National Preparedness 

Goal

First Edition

September 2011

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Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1

Core Capabilities........................................................................................................... 2

Overview ...................................................................................................................................2

Risk and the Core Capabilities...............................................................................................3

Mission Area: Prevention........................................................................................................4

Mission Area: Protection.........................................................................................................6

Mission Area: Mitigation ........................................................................................................9

Mission Area: Response ........................................................................................................11

Mission Area: Recovery ........................................................................................................15

Conclusion and Next Steps........................................................................................ 19

Appendix A: Terms and Definitions......................................................................... A-1
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Introduction

Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness (PPD-8) describes the Nation’s approach 

to preparing for the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk to the security of the United 

States. National preparedness is the shared responsibility of our whole community. Every 

member contributes, including individuals, communities, the private and nonprofit sectors, faithbased organizations, and Federal, state, and local1 governments. We describe our security and 

resilience posture through the core capabilities (see Table 1) that are necessary to deal with great 

risks, and we will use an integrated, layered, and all-of-Nation approach as our foundation. We 

define success as:

A secure and resilient Nation with the capabilities required across the 

whole community to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and 

recover from the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk.

Using the core capabilities, we achieve the National Preparedness Goal by:

 Preventing, avoiding, or stopping a threatened or an actual act of terrorism.

 Protecting our citizens, residents, visitors, and assets against the greatest threats and hazards 

in a manner that allows our interests, aspirations, and way of life to thrive.

 Mitigating the loss of life and property by lessening the impact of future disasters.

 Responding quickly to save lives, protect property and the environment, and meet basic 

human needs in the aftermath of a catastrophic incident.

 Recovering through a focus on the timely restoration, strengthening, and revitalization of 

infrastructure, housing, and a sustainable economy, as well as the health, social, cultural, 

historic, and environmental fabric of communities affected by a catastrophic incident.

The core capabilities contained in the Goal are the distinct critical elements necessary for our 

success. They are highly interdependent and will require us to use existing preparedness 

networks and activities, improve training and exercise programs, promote innovation, and ensure 

that the administrative, finance, and logistics systems are in place to support these capabilities. 

The capability targets2

—the performance threshold(s) for each core capability—will guide our 

allocation of resources in support of our national preparedness.

Individual and community preparedness is fundamental to our success. By providing the 

necessary knowledge and skills, we seek to enable the whole community to contribute to and 

benefit from national preparedness. This includes children, individuals with disabilities and 

others with access and functional needs, diverse communities, and people with limited English 

proficiency. Their needs and contributions must be integrated into our efforts. Each community 

contributes to the Goal and strengthens our national preparedness by preparing for the risks that 

are most relevant and urgent for them individually.

We have made great progress in building and sustaining our national preparedness. The Goal 

builds on these achievements, but our aspirations must be even higher to match the greatest risks 

facing our Nation. As we prepare for these challenges, our core capabilities will evolve to meet 

those challenges.

 1 For the purposes of this document, “state and local” includes tribal and territorial governments.

2 The capability targets will serve as the basis for the development of performance measures to track our progress.
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Core Capabilities

Overview

Core capabilities are essential for the execution of each of the five mission areas: Prevention, 

Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery (see Table 1). To assess both our capacity and 

our gaps, each core capability includes capability targets for which measures will be developed. 

The core capabilities and capability targets are not exclusive to any single level of government or 

organization, but rather require the combined efforts of the whole community.

Table 1: Core Capabilities by Mission Area3

Prevention Protection Mitigation Response Recovery

Planning

Public Information and Warning

Operational Coordination

Forensics and 

Attribution

Intelligence and 

Information 

Sharing

Interdiction and 

Disruption

Screening, Search, 

and Detection

Access Control 

and Identity 

Verification

Cybersecurity

Intelligence and 

Information 

Sharing

Interdiction and 

Disruption

Physical 

Protective 

Measures

Risk Management 

for Protection 

Programs and 

Activities

Screening, 

Search, and 

Detection

Supply Chain 

Integrity and 

Security

Community 

Resilience

Long-term 

Vulnerability 

Reduction

Risk and Disaster 

Resilience 

Assessment

Threats and 

Hazard 

Identification

Critical 

Transportation

Environmental 

Response/Health 

and Safety

Fatality 

Management 

Services

Infrastructure 

Systems

Mass Care 

Services

Mass Search and 

Rescue Operations

On-scene Security 

and Protection

Operational 

Communications

Public and Private 

Services and 

Resources

Public Health and 

Medical Services

Situational

Assessment

Economic 

Recovery

Health and Social 

Services

Housing

Infrastructure 

Systems

Natural and 

Cultural Resources

 3 Planning, Public Information and Warning, and Operational Coordination are core capabilities common to all 

mission areas.
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These five mission areas serve as an aid in organizing our national preparedness activities, and 

do not constrain or limit integration across mission areas and core capabilities, which by their 

nature are highly interdependent and applicable to any threat or hazard. These mission areas exist 

along a continuum, and there is a dynamic interplay between and among them and even some 

commonality in the core capabilities essential to each.

These core capabilities represent an evolution from the Target Capabilities List.4 The transition 

to core capabilities expands the focus to include Mitigation and allows greater focus on 

Prevention and Protection activities based on experience since the release of Homeland Security 

Presidential Directive 8 (HSPD-8). The capability targets associated with these core capabilities 

are ambitious. These are not targets for any single jurisdiction or agency; achieving these 

targets will require a national effort involving the whole community. Each mission area relies on 

the whole community to ensure success. This includes children,5 individuals with disabilities and 

others with access and functional needs, diverse communities, and people with limited English 

proficiency.

Three core capabilities span all five mission areas: Planning, Public Information and Warning, 

and Operational Coordination. These common core capabilities serve to unify the mission areas 

and, in many ways, are necessary for the success of the remaining core capabilities. Additionally, 

a number of core capabilities directly involve more than one mission area and are listed in each 

mission area as appropriate.

Core capabilities and targets, like the risks we face, are not static. They will be vetted and 

refined, taking into consideration the risk and resource requirements, during the planning process 

established through PPD-8.

Risk and the Core Capabilities

Understanding the greatest risks to the Nation’s security and resilience is a critical step in 

identifying the core capabilities and capability targets. All levels of government and the whole 

community should present and assess risk in a similar manner to provide a common 

understanding of the threats and hazards confronting our Nation. The information gathered 

during a risk assessment also enables a prioritization of preparedness efforts and an ability to 

identify our capability requirements across the whole community.

In accordance with PPD-8, and in coordination with Federal departments and agencies, a 

Strategic National Risk Assessment was conducted.6 The results of the assessment indicate that a 

wide range of threats and hazards pose a significant risk to the Nation, affirming the need for an 

all-hazards, capability-based approach to preparedness planning. Key findings include:

 Natural hazards, including hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, wildfires, and floods, present a 

significant and varied risk across the country.

 4 For a crosswalk of the Target Capabilities List against the core capabilities, see http://www.fema.gov/ppd8. 5 Children require a unique set of considerations across the core capabilities and capability targets contained within 

this document. It is strongly encouraged that this be taken into consideration as part of any integrated planning 

effort.

6 The complete results of the Strategic National Risk Assessment are classified. For an unclassified summary, see 

http://www.fema.gov/ppd8.
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 A virulent strain of pandemic influenza could kill hundreds of thousands of Americans, affect 

millions more, and result in economic loss. Additional human and animal infectious diseases, 

including those previously undiscovered, may present significant risks.

 Technological and accidental hazards, such as dam failures or chemical substance spills or 

releases, have the potential to cause extensive fatalities and severe economic impacts, and the 

likelihood of occurrence may increase due to aging infrastructure.

 Terrorist organizations or affiliates may seek to acquire, build, and use weapons of mass 

destruction (WMD). Conventional terrorist attacks, including those by “lone actors” 

employing explosives and armed attacks, present a continued risk to the Nation.

 Cyber attacks can have their own catastrophic consequences and can also initiate other 

hazards, such as power grid failures or financial system failures, which magnify the potential 

impact of cyber incidents.

These findings supported the development of the core capabilities, as well as the establishment 

of capability targets for the Goal. Additionally, the Response and Recovery mission areas go one 

step further by focusing on a set of core capabilities based on the impact of a no-notice, 

cascading incident. Such an incident would likely stress the abilities of our Nation. A set of 

planning factors, drawing across three hazards identified by the Strategic National Risk 

Assessment (i.e., a large-scale earthquake, a major hurricane, and a WMD attack), were 

developed to mimic this cascading incident and identify the necessary core capabilities. The 

specific findings and the planning factors for the cascading incident results will be revisited as 

part of the recurring update of the Strategic National Risk Assessment.

Mission Area: Prevention

Prevention includes those capabilities necessary to avoid, prevent, or stop a threatened or actual 

act of terrorism.7 It is focused on ensuring we are optimally prepared to prevent an imminent 

terrorist attack within the United States.

Preventing an imminent terrorist threat to the homeland will require Prevention core capabilities. 

In addition, it will trigger a robust and collaborative investigative process.8 Prevention also 

includes the intelligence, law enforcement, and homeland defense activities conducted in the 

event of an act of terrorism in the homeland to determine if follow-on attacks are planned and to 

thwart and/or apprehend the adversary.

The terrorist threat is dynamic and complex and combating it is not the sole responsibility of a 

single entity or community. Ensuring the security of the homeland requires the execution of 

terrorism prevention through extensive collaboration with government and nongovernmental 

entities, international partners, and the private sector. We will foster a rapid, coordinated, all-ofNation, effective terrorism prevention effort that reflects the full range of capabilities critical to 

avoid, prevent, or stop a threatened or actual act of terrorism in the homeland.

 7 Unlike other mission areas which are all-hazards by design, PPD-8 specifically focuses Prevention-related 

activities on an imminent terrorist threat.

8 An investigative process is the systematic collection and analysis of information pertaining to factors suspected of

being, contributing to, or having caused a terrorism threat or a terrorism incident. A well-conducted process will 

routinely leverage multiple core capabilities to accomplish its purpose in a holistic, all-of-Nation approach.
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Table 2: Prevention Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets9

Prevention Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets 

Planning

Conduct a systematic process engaging the whole community as appropriate in 

the development of executable strategic, operational, and/or community-based 

approaches to meet defined objectives.

1. Identify critical objectives based on the planning requirement, provide a complete and integrated 

picture of the sequence and scope of the tasks to achieve the objectives, and ensure the objectives 

are implementable within the time frame contemplated within the plan using available resources for 

prevention-related plans.

2. Develop and execute appropriate courses of action in coordination with Federal, state, local, and 

private sector entities in order to prevent an imminent terrorist attack within the United States.

Public Information 

and Warning

Deliver coordinated, prompt, reliable, and actionable information to the whole 

community through the use of clear, consistent, accessible, and culturally and 

linguistically appropriate methods to effectively relay information regarding any 

threat or hazard, as well as the actions being taken and the assistance being 

made available, as appropriate.

1. Share prompt and actionable messages, to include National Terrorism Advisory System alerts, with 

the public and other stakeholders, as appropriate, to aid in the prevention of imminent or follow-on 

terrorist attacks, consistent with the timelines specified by existing processes and protocols.

2. Provide public awareness information to inform the general public on how to identify and provide 

terrorism-related information to the appropriate law enforcement authorities, thereby enabling the 

public to act as a force multiplier in the prevention of imminent or follow-on acts of terrorism.

Operational 

Coordination

Establish and maintain a unified and coordinated operational structure and 

process that appropriately integrates all critical stakeholders and supports the 

execution of core capabilities.

1. Execute operations with functional and integrated communications among appropriate entities to 

prevent initial or follow-on terrorist attacks within the United States in accordance with established 

protocols.

Forensics and 

Attribution

Conduct forensic analysis and attribute terrorist acts (including the means and 

methods of terrorism) to their source, to include forensic analysis as well as 

attribution for an attack and for the preparation for an attack in an effort to 

prevent initial or follow-on acts and/or swiftly develop counter-options.

1. Prioritize physical evidence collection and analysis to assist in preventing initial or follow-on terrorist 

acts.

