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Exploring the dynamics
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When an emergency exceeds that emergency threshold
and becomes a disaster, then I need to be able to look
to other agencies to support my activities. That respect
is not uncommon. If we can’t find resources locally
then we reach vertically to the state warning office, the
State Division of Emergency Management, who is at
the state level of coordinating agencies. (ID13)
Put differently, when local governments recognize the
existence of hazards in their jurisdictions that can bring damages
to them, they are more willing to collaborate with all levels of
governments, for-profit businesses, and non- governmental
organizations. When an emergency scales up to become a
disaster and local governments cannot respond to it relying only
on local resources, local governments will search for outside
support through all types of collaboration to deal with this
disaster.
E. Past Experience, Relationship Building, and
Collaboration
According to the literature, the past experiences of
partners will hinder or facilitate future collaboration. If
Organization A previously collaborated positively with
Organization B, A will be more likely to continue collaborating
with B. During the interviews, it was found that the influence of
favorable past experience is often understood as an important
factor in establishing a good relationship. Based on the
interviewees’ opinions, this study posited that collaboration is
built on relationships. Good relationships facilitate good EM
collaboration. Several local EM directors emphasized that
building and maintaining relationships with all current or
potential partners during normal periods of time is important
and necessary, which can help local EM agencies rapidly and
smoothly collaborate with all partners during an emergency. An
EM director from a small county indicated the following: