Emergency responders work in many different emergency response careers, but they all face danger to come to the aid of others when called.

A job where you can really make a difference in other people’s lives is available to you in many emergency response careers. Explore some of the opportunities to discover one that may just be the job that you will love.

1. Public Safety Officer

If your STEM Type is advisor, this career might just be for you! You can pursue this and other emergency response careers right of out of high school following graduation if you are physically fit and successful in passing psychological testing and background clearances. You may work for a school, company, or government agency and be responsible for traffic, crime prevention, and protection of the people who work or go to school in the buildings you are responsible for patrolling. Public safety officers also perform first aid, assist with crowd control, and respond to automobile accidents. The median salary earned in this emergency response career is $58,240.

2. Emergency Management Planner

Planning and developing procedures to follow in the event of emergencies is the duty of the emergency management planner. Employment in this emergency response career is usually found in local or state governments, but private companies also hire them to plan for and know how to respond to any threat to the safety of their employees from accidents, weather emergencies, or other incidents. A bachelor’s degree in emergency management is required for this job as an emergency management planner with a median salary of $68,500. The job outlook is about eight percent through 2026. If your STEM Type is integrator, you might really enjoy this career!

3. Disaster Response Technician

Battling threats from poisonous and dangerous materials, disaster response technicians work wherever there is a danger to human health or the environment from train derailments, oil spills, chemical plant accidents, or even terrorist attacks. Containing and cleaning up these dangerous materials requires planning, training and cooperation with other emergency agencies to effectively deal with an emergency, A high school diploma is the only educational requirement, but extensive job training is required. A median salary of $39,690 can be earned and the job outlook is seven percent growth through 2022. If your STEM Type, this is one of many emergency response careers well-suited for you.

4. Lineworker

Strong storms often rip electric power lines from the poles that support them, putting thousands of homes in the dark and without refrigeration or power to supply heat or air conditioning. Enter the lineworkers as members of key emergency response careers who come to the aid. Working for technology and energy companies, lineworkers only need a high school diploma, but must complete an apprenticeship program and classroom training. Lineworkers earn a median salary of $62,850, working in sometimes dangerous conditions to repair and install poles, cables and other equipment, often high in the air. If your STEM Type is producer and you enjoy working outdoors, this is a career you might want to consider.

5. Emergency Room Doctor

Years of preparation and training are required in this emergency response career, but hard work pays off for the emergency room doctor who can earn a median salary of $274,000. After earning a doctor of medicine or osteopathy degree at an accredited university, a three-to-four-year residency must be completed by an emergency room doctor. Each state also requires students to pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination. In addition to the extensive training, this career requires the ability to make quick decisions and work with an emergency medical team to treat patients in a hospital emergency room who have been injured or are seriously ill and in truly life-and-death situations. If your STEM Type is advisor and you don’t faint at the sight of blood, this career can provide you with countless opportunities to help others.

The courage to run toward an emergency and the desire to help others are found in all those who pursue emergency response careers. All of the jobs are important and all emergency responders join together to do whatever needs to be done.