2. Prioritize chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) material (bulk and trace) 

collection and analysis to assist in preventing initial or follow-on terrorist acts.

3. Prioritize biometric collection and analysis to assist in preventing initial or follow-on terrorist acts.

4. Prioritize digital media and network exploitation to assist in preventing initial or follow-on terrorist acts.

 9 The capability targets serve as strategic targets and will be vetted and refined, taking into consideration risk 

information and resource requirements, during the planning process established through PPD-8.
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Prevention Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets 

Intelligence and 

Information Sharing

Provide timely, accurate, and actionable information resulting from the planning, 

direction, collection, exploitation, processing, analysis, production, dissemination, 

evaluation, and feedback of available information concerning threats to the 

United States, its people, property, or interests; the development, proliferation, or 

use of WMDs; or any other matter bearing on U.S. national or homeland security 

by Federal, state, local, and other stakeholders. Information sharing is the ability 

to exchange intelligence, information, data, or knowledge among Federal, state, 

local, or private sector entities, as appropriate.

1. Anticipate and identify emerging and/or imminent threats through the intelligence cycle.

2. Share relevant, timely, and actionable information and analysis with Federal, state, local, private 

sector, and international partners and develop and disseminate appropriate classified/unclassified 

products.

3. Ensure Federal, state, local, and private sector partners possess or have access to a mechanism to 

submit terrorism-related information and/or suspicious activity reports to law enforcement.

Interdiction and 

Disruption Delay, divert, intercept, halt, apprehend, or secure threats and/or hazards.

1. Maximize our ability to interdict specific conveyances, cargo, and persons associated with an 

imminent terrorist threat or act in the land, air, and maritime domains to prevent entry into the United 

States or to prevent an incident from occurring in the Nation.

2. Conduct operations to render safe and dispose of CBRNE hazards in multiple locations and in all 

environments, consistent with established protocols.

3. Prevent terrorism financial/material support from reaching its target, consistent with established 

protocols.

4. Prevent terrorist acquisition of and the transfer of CBRNE materials, precursors, and related 

technology, consistent with established protocols.

5. Conduct tactical counterterrorism operations in multiple locations and in all environments, consistent 

with established protocols.

Screening, Search, 

and Detection

Identify, discover, or locate threats and/or hazards through active and passive 

surveillance and search procedures. This may include the use of systematic 

examinations and assessments, sensor technologies, or physical investigation 

and intelligence.

1. Maximize the screening of targeted cargo, conveyances, mail, baggage, and people associated with 

an imminent terrorist threat or act using technical, non-technical, intrusive, or non-intrusive means.

2. Initiate operations immediately to locate persons and networks associated with an imminent terrorist 

threat or act.

3. Conduct CBRNE search/detection operations in multiple locations and in all environments, consistent 

with established protocols.

Mission Area: Protection

Protection includes capabilities to safeguard the homeland against acts of terrorism and manmade or natural disasters. It is focused on actions to protect the citizens, residents, visitors, and 

critical assets, systems, and networks against the greatest risks to our Nation in a manner that 

allows our interests, aspirations, and way of life to thrive. We will create conditions for a safer, 
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more secure, and more resilient Nation by enhancing Protection through cooperation and 

collaboration with all sectors of society.

The Protection capabilities are achieved through specific mission activities.10 These include, but 

are not limited to, critical infrastructure protection,11 cybersecurity,12 border security, 

immigration security, protection of key leadership and events, maritime security, transportation 

security, defense of agriculture and food, defense against WMD threats, and health security.

Table 3: Protection Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets13

Protection Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Planning

Conduct a systematic process engaging the whole community, as appropriate, in 

the development of executable strategic, operational, and/or community-based 

approaches to meet defined objectives.

1. Develop protection plans that identify critical objectives based on planning requirements, provide a 

complete and integrated picture of the sequence and scope of the tasks to achieve the planning 

objectives, and implement planning requirements within the time frame contemplated within the plan 

using available resources for protection-related plans.

2. Implement, exercise, and maintain plans to ensure continuity of operations.

Public Information 

and Warning

Deliver coordinated, prompt, reliable, and actionable information to the whole 

community through the use of clear, consistent, accessible, and culturally and 

linguistically appropriate methods to effectively relay information regarding any 

threat or hazard and, as appropriate, the actions being taken and the assistance 

being made available.

1. Use effective and accessible indication and warning systems to communicate significant hazards to 

involved operators, security officials, and the public (including alerts, detection capabilities, and other 

necessary and appropriate assets).

Operational 

Coordination

Establish and maintain a unified and coordinated operational structure and 

process that appropriately integrates all critical stakeholders and supports the 

execution of core capabilities.

1. Establish and maintain partnership structures among Protection elements to support networking, 

planning, and coordination.

Access Control and 

Identity Verification

Apply a broad range of physical, technological, and cyber measures to control 

admittance to critical locations and systems, limiting access to authorized 

individuals to carry out legitimate activities.

1. Implement and maintain protocols to verify identity and authorize, grant, or deny physical and cyber 

access to specific locations, information, and networks.

 10 We will describe how the capabilities support our efforts to achieve the mission activities in future products. 11 See Critical Infrastructure in Appendix A for a full explanation. 12 See Cybersecurity in Appendix A for an explanation of cybersecurity as both a mission activity and a core 

capability.

13 The capability targets serve as strategic targets and will be vetted and refined, taking into consideration risk 

information and resource requirements, during the planning process established through PPD-8.
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Protection Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Cybersecurity

Protect against damage to, the unauthorized use of, and/or the exploitation of 

(and, if needed, the restoration of) electronic communications systems and 

services (and the information contained therein).

1. Implement risk-informed guidelines, regulations, and standards to ensure the security, reliability, 

integrity, and availability of critical information, records, and communications systems and services 

through collaborative cybersecurity initiatives and efforts.

2. Implement and maintain procedures to detect malicious activity and to conduct technical and 

investigative-based countermeasures, mitigations, and operations against malicious actors to counter 

existing and emerging cyber-based threats, consistent with established protocols.

