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(FDEM) is the primary state partner with local governments in
Florida.
According to Chapter 252.35 of the Florida Statute,
the FDEM is responsible for “coordination with efforts of the
Federal Government with other departments and agencies of
state government, with county and municipal governments and
school boards, and with private agencies that have a role in
emergency management.”
Normally, county governments do not interact directly
with the federal government except during a disaster, or for
training and education purposes. However, county governments
may receive notices from the FEMA when policy changes occur.
FEMA will also reach out to localities when some specific
projects and involvements from local governments are needed.
In sum, state and federal governments play supporting roles to
local governments in EM. One county EM director pointed out
the following:
Generally based on the local priority, the federal
government and state government are not going to
come in, take over an incident, or manage the disaster
for a county’s daily-base[work], falling in more of a
supporting role providing resources and expertise, or
personnel or whatever you need based on the request
from that local jurisdiction. (ID5)
The reasons why local governments collaborate with the
state and federal governments include: 1) legal requirements, 2)
grant purposes, 3) resource seeking, 4) training purposes, and 5)
information and voice exchanges. Several county EM directors
indicated that vertical collaboration is somehow defined by the
laws (ID5, ID6, ID7, ID10, & ID12). Florida Statute 252 and
Florida Administrative Code 9G define and regulate the roles of
state, county, and municipal governments and their
relationships in EM. At the federal level, the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act legally authorizes
local governments to send a disaster declaration to FEMA in