living, for fun. When I go to the mall or a movie I just make sure to carry my cell phone and pager, as well as phone numbers of the governors in my area and the homeland security advisers.
I'm single, which isn't a bad thing for this job since I travel two or three weeks a month. Holding a routine in my personal life is a challenge. I can't volunteer regularly like I used to, and I have to be pretty creative to work out. To make time for myself, I've become as disciplined about setting personal goals as I am in my work life. For instance, I'm running a half marathon in a few months, so I'm trying to run every day. Spiritually, I try to put my trust in a higher power, and I go out of my way to help people. In a demanding job like this, I have to take care of my whole self. If I don't, I'm not going to be able to be of service to the country. And it is such an honor to be in this role. I want to give it my best."