This story was updated on May 27, 2025.
Crisis is at the heart of Alex Freeman’s career—anticipating, managing and overcoming a crisis, to be exact. And he readily admits, “It’s a unique profession.”
As the Emergency Management Coordinator for Waukesha County, Freeman is responsible for developing and implementing emergency response plans, coordinating with local agencies and ensuring community preparedness for various crises. “We’re tasked with being that hub for outside resources and the subject matter experts when it comes to planning for basically the worst-case scenarios that none of us on a day-to-day basis want to think about.” But Freeman thinks about it every day.
His to-do list might include preparing to manage everything from natural disasters such as tornadoes, floods and severe storms; public health emergencies like pandemics and disease outbreaks; technological hazards such as chemical spills or industrial accidents; and even terrorist attacks or active shooter situations.
Serious stuff. But that doesn’t mean his career or training is in crisis mode. For example, he recently attended an Active Threat Integrated Response Conference in Wisconsin Dells, participating in active shooter training. The goal? To prepare participants for the unpredictable and rapidly evolving nature of such events. “It’s crucial to be prepared both mentally and physically to deal with an active shooter situation,” Freeman noted. Some of the conference training included scenario-based exercises that help participants practice the decision-making process and take necessary actions to save lives.
Getting to this point in his career led Freeman to pursue a BA in Public Administration with an Emergency Management emphasis through UW-Green Bay. One significant benefit of engaging with the program is the increased interaction with professionals in this dynamic field, many of whom were also his instructors. “Many of the instructors are professional practitioners or former practitioners, including the Wisconsin Emergency Management Administrator, Greg Engel. Their real-world experience and insights were incredibly valuable,” Freeman noted. These interactions have been just as valuable as any research or academic content. Freeman plans to graduate May 2025.
Freeman’s path into crisis management began when he first attended UW Waukesha’s two-year program. He initially worked at Milwaukee’s secure detention facility with the state department of corrections. However, he knew he wanted to help people more directly, which led him to 911 dispatching. Realizing he needed a bachelor’s degree to advance his career, he decided to pursue further education.
Freeman took on the role of a 9-1-1 call taker at the Waukesha County Communications Center. While the position exposed him to the realities of emergency situations and sparked his interest in the field, not all aspects of the job were about handling crises. “I started at the Waukesha County Communications Center as a 9-1-1 call-taker and dispatcher. That’s where I met my wife. She was a fellow telecommunicator, and we met there.”
Professionally, Freeman was also making progress. “I had been advancing my career in public administration, so I knew that that is what I wanted to do and what I wanted to go back to school for,” Freeman explained. This led him to choose UW-Green Bay for his undergraduate degree. But what also influenced his decision was another crisis that touched nearly everyone’s life—COVID.
“After COVID, that is when I was trying to move forward with my career. And so I was looking at different programs and UW-Green Bay jumped out because it’s in the UW system, it’s a good school. And they have the PA program with the emergency management emphasis,” Freeman shared. Plus, the online asynchronous format provided a great level of access for a working professional.
It was also a format that allowed Freeman to make adjustments to his own work processes, even as a student. “The PA program has just given me a much stronger foundation to look at our programs and how we’re working,” Freeman noted. “Plus, the emergency management emphasis has also provided valuable insights into response, recovery and all phases of emergency management.”
For those aspiring to a similar career, Freeman advises becoming completely aware and realistic about the challenges of a niche specialty with highly competitive and rewarding opportunities, especially for those trying to combine advancing their career while working. “It’s going to be challenging for anybody who is trying to balance work and their personal life, especially if they’re working in the public safety field or really almost anywhere in public administration.”
Volunteering is a good start for anyone wanting to “test drive” a career in emergency management. “Get involved wherever you’re at,” Freeman advises. “There’s emergency management work that can be done at whatever level. Building connections with local or county emergency management offices and volunteering with organizations like the American Red Cross, Salvation Army or Team Rubicon can provide valuable experience.”
As for those enthralled with the glamour, adventure and romance portrayed in shows from Lone Star 9-1-1 to Chicago Fire? Those experiences should be consumed for entertainment purposes only. Though Freeman confesses to being a fan of Tommy Lee Jones’s role in the movie Volcano. “He played a great emergency manager.”
Congratulations to Alex Freeman for “officially” earning his bachelor of arts in Public Administration with an Emergency Management emphasis at this spring’s commencement. Upon earning this degree, he shared how UW-Green Bay kept him future-focused.
“My time at UW-Green Bay was an opportunity to build on my work experience with a formal education in Public Administration and Emergency Management, but more importantly it was invaluable in being able to compare professional practice with theory. Each served as a lens through which to view and reflect on the other, with coursework offering a broader knowledge-base and insight into best practices and ideal implementation, and with professional experience tempering this with an awareness of practical limitations like the time and resource constraints we all face. The Public Administration (PA) program and Emergency Management (EM) emphasis included plenty of takeaways that can be realistically implemented in practice, as well as opportunities for improvement and long-term goals for building a stronger program. The insights from extremely knowledgeable professors and adjuncts drawing on a wealth of experience were also valuable. At the end of the day, PA and EM are about effective government and safe communities, and UWGB is helping build both.”