What are some strategies for developing partnerships to enhance emergency response capabilities?

When identifying partners whether public or private, consider the risks that impact the location and utilize any preparedness plans you may have. In analyzing your plans you will identify partners that may respond to your emergency. On the local public side, law enforcement, fire, EMS, and first responding agencies as well as gas, electric and water. On a larger state or federal side look toward agencies that provide assistance. On the private side, look to your neighbors. Collaboration in emergency response is critical. Many public agencies offer free tool kits to prepare you or your business and at times will integrate in preparedness training and response should you choose to. Finding partners will assist in your resilience planning

Hold regular practice drills with emergency services, neighboring towns, local businesses, and community groups. These drills test how well everyone works together in different crisis situations. How to make it happen: • Start the conversation: Reach out to potential partners and suggest the idea of practicing together. • Find the right people: Talk to those who make decisions in each organization. • Plan together: Decide on goals for the drills, how often to practice, and what kinds of emergencies to focus on. • Make it official (optional): Consider writing an agreement that outlines everyone's responsibilities.

I’ve found that identifying partners is a great to determine response capability. Identifying to a scale (local, regional, statewide, interstate and international) map each partners services, activation protocols, and other relevant information. Everyone needs a surge plan for when things get big and busy. And remember to test the response capability and review regularly.

When I was working with the USEPA they saw that in order deal with fire emergencies they would need each state to provide assistance in the event of emergencies beyond incipient phase fires so their responders do not become shrink wrap in plastic suits. The Coast Guard Strike Teams assisted during oil spills such as the Exxon Valdez. My job was to teach these employees so they would have unrestricted access to all emergencies. This level of collaboration is essential.

First, assess your organization's needs and gaps in emergency response to understand what skills, resources, or technologies you lack. Next, research organizations with complementary strengths, focusing on those with a proven track record in emergency management, including governmental agencies, NGOs, private sector companies, and community organizations. Networking at industry conferences, workshops, and training sessions can also reveal potential collaborators. Additionally, leverage online platforms and professional networks to connect with potential partners. It's essential to conduct thorough due diligence to evaluate the operational capacity and reputation of potential partners.

One thing I've found helpful in building mutual trust and respect is taking a field trip of your jurisdiction with and without the stakeholders to understand what is important. I want to see and understand what is truly important to them, from them, so I can make it just as important to me. Data can teach me, but I will learn by the connection. That is how I build partnerships... 'I'm here for you.'

These are all sound, fundamental best practices. Add: humility and you will achieve the ultimate collaboration. Literally, no single organization can implement every step, stage or process involved in emergency outreach and management and recovery. No matter who you are, you will NEED partners to reach communities, translate and speak multiple languages, assuage fears and inform and rally everyone to a common purpose.

Collaboration is one of the fundamental tenets in the Principles of Emergency Management. That is with everyone, include each other. That is where training and education is important as it is not just about building technical knowledge and skills but also building relationships and networks. For introverts or shy people it may be easier as there are dedicated tasks that need to be completed and not a forced social interaction and will help them break the ice. Something forcing them into a general mixer won’t do but which has its place once they already have a baseline. Saying that training and education up with more general activities and developing a sense of community and entry standards will help.

One thing I've seen through my travels around my region is that if responders are given the opportunity to become familiar with one another before taking part in a multi-agency response to a critical incident, the on-scene response is likely to have less hiccups. This comes from pre established trust across disciplines and agencies. Tabletops, exercises, and trainings are opportunities for those across disciplines to network and get to know each other, but so are potlucks and chats over coffee.

Defining common goals with partners involves open communication. Start by sharing your vision for emergency response enhancement and encourage partners to share theirs. Identify mutual interests to focus collaboration. Use SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) criteria to set agreed objectives, detailing collaboration scope, outcomes, and success metrics. Formalize these in a written agreement for clarity and accountability. Schedule regular progress reviews to adapt goals as necessary, ensuring a dynamic and effective partnership.

Depending on where you work it can be ideal to have Service Level Agreements or Memorandums Of Understanding in place, it ensures each organisation is clear o , and in agreement about, their roles and responsibilities.

Duplicate and overlap agreements and update them annually. Home Depot and Lowe’s, and local Ace hardware and Tractor Supply and Walmart and grocers, truckers, rental equipment yards, construction and site work contractors, architects and engineers… the lists go on. All the risks, threats and vulnerabilities have multiple potential critical paths. Generators as an example need to be leased or purchased, delivered, fueled, connected and that may require temporary wiring, load decisions need to be made and additional capacity added … and that’s just one example of a task needing multiple teammates

Don't shop around for partners in piece-meal fashion. Instead, invest in developing a systemic, all-inclusive 'meta'-approach [as in 'meta-analysis' and 'meta-philosophy']. This way, one is able to align partners BY DESIGN - instead of by retrofit...

Social media has provided an expansion of emergency management material across a plethora of platforms. Making those professional connections is essential for honing your craft as a first responder. Education, training, and community groups will all contribute to each of us bringing new concepts and ideas to our organizations. It's all about sharing content in order to strengthen the ultimate goal of providing quality service in saving lives.

You have to be curious about the people you want in your stakeholder group. Meaning you have to think about who they are, and then why they would be interesting to you. Which also means you need to put your own self interest aside, your ego aside, and get to know the people in front of you, in person. if you want quality partnerships, you need to drop your wall, put your phone down, and genuinely get to know somebody. That's why door-to-door sales were so successful back in the 40s and 50s. Because it was a one on one experience. Nothing can replace the one on one inter- communication activities that go on between people. relationship building is the key to successful stakeholder engagement.