Intelligence and 

Information Sharing

Provide timely, accurate, and actionable information resulting from the planning, 

direction, collection, exploitation, processing, analysis, production, dissemination, 

evaluation, and feedback of available information concerning threats to the 

United States, its people, property, or interests; the development, proliferation, or 

use of WMDs; or any other matter bearing on U.S. national or homeland security 

by Federal, state, local, and other stakeholders. Information sharing is the ability 

to exchange intelligence, information, data, or knowledge among Federal, state, 

local or private sector entities as appropriate.

1. Anticipate and identify emerging and/or imminent threats through the intelligence cycle.

2. Share relevant, timely, and actionable information and analysis with Federal, state, local, private 

sector, and international partners and develop and disseminate appropriate classified/unclassified 

products.

3. Provide Federal, state, local, and private sector partners with or access to a mechanism to submit 

terrorism-related information and/or suspicious activity reports to law enforcement.

Interdiction and 

Disruption Delay, divert, intercept, halt, apprehend, or secure threats and/or hazards.

1. Deter, detect, interdict, and protect against domestic and transnational criminal and terrorist activities 

that threaten the security of the homeland across key operational activities and critical infrastructure 

sectors.

2. Intercept the malicious movement and acquisition/transfer of CBRNE materials and related 

technologies.

Physical Protective 

Measures

Reduce or mitigate risks, including actions targeted at threats, vulnerabilities, 

and/or consequences, by controlling movement and protecting borders, critical 

infrastructure, and the homeland. 

1. Implement and maintain risk-informed physical protections, countermeasures, and policies protecting 

people, structures, materials, products, and systems associated with key operational activities and 

critical infrastructure sectors.
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Protection Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Risk Management for 

Protection Programs 

and Activities

Identify, assess, and prioritize risks to inform Protection activities and 

investments.

1. Ensure critical infrastructure sectors and Protection elements have and maintain risk assessment 

processes to identify and prioritize assets, systems, networks, and functions.

2. Ensure operational activities and critical infrastructure sectors have and maintain appropriate threat, 

vulnerability, and consequence tools to identify and assess threats, vulnerabilities, and 

consequences.

Screening, Search, 

and Detection

Identify, discover, or locate threats and/or hazards through active and passive 

surveillance and search procedures. This may include the use of systematic 

examinations and assessments, sensor technologies, or physical investigation 

and intelligence.

1. Screen cargo, conveyances, mail, baggage, and people using information-based and physical 

screening technology and processes.

2. Detect WMD, traditional, and emerging threats and hazards of concern using:

a. A laboratory diagnostic capability and the capacity for food, agricultural (plant/animal), 

environmental, medical products, and clinical samples

b. Bio-surveillance systems

c. CBRNE detection systems

d. Trained healthcare, emergency medical, veterinary, and environmental laboratory professionals.

Supply Chain 

Integrity and Security Strengthen the security and resilience of the supply chain. 

1. Secure and make resilient key nodes, methods of transport between nodes, and materials in transit.

Mission Area: Mitigation

Mitigation includes those capabilities necessary to reduce loss of life and property by lessening 

the impact of disasters. It is focused on the premise that individuals, the private sector, 

communities, critical infrastructure, and the Nation as a whole are made more resilient when the 

consequences and impacts, the duration, and the financial and human costs to respond to and 

recover from adverse incidents are all reduced.

Given the draining impact of disasters and catastrophic incidents on the Nation, Mitigation 

stands as a critical linchpin to reduce or eliminate the long-term risks to life, property, and wellbeing. Without a change in our long-term planning, the Nation’s risks and associated 

consequences will continue to escalate. Spanning across community planning, critical 

infrastructure, public health, and future land use, Mitigation requires an understanding of the 

threats and hazards that, in turn, feed into the assessment of risk and disaster resilience in the 

community. The whole community, therefore, has a role in risk reduction, by recognizing, 

understanding, communicating, and planning for a community’s future resilience. Mitigation 

links the long-term activities of the whole community to reduce or eliminate the risk of threats 

and hazards developing into disasters and the impacts of the disasters that occur.
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Although Mitigation is the responsibility of the whole community, a great deal of mitigation 

activity occurs at the local level. The assessment of risk and resilience must therefore begin at 

the community level and serve to inform our state, regional, and national planning. For risk 

information to result in specific risk reduction actions, leaders—whether elected in a jurisdiction, 

appointed in a given department, a nongovernmental director, a sector official, or in business or 

communities—must have the ability to recognize, understand, communicate, and plan for a 

community’s future resilience. The establishment of trusted relationships among leaders in a 

community prior to a disaster can greatly reduce the risks to life, property, the natural 

environment, and well-being. When these leaders are prepared, the whole community matures 

and becomes better prepared to reduce the risks over the long term.

Table 4: Mitigation Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets14

Mitigation Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Planning

Conduct a systematic process engaging the whole community as appropriate in 

the development of executable strategic, operational, and/or community-based 

approaches to meet defined objectives.

1. Develop approved hazard mitigation plans that address all relevant threats/hazards in accordance 

with the results of their risk assessment within all states and territories.

Public Information 

and Warning

Deliver coordinated, prompt, reliable, and actionable information to the whole 

community through the use of clear, consistent, accessible, and culturally and 

linguistically appropriate methods to effectively relay information regarding any 

threat or hazard and, as appropriate, the actions being taken and the assistance 

being made available.

1. Communicate appropriate information, in an accessible manner, on the risks faced within a 

community after the conduct of a risk assessment.

Operational 

Coordination

Establish and maintain a unified and coordinated operational structure and 

process that appropriately integrates all critical stakeholders and supports the 

execution of core capabilities.

1. Establish protocols to integrate mitigation data elements in support of operations within all states and 

territories and in coordination with Federal agencies.

Community 

Resilience 

Lead the integrated effort to recognize, understand, communicate, plan, and 

address risks so that the community can develop a set of actions to accomplish 

Mitigation and improve resilience.

1. Maximize the coverage of the U.S. population that has a localized, risk-informed mitigation plan 

developed through partnerships across the entire community.

