One neighborhood, two families: A comparison of intergovernmental emergency management relationships

David A. McEntire, PhD; John R. Lindsay, MCP

doi:10.5055/jem.2012.0090

Authors

David A. McEntire, PhD
John R. Lindsay, MCP

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.2012.0090

Keywords:

emergency management, Canada, United States, federalism

Abstract

This article provides a comparative study of the emergency management systems in Canada and the United States, paying special attention to the nature of intergovernmental relations in these two neighboring countries. This article first provides background information on the challenge of intergovernmental coordination in emergency management. It then explores the similar and distinct contexts of emergency management in Canada and the United States. A discussion of the methods used for this study follows. Findings of the research are presented along with a discussion about the results of this study. This article concludes with implications for emergency management. The major lesson of this research is that even similar sociopolitical contexts may result in very different emergency management approaches, and emergency managers should understand how this impacts their work.

Author Biographies

David A. McEntire, PhD

Associate Professor, Emergency Administration and Planning, Department of Public Administration, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas.

John R. Lindsay, MCP

Assistant Professor, Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies, Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada.

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