---

5.5 Cooperation

1. “Practice Cooperation During Normal Times – One interviewee noted that its long-standing rivalry with another agency made it almost impossible for the two to collaborate in even a basic way; although, their collaboration might have eased congestion during the blackout period.”
   Effects of Catastrophic Events on Transportation System Management and Operations: August 2003 Northeast Blackout Great Lakes Region

2. Practice Interagency Cooperation – “Strong interagency cooperation practiced by many agencies in southern California had a direct, positive impact on the ability to manage these incidents.”
   Southern California Firestorm 2003: Report for the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

3. Use an Incident Command System to Facilitate Cooperation – “The Incident Command System was rated invaluable as the common doctrine to facilitate interagency cooperation and establish and exercise effective unified command.”
   Southern California Firestorm 2003: Report for the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

---

February 7, 2006
Publication #FHWA–HOP-08-015