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Collaboration is about building relationships, especially
in the pre-disaster environment. Nobody wants to meet
somebody for the first time when the worst disaster
comes in, especially in this small rural community such
as we are.
(ID4)
A good relationship in a normal times period can be
developed by accumulating positive experiences in daily
interaction and communication. Regularly keeping in touch
with current or potential partners whom you may know from
the workplace or training workshops and further creating
friendships with them is also thought to be a strategy for
establishing good relationships. Another EM coordinator from
a large county explained the following:
The relationship, you’re going to stay in touch with
them and become friends with them. I would say we are
good friends with most communities, people from
organizations we deal with. So you have friendship
more than just a business association. . . . So it is about
going from business partnership to actual relationship.
And staying in touch in the off time even when we are
not meeting. (ID3-2)
In sum, for local EM agencies, creating and maintaining
good informal and formal relationships with all current and
potential partners is critical since collaboration is always
expected and demanded. Local EM agencies believe that
collaboration may break down when the relationship becomes
inharmonious. Therefore, they try hard to keep good
relationships with partners to prevent disharmony and conflicts.
IX. Discussion
On the basis of the above interview findings, this study
discussed the activities, rationales, and common drivers of three
different types of EM collaboration (Figure 2). Regarding vertical