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Role of private & public partners in crisis researched by DHS Fellow

 (Oct. 16, 2006)

    Emergency response plans, whether focused on national, state or local response, describe the need for public-private partnerships (PPP). Jenn Gustetic, a 2005 DHS Fellow, is examining the roles and contributions of different partners during a crisis.

    “Should the government be the sole arranger and provider of emergency preparedness and response services, or should the private sector be engaged in this service proposition?,” asks Jenn. This is based on the need for an efficient and effective response to a crisis. “It is how these services are provided that has been given little academic attention,” she adds.

     By identifying the attributes of emergency functions, Jenn will identify which functions are apt and which are not for various degrees of partnership. PPP structures range from voluntary agreements to complete divestiture and the functions of emergency preparedness and response can lie anywhere within this range.

    “This research will produce a framework to allow governments to structure both the bureaucracy for handling national emergencies, and the partnership tradition they create in providing emergency services,” states Jenn. Her research will conceptualize risk and responsibilities for public and private partners, and point out incentives for private participation beyond short-term economic return.

    Jenn looks to complete her Master’s degree in Technology and Policy at MIT in June 2007.