Emergency managers must be able to think critically to identify and anticipate situations, solve problems, and make judgments and decisions to effectively and efficiently assume and manage risks. An assessment of the extent to which local emergency managers are able to think critically has not yet been conducted. Based in systems theory and the findings of previous research that identified critical thinking skills as a key cognitive requirement for effective risk management, an exploratory descriptive research design was used to quantify the extent to which local emergency managers in a southern U.S. state are able to think critically. The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal, Form S (WGCTA-S) was used to determine the extent to which a sample of 54 local emergency managers demonstrated the critical thinking skills associated with the ability to assume and manage risk. ANOVA was used to demonstrate that significantly higher WGCTA-S scores paralleled increased levels of education and experience among the managers. Independent sample t-tests were used to compare WGCTA-S scores of the local emergency managers with a sample of 4790 peer-level managers drawn from an archival WGCTA-S database. Local emergency managers had lower WGCTA-S scores than those in the archival comparison with the exception of those local managers in the high education and high experience group. These findings led to the conclusion that a baccalaureate education helps prepare individuals to think critically and that this strong foundation of cognitive skills will likely strengthen over time with practice-based experience. This study contributes to positive social change by providing research based findings that can enhance emergency risk management program outcomes, resulting in the preservation of life and property in the event of a disaster. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]