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resources or professional knowledge to assist local governments
deal with disasters. Compared with private companies, these
non-profit organizations are thought to be more philanthropic
and more willing to voluntarily work with local governments.
Non-profit organizations offer lots of volunteers, equipment,
and professional knowledge to work with local governments for
opening up and constructing shelters, and providing heated
food and emergency medical assistance. Many volunteers
actually come from faith-based organizations. Local governments
have recognized the importance of cross-sector collaboration
and regularly include partners from different sectors at all stages
of planning and responding.
According to the interview data, reasons explaining why
Florida local governments collaborate with each other are
identified. These reasons include legal requirements, grant
purposes, resource seeking and provision, information and
intelligence exchanges, and risk similarity. Regarding horizontal-
intersectoral collaboration, seeking resources and manpower,
requesting intelligence, and providing consul- tations are the
three main factors that motivate local governments. Financial
incentives are not a top reason of horizontal collaboration;
however, local governments may work together to develop a
regional grant project to apply for funding from state and
federal governments. Compared with local government-based
vertical collaboration, in which local governments generally
serve the role of resource recipients, local government-based
horizontal collaboration involves local governments requesting
resources or information as well as providing support,
intelligence, or consultation. Particularly, after 9/11, more
private companies are concerned with security issues and ask for
EM-related knowledge and assistance. Local EM managers
generally believe that providing support to local communities
through collaboration, especially during a disaster, is their duty.
They think such collaboration is reciprocal and essential.