Exploring the Relationship between Homeland Security Information Sharing & Local Emergency Preparedness

Abstract

Information sharing among federal, state, and local agencies is a critical element of U.S. homeland security strategy. Few researchers, however, have examined the relationship between the use of homeland security information-sharing systems and perceived levels of emergency preparedness at the local level (city, county, and region). In order to explore this relationship, an online survey was administered to eighty-three registered users of Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS.gov) ''' a U.S. Department of Homeland Security information sharing system ''' and interviews were conducted with ten LLIS.gov users located in different regions of the country. This study finds that the concepts of information sharing and preparedness accommodate multiple ''' and at times conflicting ''' meanings and practices. As a result, the government'۪s effort to create a 'trusted partnership' and a 'culture of information sharing' among federal, state, and local agencies faces significant challenges.