 14 The capability targets serve as strategic targets and will be vetted and refined, taking into consideration risk 

information and resource requirements, during the planning process established through PPD-8.
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Mitigation Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Long-term 

Vulnerability 

Reduction

Build and sustain resilient systems, communities, and critical infrastructure and 

key resources lifelines so as to reduce their vulnerability to natural, technological, 

and human-caused incidents by lessening the likelihood, severity, and duration 

of the adverse consequences related to these incidents.

1. Achieve a measurable decrease in the long-term vulnerability of the Nation against current baselines

amid a growing population base and expanding infrastructure base.

Risk and Disaster 

Resilience 

Assessment

Assess risk and disaster resilience so that decision makers, responders, and 

community members can take informed action to reduce their entity’s risk and 

increase their resilience.

1. Ensure that states, territories, and the top 100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) complete a risk 

assessment that defines localized vulnerabilities and consequences associated with potential natural, 

technological, and human-caused threats and hazards to their natural, human, physical, cyber, and 

socioeconomic interests.

Threats and Hazard 

Identification

Identify the threats and hazards that occur in the geographic area; determine the 

frequency and magnitude; and incorporate this into analysis and planning 

processes so as to clearly understand the needs of a community or entity.

1. Identify the threats and hazards within and across the states, territories, and the top 100 MSAs, in 

collaboration with the whole community, against a national standard based on sound science.

Mission Area: Response

Response includes those capabilities necessary to save lives, protect property and the 

environment, and meet basic human needs after an incident has occurred. It is focused on 

ensuring that the Nation is able to effectively respond to any threat or hazard, including those 

with cascading effects, with an emphasis on saving and sustaining lives and stabilizing the 

incident, as well as rapidly meeting basic human needs, restoring basic services and community 

functionality, establishing a safe and secure environment, and supporting the transition to 

recovery.

Communities regularly deal with emergencies and disasters that have fewer impacts than those 

considered to be the greatest risk to the Nation. In addition, communities may have resident 

capacities to deal with the public’s needs locally for many of these lesser incidents. Catastrophic 

incidents will require a much broader set of atypical partners to accomplish the capability targets 

for the Response core capabilities than those routinely addressed. Community involvement,

therefore, is a vital link to providing additional support to response personnel and may often be 

the primary source of manpower in the first hours and days after a catastrophic incident. Because 

of this, community members should be encouraged to train, exercise, and partner with 

emergency management officials.

Given the scope and magnitude of a catastrophic incident involving cascading events, legal, 

policy, and regulatory waivers/exemptions/exceptions will be required to achieve many of the 

targets. These challenges should be identified during pre-incident planning to ensure they are 

accounted for during an incident.
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Table 5: Response Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets15

Response Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Planning

Conduct a systematic process engaging the whole community as appropriate in 

the development of executable strategic, operational, and/or community-based 

approaches to meet defined objectives.

1. Develop operational plans at the Federal level, and in the states and territories, that adequately 

identify critical objectives based on the planning requirement, provide a complete and integrated 

picture of the sequence and scope of the tasks to achieve the objectives, and are implementable 

within the time frame contemplated in the plan using available resources.

Public Information 

and Warning

Deliver coordinated, prompt, reliable, and actionable information to the whole 

community through the use of clear, consistent, accessible, and culturally and 

linguistically appropriate methods to effectively relay information regarding any 

threat or hazard and, as appropriate, the actions being taken and the assistance 

being made available.

1. Inform all affected segments of society by all means necessary, including accessible tools, of critical 

lifesaving and life-sustaining information to expedite the delivery of emergency services and aid the 

public to take protective actions.

2. Deliver credible messages to inform ongoing emergency services and the public about protective 

measures and other life-sustaining actions and facilitate the transition to recovery.

Operational 

Coordination

Establish and maintain a unified and coordinated operational structure and 

process that appropriately integrates all critical stakeholders and supports the 

execution of core capabilities.

1. Mobilize all critical resources and establish command, control, and coordination structures within the 

affected community and other coordinating bodies in surrounding communities and across the Nation 

and maintain as needed throughout the duration of an incident.

2. Enhance and maintain National Incident Management System (NIMS)-compliant command, control, 

and coordination structures to meet basic human needs, stabilize the incident, and transition to 

recovery.

Critical 

Transportation

Provide transportation (including infrastructure access and accessible 

transportation services) for response priority objectives, including the evacuation 

of people and animals, and the delivery of vital response personnel, equipment, 

and services into the affected areas.

1. Establish physical access through appropriate transportation corridors and deliver required resources 

to save lives and to meet the needs of disaster survivors.

2. Ensure basic human needs are met, stabilize the incident, transition into recovery for an affected 

area, and restore basic services and community functionality. 

 15 The capability targets serve as strategic targets and will be vetted and refined, taking into consideration risk 

information and resource requirements, during the planning process established through PPD-8.
National Preparedness Goal

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Response Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Environmental 

Response/Health and 

Safety

Ensure the availability of guidance and resources to address all hazards 

including hazardous materials, acts of terrorism, and natural disasters in support 

of the responder operations and the affected communities.

1. Conduct health and safety hazard assessments and disseminate guidance and resources, to include 

deploying hazardous materials teams, to support environmental health and safety actions for 

response personnel and the affected population.

2. Assess, monitor, perform cleanup actions, and provide resources to meet resource requirements and 

to transition from sustained response to short-term recovery.

Fatality Management 

Services

Provide fatality management services, including body recovery and victim 

identification, working with state and local authorities to provide temporary 

mortuary solutions, sharing information with mass care services for the purpose 

of reunifying family members and caregivers with missing persons/remains, and 

providing counseling to the bereaved.

1. Establish and maintain operations to recover a significant number of fatalities over a geographically 

dispersed area.

Infrastructure 

Systems

Stabilize critical infrastructure functions, minimize health and safety threats, and 

efficiently restore and revitalize systems and services to support a viable, 

resilient community.

1. Decrease and stabilize immediate infrastructure threats to the affected population, to include survivors 

in the heavily-damaged zone, nearby communities that may be affected by cascading effects, and 

mass care support facilities and evacuation processing centers with a focus on life-sustainment and 

congregate care services.

2. Re-establish critical infrastructure within the affected areas to support ongoing emergency response 

operations, life sustainment, community functionality, and a transition to recovery. 

