Whole Community

Whole Community Whole Community is a policy framework that emphasizes inclusive, multi-sector collaboration for preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation of disasters. It brings together public agencies, private companies, non-profit organizations, faith-based groups, community leaders, and individual citizens to coordinate capabilities and resources. The approach seeks to integrate strategy from federal entities down to neighborhood organizations and businesses to improve resilience in the face of hazards such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and pandemics.

Definition and Principles

Whole Community defines resilience as a shared responsibility among stakeholders including Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and state counterparts like California Office of Emergency Services and New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. Core principles draw on concepts promoted by Presidential Policy Directive 8, National Preparedness Goal, National Response Framework, and National Incident Management System: inclusive engagement with Red Cross (American Red Cross), Salvation Army (United States), and local Community Emergency Response Team volunteers; shared responsibility with private-sector partners such as American Hospital Association and multinational firms; and leveraging of civic organizations like United Way, Habitat for Humanity, and faith-based institutions including Catholic Charities USA. It emphasizes equity and access for vulnerable populations represented by advocacy groups like American Association of Retired Persons and National Disability Rights Network.

History and Development

Whole Community originated in guidance from Federal Emergency Management Agency in the mid-2000s and was formally articulated in FEMA doctrine after events including Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, and public health crises such as the 2009 swine flu pandemic. Influences include international frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and domestic policy milestones like Homeland Security Act of 2002 and Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006. Key workshops and conferences hosted by organizations including International Association of Emergency Managers, National Governors Association, and academic centers at Harvard Kennedy School and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shaped operational concepts. Pilot programs partnered FEMA with state agencies in places affected by Superstorm Sandy and 2011 Joplin tornado to refine whole-community practices.

Components and Roles

Whole Community identifies distinct components and assigns roles to entities such as federal agencies (Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency), state emergency management offices, local municipalities like the City of New Orleans, tribal governments like the Navajo Nation, and territorial administrations including Puerto Rico. Non-governmental organizations include Doctors Without Borders, Feeding America, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, and Team Rubicon. Private-sector roles are represented by corporations such as Walmart (company), Google LLC, AT&T, and the American Red Cross corporate partners, responsible for logistics, communications, and supply chains. Academic and research partners such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of Michigan, and Federal Reserve branches contribute modeling, economic analysis, and lifeline restoration planning. Community leaders—mayors like Rudy Giuliani (historical examples), grassroots organizers linked to Community Development Corporations, neighborhood associations, and faith leaders from institutions such as Trinity Church (New York City) augment outreach and recovery.

Implementation and Practices

Implementation relies on planning cycles seen in National Preparedness System, exercises such as TOPOFF and National Level Exercise, and tools like hazard mitigation planning informed by United States Geological Survey and National Weather Service forecasting. Practices include community engagement forums, joint training with National Guard (United States), multi-agency drills involving Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health departments, and public-private partnerships with logistics firms like FedEx and United Parcel Service. Technology and data-sharing use platforms from Esri and mapping work with OpenStreetMap communities, while communications strategies reference broadcasters such as Federal Communications Commission guidance and partnerships with National Public Radio and local media outlets. Funding mechanisms include grants from Department of Housing and Urban Development and programs administered through Economic Development Administration and state emergency funds.

Challenges and Criticisms

Critics argue Whole Community faces obstacles similar to those identified after Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy: unequal resource distribution, coordination failures among entities like FEMA and state agencies, and insufficient engagement of marginalized groups including tribal communities and recent immigrants. Scholars at institutions such as RAND Corporation, Brookings Institution, and Urban Institute highlight limitations in measuring outcomes, interoperability problems with systems used by Department of Defense and civilian agencies, and dependence on corporate logistics that raise equity concerns. Legal and policy challenges reference debates around statutes like the Stafford Act and funding appropriations by United States Congress. Operational critiques note the complexity of aligning disparate organizations—examples include interagency friction observed during responses to Deepwater Horizon oil spill and pandemic coordination issues during COVID-19 pandemic.

Category:Emergency management