Integrating Government Silos

Local Emergency Management and Public Health Department Collaboration for Emergency Planning and Response

Bibliographic Data

ID11673616
AuthorsSusan Wolf-Fordham (0000-0003-1352-1377, MCPHS University, corresponding author)
Year2020
Volume50
Issue6-7
Pages560-567
Publication date2020-07-24
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe American Review of Public Administration (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0275-0740 • E-ISSN: 1552-3357
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0275074020943706
OpenAlexW3045139212
LanguageEN
Citations received21
References cited14

The United States arguably faces the most serious disaster it has faced since World War II: the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic itself has created further cascading economic, financial, and social crises. To date, approximately 114,000 Americans have died and approximately 2,000,000 (as of this writing) have become infected. American emergency planning and response, including for pandemics, begins at the local (city, town, and county) level, close to the individuals and communities most impacted. During crises like COVID-19, natural and other disasters, best practices include “whole of government” and “whole community” approaches, involving all parts of the government, community organizations, institutions, and businesses, with representation from diverse individual community stakeholders. Local emergency management and public health agencies are at the heart of emergency planning and response and thus warrant further examination. While collaboration between the two is recognized as a best practice, in reality there appear to be silos and gaps. This Commentary describes the American emergency planning system and the roles of local emergency management and public health departments. Closer examination illuminates similarities and differences in practitioner demographics, professional competencies, organizational goals, and culture. The Commentary reviews the limited research and observations of collaboration efforts and suggests areas for integrating the two practice areas in future research, education, professional training, and practice. Breaking down the silos will strengthen local emergency and public health preparedness planning and response, ultimately leading to stronger community health, well-being, resilience, and more efficient local administration

Best practice · Business · Community resilience · Emergency management · Government (linguistics · Local government · Political science · Preparedness · Public health · Public relations · Resource (disambiguation · Disaster Management and Resilience · Disaster Response and Management · Medicine · Nursing · Public Administration · Public Health Policies and Education