**GAO-08-36**                      Published: Oct 31, 2007. Publicly Released: Oct 31, 2007.                  

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## Highlights

An outbreak of pandemic flu would require close cooperation between the public and private sectors to ensure the protection of our nation's critical infrastructure, such as drinking water and electricity. Because over 85 percent of the nation's critical infrastructure is owned and operated by the private sector, it is vital that both sectors effectively coordinate to successfully protect these assets. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for coordinating a national protection strategy and government and private sector councils have been created as a collaborating tool. GAO was asked to assess how the federal and private sectors are working together at a national level to protect the nation's critical infrastructure in the event of a pandemic, the challenges they face, and opportunities for addressing these challenges. GAO reviewed 5 of the 17 critical infrastructure sectors. These 5 sectors are energy (electricity), food and agriculture, telecommunications, transportation (highway and motor carrier), and water.

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## Topics

Homeland Security

Critical infrastructure protectionDisaster planningElectric energyEnergy planningstate relationsFood industryFood supplyInfluenzaInteragency relationsPandemicPrivate sectorPrivate sector practicesPublic key infrastructureTelecommunications industryTransportation industryTransportation planningWater supplyWater supply managementDisaster preparedness exerciseprivate partnerships