Mass Care Services

Provide life-sustaining services to the affected population with a focus on 

hydration, feeding, and sheltering to those who have the most need, as well as 

support for reunifying families.

1. Move and deliver resources and capabilities to meet the needs of disaster survivors, including 

individuals with access and functional needs and others who may be considered to be at-risk.

2. Establish, staff, and equip emergency shelters and other temporary housing options (including 

accessible housing) for the affected population.

3. Move from congregate care to non-congregate care alternatives and provide relocation assistance or 

interim housing solutions for families unable to return to their pre-disaster homes.
National Preparedness Goal

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Response Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Mass Search and 

Rescue Operations

Deliver traditional and atypical search and rescue capabilities, including 

personnel, services, animals, and assets to survivors in need, with the goal of 

saving the greatest number of endangered lives in the shortest time possible.

1. Conduct search and rescue operations to locate and rescue persons in distress, based on the 

requirements of state and local authorities.

2. Initiate community-based search and rescue support operations across a wide geographically 

dispersed area.

3. Ensure the synchronized deployment of local, regional, national, and international teams to reinforce 

ongoing search and rescue efforts and transition to recovery.

On-scene Security 

and Protection

Ensure a safe and secure environment through law enforcement and related 

security and protection operations for people and communities located within 

affected areas and also for all traditional and atypical response personnel 

engaged in lifesaving and life-sustaining operations.

1. Establish a safe and secure environment in an affected area.

2. Provide and maintain on-scene security and meet the protection needs of the affected population over

a geographically dispersed area while eliminating or mitigating the risk of further damage to persons, 

property, and the environment.

Operational 

Communications

Ensure the capacity for timely communications in support of security, situational 

awareness, and operations by any and all means available, among and between 

affected communities in the impact area and all response forces.

1. Ensure the capacity to communicate with both the emergency response community and the affected 

populations and establish interoperable voice and data communications between Federal, state, and 

local first responders.

2. Re-establish sufficient communications infrastructure within the affected areas to support ongoing lifesustaining activities, provide basic human needs, and transition to recovery.

Public and Private 

Services and 

Resources

Provide essential public and private services and resources to the affected 

population and surrounding communities, to include emergency power to critical 

facilities, fuel support for emergency responders, and access to community 

staples (e.g., grocery stores, pharmacies, and banks) and fire and other first 

response services.

1. Mobilize and deliver governmental, nongovernmental, and private sector resources within and outside 

of the affected area to save lives, sustain lives, meet basic human needs, stabilize the incident, and 

transition to recovery, to include moving and delivering resources and services to meet the needs of 

disaster survivors.

2. Enhance public and private resource and services support for an affected area.
National Preparedness Goal

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Response Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Public Health and 

Medical Services

Provide lifesaving medical treatment via emergency medical services and related 

operations and avoid additional disease and injury by providing targeted public 

health and medical support and products to all people in need within the affected 

area.

1. Deliver medical countermeasures to exposed populations.

2. Complete triage and initial stabilization of casualties and begin definitive care for those likely to 

survive their injuries.

3. Return medical surge resources to pre-incident levels, complete health assessments, and identify 

recovery processes.

Situational 

Assessment

Provide all decision makers with decision-relevant information regarding the 

nature and extent of the hazard, any cascading effects, and the status of the 

response.

1. Deliver information sufficient to inform decision making regarding immediate lifesaving and lifesustaining activities and engage governmental, private, and civic sector resources within and outside 

of the affected area to meet basic human needs and stabilize the incident.

2. Deliver enhanced information to reinforce ongoing lifesaving and life-sustaining activities, and engage 

governmental, private, and civic sector resources within and outside of the affected area to meet 

basic human needs, stabilize the incident, and transition to recovery.

Mission Area: Recovery

Recovery includes those capabilities necessary to assist communities affected by an incident in

recovering effectively. It is focused on a timely restoration, strengthening, and revitalization of 

the infrastructure; housing; a sustainable economy; and the health, social, cultural, historic, and 

environmental fabric of communities affected by a catastrophic incident.

The ability of a community to accelerate the recovery process begins with its efforts in predisaster preparedness, including mitigation and planning for and building capacity for disaster 

recovery. These efforts result in a resilient community with an improved ability to withstand, 

respond to, and recover from disasters, which can significantly reduce recovery time and costs.

After an incident, recovery encompasses more than the restoration of a community’s physical 

structures. Of equal importance is providing a continuum of care to support individuals in

maintaining or restoring health, safety, and independence, and in meeting the needs of survivors 

and response and recovery personnel who experienced financial, emotional, and physical 

hardships while positioning the community to meet the needs of the future. Strengthening the 

health and social services, social fabric, accessibility, infrastructure, educational and child care 

systems, environmental sustainability, historic and cultural resources, and economic vitality 

serves to meet these needs and enhance the resiliency of the entire community as recovery 

progresses.

Successful recovery requires informed and coordinated leadership throughout the whole 

community during all phases of the recovery process. It also acknowledges the linkages between 

the recovery of individuals, families, and communities and addresses the full range of physical, 
National Preparedness Goal

16

programmatic, communications, psychological, and emotional needs of the community, 

including response and recovery personnel.

Partnerships and inclusiveness are vital for ensuring that all voices are heard and that available 

resources are coordinated in advance of a disaster, if possible, and contributed when needed. 

Everyone must have equal opportunity to participate in community recovery efforts in a 

meaningful way. Clear, consistent, accessible (including for those with limited English 

proficiency and individuals with disabilities), culturally appropriate, and effective 

communication initiatives are critical.

State and local governments play the lead role in planning for and managing all aspects of their 

jurisdiction’s recovery and ensuring that key community organizations and individuals in 

community leadership roles are included. A successful recovery process requires unity of effort 

among resource providers and recovery managers, respecting the authority and expertise of each 

participating organization while coordinating the support of common recovery objectives.

Table 6: Recovery Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets16

Recovery Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Planning

Conduct a systematic process engaging the whole community as appropriate in 

the development of executable strategic, operational, and/or community-based 

approaches to meet defined objectives.

1. Convene the core of an inclusive planning team (identified pre-disaster), which will oversee disaster 

recovery planning.

