EMDS Instructor Jason Graber, MPA, Teaches From His Many Experiences
While he’s teaching a class new to him this spring semester (Intro to Emergency Management), Instructor Jason Graber, MPA, is not new to the encompassing range of emergency situations.
From his work as a police office, to Battalion Chief in the Washington DC area, to being a community Deputy Volunteer Fire Chief, Graber draws on his vast experiences and education when teaching this new class, in addition to his regular fire prevention class.
“I’ve realized that I’ve liked so many of the opportunities I’ve had in my 25 years as a career and volunteer firefighter, and as a 911 dispatcher and a police officer. I didn’t want to pigeonhole myself. And I encourage my students to work hard to learn and experience as much as they can.”
Graber has grown through plenty of emergency situations in his current Battalion Chief position at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority in the fire and rescue department. MWAA airports are in the midst of the DC area, and have seen their share of emergency situations. Some recent events he’s encountered include the recent FAA shutdown, the Afghan rescue process with his airports being the only ones in the US bringing in the refugees, building fires, bringing in the Red Cross, snowstorms in New York affecting travel, and working with the department’s coastguard helicopter detachment.
Through this all, Graber applauds how emergency management professionals work together in events. His fire department job might not be a direct tie to a situation, but it relates to pieces of so many incidents where recovery and management of the incident are essential, as well as working with others.
His biggest advice for students is to be open-minded and flexible, seeing the broad stroke of the science and experiencing many things. He also encourages students to network, interview professionals in the field, and see how places handle incidents similarly and differently.
“There are so many different pathways you can take, and still be very helpful at an event,” he said.
Graber, who also teaches fire prevention and fire sciences, earned his MPA from UNO in 2017; and then started teaching online for UNO in 2020. He currently resides in northern Virginia.
