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Exploring the dynamics
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I would say that the business partners partner with us
because it’s good for them to be included in planning
and also in the hardening and strengthening of their
own capabilities and their own facilities. So they are
doing it more for as a . . . almost like an insurance
policy for their own business. (ID10)
VIII. Other Drivers of Local Emergency
Management Collaboration
A. Local Emergency Managers and Collaboration
According to Florida Statute 252.38, the duty of a county
EM director is to coordinate EM activities, services, and
programs within the county and serve as the liaison between the
state and other local EM agencies. County and city EM directors
generally have extensive experience in EM-related areas. These
local emergency managers are professionally appointed rather
than politically appointed.
According to the interview responses, local emergency
managers generally think their jobs involve performing the
following operations: 1) receive information from higher levels
of governments and depict and certify local EM plans in
compliance with federal, state, and county EM framework; 2)
enhance local EM capacity for such tasks as applying for grants
for mitigation and preparedness activities, conducting EM drills
or exercises, and educating administrative agencies and the
public about EM-related intelligence; 3) make decisions, calm
the public, and assure the public that the government will
provide the necessary assistance during a disaster; and 4)
encourage or implement various collaboration for successfully
dealing with all types of emergencies and disasters. The
interviewees emphasized that they have no substantive authority
until the local or state emergency is activated. Local govern-
ments are not those in the first line to rescue the public and they
have no substantive authority to command other agencies. They