Her Story
About Fatimah
Fatimah Grimes serves in emergency management with FEMA, a position she has held for nine years since being hired in 2017 amid Hurricane Harvey response efforts. Based in Texas, she brings twelve years of experience in the field, having transitioned from roles as a 911 dispatcher in public safety and earlier customer service positions in retail. Grimes holds an AA in Administration of Justice from Compton College, received in 2018, along with a 911 post-dispatcher's police certification from Golden West College in Huntington Beach, California. She credits her drive to succeed to her experiences growing up in the hood, which motivated her to seek better opportunities. In her work, she values time management to balance demanding periods of twelve-hour days with weeks off, and she advises aspiring professionals that the field relies more on certifications, such as those offered free by FEMA, along with strong motivation, work ethic, and discipline rather than degrees alone. Grimes also highlights the need for greater marketing and education in the industry to help communities prepare for natural disasters.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Fatimah
01What do you attribute your success to?
To the hood. It was definitely a motivation to get out. People who don't grow up in poverty don't understand the crab in a bucket theory, lack of resources, determination, self-worthiness, or the finance to think that you can do better.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
A closed mouth don't get fed. I've opened so many doors for myself just talking to people, taking the initiative, just putting myself out there.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My field specifically is not a degree-based field. Emergency management is still on the up and rise. Certifications could get you into this field. There's so many certifications, and FEMA offers so many for free. You can just take them online. ... it's really just coming down to your motivation and your work ethic ... how much time are you taking out to put aside to make it happen? It's all about the discipline and plan.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is marketing and education. A lot of people are living and not preparing for the inevitable. ... educating our community more ... about natural disasters ... I think this industry definitely needs more marketing, more education.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Time management is pivotal in any work-home balance. Sometimes I work 12 hours a day, and sometimes I don't work for weeks. When I have that time to myself, that I'm using it efficiently, and then when I don't have that time to myself, that I'm getting everything that I need to get done at work.
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