While all the options provided contribute to emergency management, the most foundational element for an effective response isestablishing partnerships at the local, regional, and state levels. This reflects the "Whole Community" approach advocated byFEMAand theNational Preparedness Goal. In a large-scale natural disaster, no single agency or jurisdiction has the resources to manage the response independently. Partnerships facilitate the "pre-incident" relationships that turn into "on-incident" efficiency.

Partnerships are the "connective tissue" of theTiered Response. At the local level, this means the fire department having a working relationship with the local public works department and private sector utility providers. Regionally, it involvesMutual Aid Agreements(like those used by fire and police). At the state level, it involves the integration of the National Guard and state-level Emergency Support Functions (ESFs).

According to theCEDPcurriculum, "you don't want to be exchanging business cards for the first time at the scene of a disaster." Options A and B are theactivitiesthat happen because of partnerships, but the partnership itself is the prerequisite. For example, joint planning (Option B) only occurs if a partnership has been established. These multi-level partnerships ensure that resource requests flow smoothly, that specialized assets are known and accessible, and that there is a shared understanding of jurisdictional boundaries. This "Social Capital" is often cited as the primary reason why some communities recover faster than others; the trust built through established partnerships allows for rapid decision-making and a unified effort that minimizes the "friction" inherent in complex disaster operations.