GAO recommends better nationwide collaboration among first responders in emergencies

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently recommended that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) facilitate better collaboration among first responders during emergencies.

After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf region in 2005, Congress passed a law creating regional working groups of first responders to improve collaboration. Each working group includes members from different levels of government, as well as from the private sector. These working groups performed well in emergencies at a regional level as members shared information and assisted each other.

Nationwide collaboration, the GAO stated, will provide opportunities for first responders to share information and leverage the knowledge and experiences of their counterparts throughout the nation.

“While FEMA has encouraged collaboration among regional working-group leaders, cross-regional efforts have been limited and do not involve all group members. Developing and implementing an appropriate ongoing mechanism for collaboration could enhance emergency communications capabilities, such as by helping group members address common challenges,” the GAO stated.

GAO recommended that the administrator of FEMA work with regional working group members to implement an ongoing mechanism to encourage nationwide collaboration across these groups. One possibility is a national-level working group that uses virtual or other means of coordination.