In this shift, it will be important to know that the federal, state, and municipal response organizations are not a monolith. There are good people being asked to work in a broken system. And they will themselves be fighting to do what is right, within the structures they are obliged to follow. Help them interpret or bend new rules. Help them understand the specific harms that might flow from certain decisions (within the bounds of protecting individuals and yourselves).

Many responders have years or decades of experience. That experience might lead them to positive or negative ends:

Positive: Some are multigenerational firefighters or paramedics/EMTs with deep family histories around service. They chose careers that were not as lucrative as other pathways so that they might help others. Most have lost someone in the line of service. They believe in community, in their professional code, and their ability to help.

Negative: Some are part of power structures that have perpetuated injustices. They have learned how to use those power structures to continue harms. They are part of a group which is protecting those behaviors, sometimes with secret off-the-record procedures. 

The trust system will be something that you need to curate consciously, tracking its trend (building or eroding) and its state (high trust, low trust). Is there a slow devolution or rapid collapse? Is trust being extended quickly and if so, why? Is it authentic and durable? 

Trust workbook

• What steps are others taking to build trust?
• What steps are you taking to build trust?
• What steps are others taking that erode trust? 
• What steps are you taking that are eroding trust?
• How do you choose to curate these dynamics? What trend do you want to catalyze?

The key is knowing who you are dealing with.