Not surprisingly, small local governments find it essentially impossible to respond with everything that's needed when a disaster strikes. From a practical and financial standpoint, there's just too much required in terms of personnel and equipment for it to be feasible.

Pooling resources is the best way for local governments to keep their disaster spending priorities from sinking their budgets while still providing disaster victims an appropriate and timely response when necessary. It's an approach Dave Hall, Texarkana emergency management director, hopes all local governments in the Four States Area will adopt by joining the Ark-La-Tex Emergency Management Alliance.

Hall says all regional governments have been invited to join the alliance, including both city governments in Texarkana; Bowie, Miller, Lafayette and Cass counties; and various other counties and cities in Texas and Louisiana. Several entities already have signed on and Hall hopes all will see the benefits of a coordinated approach to disaster responses.

Just what other jurisdictions could offer isn't clear just yet, but Hall cited the example of Shreveport, which he says has more resources and equipment than is available locally. If Shreveport could be persuaded to join the alliance, its expertise could be used here if needed, just as local resources could be utilized elsewhere if requested.

Local governments should be encouraged to join the alliance. Cooperation among all the alliance members could help save money by eliminating potential duplication of expenditures if there's an agreement to share what others have. First and foremost, though, joining the alliance will bring the Four States Area closer to being able to respond to big disasters quickly and with all the equipment, people and expertise to do so properly.