2. Complete an initial recovery plan that provides an overall strategy and timeline, addresses all core 

capabilities, and integrates socioeconomic, demographic, accessibility, and risk assessment 

considerations, which will be implemented in accordance with the timeline contained in the plan.

Public Information 

and Warning

Deliver coordinated, prompt, reliable, and actionable information to the whole 

community through the use of clear, consistent, accessible, and culturally and 

linguistically appropriate methods to effectively relay information regarding any 

threat or hazard and, as appropriate, the actions being taken and the assistance 

being made available.

1. Reach all populations within the community with effective recovery-related public information 

messaging and communications that are accessible to people with disabilities and people with 

limited English proficiency, protect the health and safety of the affected population, help manage 

expectations, and ensure stakeholders have a clear understanding of available assistance and their 

roles and responsibilities.

2. Support affected populations and stakeholders with a system that provides appropriate, current 

information about any continued assistance, steady state resources for long-term impacts, and 

monitoring programs in an effective and accessible manner.

 16 The capability targets serve as strategic targets and will be vetted and refined, taking into consideration risk 

information and resource requirements, during the planning process established through PPD-8.
National Preparedness Goal

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Recovery Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Operational 

Coordination

Establish and maintain a unified and coordinated operational structure and 

process that appropriately integrates all critical stakeholders and supports the 

execution of core capabilities.

1. Establish tiered, integrated leadership, and inclusive coordinating organizations that operate with a 

unity of effort and are supported by sufficient assessment and analysis to provide defined structure 

and decision-making processes for recovery activities.

2. Define the path and timeline for recovery leadership to achieve the jurisdiction’s objectives that 

effectively coordinates and uses appropriate Federal, state, and local assistance, as well as 

nongovernmental and private sector resources. This plan is to be implemented within the established 

timeline.

Economic Recovery

Return economic and business activities (including food and agriculture) to a 

healthy state and develop new business and employment opportunities that 

result in a sustainable and economically viable community.

1. Conduct a preliminary assessment of economic issues and identify potential inhibitors to fostering 

stabilization of the affected communities.

2. Ensure the community recovery and mitigation plan(s) incorporates economic revitalization and 

removes governmental inhibitors to post-disaster economic sustainability, while maintaining the civil 

rights of citizens.

3. Return affected areas to a sustainable economy within the specified time frame in the recovery plan.

Health and Social 

Services

Restore and improve health and social services networks to promote the 

resilience, independence, health (including behavioral health), and well-being of 

the whole community.

1. Restore basic health and social services functions. Identify critical areas of need for health and social 

services, as well as key partners and at-risk individuals (such as children, those with disabilities and 

others who have access and functional needs, and populations with limited English proficiency) in 

short-term, intermediate, and long-term recovery.

2. Complete an assessment of community health and social service needs and develop a 

comprehensive recovery timeline.

3. Restore and improve the resilience and sustainability of the health and social services networks to 

meet the needs of and promote the independence and well-being of community members in 

accordance with the specified recovery timeline.

Housing Implement housing solutions that effectively support the needs of the whole 

community and contribute to its sustainability and resilience.

1. Assess preliminary housing impacts and needs, identify currently available options for temporary 

housing, and plan for permanent housing.

2. Ensure community housing recovery plans continue to address interim housing needs, assess 

options for permanent housing, and define a timeline for achieving a resilient, accessible, and 

sustainable housing market.

3. Establish a resilient and sustainable housing market that meets the needs of the community, 

including the need for accessible housing within the specified time frame in the recovery plan.
National Preparedness Goal

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Recovery Mission Area Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Infrastructure 

Systems

Stabilize critical infrastructure functions, minimize health and safety threats, and 

efficiently restore and revitalize systems and services to support a viable, 

resilient community.

1. Restore and sustain essential services (public and private) to maintain community functionality.

2. Develop a plan with a specified timeline for redeveloping community infrastructures to contribute to 

resiliency, accessibility, and sustainability.

3. Provide systems that meet the community needs while minimizing service disruption during 

restoration within the specified timeline in the recovery plan.

Natural and Cultural 

Resources

Protect natural and cultural resources and historic properties through 

appropriate planning, mitigation, response, and recovery actions to preserve, 

conserve, rehabilitate, and restore them consistent with post-disaster 

community priorities and best practices and in compliance with appropriate 

environmental and historical preservation laws and executive orders.

1. Implement measures to protect and stabilize records and culturally significant documents, objects, 

and structures.

2. Mitigate the impacts to and stabilize the natural and cultural resources and conduct a preliminary 

assessment of the impacts that identifies protections that need to be in place during stabilization 

through recovery.

3. Complete an assessment of affected natural and cultural resources and develop a timeline for 

addressing these impacts in a sustainable and resilient manner.

4. Preserve natural and cultural resources as part of an overall community recovery that is achieved 

through the coordinated efforts of natural and cultural resource experts and the recovery team in 

accordance with the specified timeline in the recovery plan.
National Preparedness Goal

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Conclusion and Next Steps

The Goal is designed to prepare our Nation for the risks that will severely tax our collective 

capabilities and resources. Each community contributes to the Goal by assessing and preparing 

for the risks that are most relevant and urgent for them individually, which in turn strengthens 

our collective security and resilience as a Nation. National preparedness will also be 

strengthened through collaboration and cooperation with international partners, including 

working closely with our neighbors Canada and Mexico, with whom we share common borders.

The anniversary of history’s deadliest attack of international terrorism and a spate of natural 

disasters reminds us that America’s security and resilience work is never finished. While we are 

safer, stronger, and better prepared than a decade ago, we remain resolute in our commitment to 

safeguard the Nation against the greatest risks it faces, now and for decades to come. This means 

the Goal is a living document, and it will be regularly reviewed to evaluate consistency with 

existing and new policies, evolving conditions, and the NIMS. The results of the first review will 

be submitted by November 1, 2012, and subsequent reviews will be conducted periodically in 

order to evaluate the Nation’s progress toward building, sustaining, and delivering the core 

capabilities that are essential to a secure and resilient Nation.

