Integrating Government Silos: Local Emergency Management and Public Health Department Collaboration for Emergency Planning and Response

• Published date: 01 August 2020
• DOI: 10.1177/0275074020943706
• Date: 01 August 2020
• Subject Matter: Public Management Opportunities & Challenges in the Era of COVID-19Testing the Size, Scope, Capabilities, Capacities, & Limits of State and Local Governments

https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074020943706

American Review of Public Administration

2020, Vol. 50(6-7) 560 –567

© The Author(s) 2020

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DOI: 10.1177/0275074020943706

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Testing the Size, Scope, Capabilities, Capacities, & Limits of State and Local Governments

The United States arguably faces the most serious disaster

since World War II: the COVID-19 pandemic (Prasad & Wu,

2020). The pandemic itself has created further cascading

economic, financial, human, and social crises. According to

media accounts to date, approximately 114,000 Americans

have died and approximately 2,000,000 (as of this writing)

have become infected (Murphy et al., 2020). Even before the

pandemic, the United States had experienced an increase in

the number and severity of emergencies and disasters (Dolan

& Messen, 2012; Scolobig et al., 2015). Disasters have also

increased in cost; American disasters in 2017 cost $300 bil-

lion (Smith, 2018). In the United States these events, plus the

current pandemic, have led to devastating social and eco-

nomic impacts, particularly to potentially vulnerable popula-

tions, and have highlighted ongoing social inequities (Horney

et al., 2016; Zavattaro & McCandless, 2020).

American emergency response begins at the local (city,

town, and county) level (Haddow et al., 2017). The local

level is closest to the individuals and communities most

impacted by an emergency, can plan in advance with local

resources and respond more quickly than higher government

levels (Haddow et al., 2017). During crises like COVID-19,

natural and other disasters, best practices include “whole

community” and “whole of government” approaches, involv-

ing all parts of the government, community organizations,

institutions, and businesses, with representation from diverse

individual community stakeholders (Kapucu, 2015; U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services Office of the

Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, 2019).

943706ARPXXX10.1177/0275074020943706The American Review of Public AdministrationWolf-Fordham

research-article2020

1Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, USA

Corresponding Author:

Susan Wolf-Fordham, Public Health Program, Massachusetts College of

Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 179 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115,

USA.

Email: susan.wolf-fordham@mcphs.edu

Integrating Government Silos: Local

Emergency Management and Public

Health Department Collaboration for

Emergency Planning and Response

Susan Wolf-Fordham1

Abstract

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.

Keywords

public health preparedness, emergency management, emergencies, disasters, pandemics, COVID-19, coronavirus, local

government collaboration