The National Preparedness Goal is the cornerstone of implementation of PPD-8. In order to 

build, sustain, and deliver the core capabilities described in the National Preparedness Goal, 

several PPD-8 components will be implemented. These include:

 A National Preparedness System, which will describe and organize an integrated set of 

guidance, programs, and processes to enable the Nation to meet the Goal.

 A series of National Frameworks and Federal Interagency Operational Plans. The National 

Frameworks will address the roles and responsibilities across the whole community to deliver 

the core capabilities. The Federal Interagency Operational Plans will address the critical 

tasks, responsibilities, and resourcing, personnel, and sourcing requirements for the core 

capabilities.

 A National Preparedness Report, which will provide a summary of the progress being made 

toward building, sustaining, and delivering the core capabilities described in the Goal.

 A Campaign to Build and Sustain Preparedness, which will provide an integrating structure 

for new and existing community-based, nonprofit, and private sector preparedness programs, 

research and development activities, and preparedness assistance.

The results of these efforts and the specific deliverables called for in PPD-8 will inform current 

and future budget year planning and decisions. We will analyze current performance against our 

intended capabilities, the defined targets, and associated performance measures. This analysis 

will enable us to individually and collectively determine necessary resource levels, inform 

resource allocation plans, and guide Federal preparedness assistance. Budget implications across 

the preparedness enterprise cannot be assessed without this detailed and specific information.

This approach will allow for annual adjustments based on updated priorities and our resource 

posture.
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National Preparedness Goal

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Appendix A: Terms and Definitions

All-of-Nation: See Whole Community.

Capability Targets: The performance threshold(s) for each core capability.

Core Capabilities: Distinct critical elements necessary to achieve the National Preparedness 

Goal.

Critical Infrastructure: Systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United 

States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating 

impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any 

combination thereof. The Nation’s critical infrastructure is composed of 18 sectors: banking and 

finance; chemical; commercial facilities; communications; critical manufacturing; dams; defense 

industrial base; emergency services; energy; food and agriculture; government facilities; 

healthcare and public health; information technology; national monuments and icons; nuclear 

reactors, material, and waste; postal and shipping; transportation systems; and water.

Cybersecurity: Encompasses the cyberspace global domain of operations consisting of the 

interdependent network of information technology infrastructures, and includes the Internet, 

telecommunications networks, computer systems, and embedded processors and controllers in 

critical industries. The cybersecurity core capability is the means for protecting cyberspace from 

damage, unauthorized use, or exploitation of electronic information and communications systems 

and the information contained therein to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Imminent Threat: Intelligence or operational information that warns of a credible, specific, and 

impending terrorist threat or ongoing attack against the United States and its territories that is 

sufficiently specific and credible to recommend implementation of protective measures to thwart 

or mitigate against an attack.

Intelligence Cycle: The process of developing raw information into finished intelligence for 

policymakers, military commanders, law enforcement partners, and other consumers to use in 

making decisions. The cycle is highly dynamic and never ending. For the purposes of the 

National Prevention Framework, there are six steps in the intelligence cycle: planning and 

direction (establish the intelligence requirements of the consumer); collection (gather the raw 

data required to produce the desired finished product); processing and exploitation (convert the 

raw data into comprehensible form that is usable for producing the finished product); analysis

and production (integrate, evaluate, analyze, and prepare the processed information for inclusion 

in the finished product); dissemination (deliver the finished product to the consumer who 

requested it and to others as applicable); and evaluation and feedback (acquire continual 

feedback during the cycle that aids in refining each individual stage and the cycle as a whole).

Mission Areas: Groups of core capabilities, including Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, 

Response, and Recovery.

Mitigation: The capabilities necessary to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact 

of disasters.

National Health Security: The Nation and its people are prepared for, protected from, and 

resilient in the face of health threats or hazards with potentially negative health consequences.
National Preparedness Goal

A-2

National Preparedness: The actions taken to plan, organize, equip, train, and exercise to build 

and sustain the capabilities necessary to prevent, protect against, mitigate the effects of, respond 

to, and recover from those threats that pose the greatest risk to the security of the Nation.

Performance Measure: The metrics used to ascertain actual performance against target levels 

identified for each core capability; by design, they are clear, objective, and quantifiable.

Prevention: The capabilities necessary to avoid, prevent, or stop a threatened or actual act of 

terrorism. For the purposes of the prevention framework called for in PPD-8, the term 

“prevention” refers to preventing imminent threats.

Protection: The capabilities necessary to secure the homeland against acts of terrorism and 

manmade or natural disasters.

Recovery: The capabilities necessary to assist communities affected by an incident to recover

effectively.

Resilience: The ability to adapt to changing conditions and withstand and rapidly recover from 

disruption due to emergencies.

Response: The capabilities necessary to save lives, protect property and the environment, and 

meet basic human needs after an incident has occurred.

Risk Assessment: A product or process that collects information and assigns a value to risks for 

the purpose of informing priorities, developing or comparing courses of action, and informing 

decision making.

Security: The protection of the Nation and its people, vital interests, and way of life.

Stabilization: The process by which the immediate impacts of an incident on community 

systems are managed and contained.

Terrorism: Any activity that involves an act that is dangerous to human life or potentially 

destructive of critical infrastructure or key resources and is a violation of the criminal laws of the 

United States or of any state or other subdivision of the United States; and, appears to be 

intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, or to influence the policy of a government 

by intimidation or coercion, or to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, 

assassination, or kidnapping. (Note that although the definition of terrorism includes both 

domestic and international acts of terrorism, the scope of the planning system is the prevention 

and protection against acts of terrorism in the homeland.)

Weapon of Mass Destruction: Any destructive device; any weapon that is designed or intended 

to cause death or serious bodily injury through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxic or 

poisonous chemicals or their precursors; any weapon involving a biological agent, toxin, or 

vector; or any weapon that is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dangerous to 

human life.

Whole Community: A focus on enabling the participation in national preparedness activities of 

a wider range of players from the private and nonprofit sectors, including nongovernmental 

organizations and the general public, in conjunction with the participation of Federal, state, and 

local governmental partners in order to foster better coordination and working relationships. 

Used interchangeably with “all-of-Nation.”