National Preparedness 

Goal

Second Edition

September 2015

National Preparedness Goal 

i 

Table of Contents

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

Core Capabilities ........................................................................................................... 3

Overview ...................................................................................................................................3

Risk and the Core Capabilities ...............................................................................................4

Mission Area: Prevention ........................................................................................................5

Mission Area: Protection .........................................................................................................8

Mission Area: Mitigation ......................................................................................................10

Mission Area: Response ........................................................................................................12

Mission Area: Recovery ........................................................................................................17

Conclusion and Next Steps ........................................................................................ 21

Appendix A: Terms and Definitions ......................................................................... A-1
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National Preparedness Goal 

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Introduction

Preparedness is the shared responsibility of our entire nation. The whole community contributes, 

beginning with individuals and communities, the private and nonprofit sectors, faith-based 

organizations, and all governments (local, regional/metropolitan, state, tribal1, territorial, insular 

area2, and Federal). This second edition of the National Preparedness Goal reflects the insights 

and lessons learned from four years of real world events and implementation of the National 

Preparedness System.3

We describe our security and resilience posture through the core capabilities (see Table 1) that 

are necessary to deal with the risks we face. We use an integrated, layered, and all-of-Nation 

approach as our foundation for building and sustaining core capabilities and preparing to deliver 

them effectively. The National Preparedness Goal is: 

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, assets, systems, and networks 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 an incident.

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

infrastructure, housing, and the economy, as well as the health, social, cultural, historic, and

environmental fabric of communities affected by an incident.

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

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

and activities, coordinate and unify efforts, improve training and exercise programs, promote 

innovation, leverage and enhance our science and technology capacity, and ensure that 

administrative, finance, and logistics systems are in place to support these capabilities. The core 

capabilities serve as both preparedness tools and a means of structured implementation. All 

manner of incidents across the whole community have proven the usefulness of the core 

capabilities and the coordinating structures that sustain and deliver them. These range from 

1

 The Federal Government recognizes that the tribal right of self-government flows from the inherent sovereignty of 

American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes as nations and that federally recognized tribes have a unique and direct 

relationship with the Federal Government. 

2

 Per the Stafford Act, insular areas include Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American 

Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Other statutes or departments and agencies may define the term insular area 

differently. 

3

 The National Preparedness System outlines an organized process for the whole community to move forward with 

its preparedness activities and achieve the National Preparedness Goal. 
National Preparedness Goal 

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localized and regional incidents, larger events involving both Stafford Act4disaster and 

emergency declarations, and operations conducted under other authorities (e.g., response to an 

emerging infectious disease outbreak).

Individual and community preparedness is fundamental to our National success. Providing 

individuals and communities with information and resources will facilitate actions to adapt to 

and withstand an emergency or disaster. As we have seen in tragic incidents both at home and 

abroad, anyone can contribute to safeguarding the Nation from harm. Our national resilience can 

be improved, for example, by raising awareness of the techniques that can save lives through 

such basic actions as stopping life-threatening bleeding. By providing the necessary knowledge 

and skills, we seek to enable the whole community to contribute to and benefit from national 

preparedness. Whole community contributors include children5; older adults; individuals with 

disabilities and others with access and functional needs; those from religious, racial, and 

ethnically diverse backgrounds; people with limited English proficiency; and owners of animals 

including household pets and service animals. Their needs and contributions must be integrated 

into our efforts. Each community contributes to the Goal by individually preparing for the risks 

that are most relevant and urgent for them individually. By empowering individuals and 

communities with knowledge and skills they can contribute to achieving the National 

Preparedness Goal. 

We continue to make 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. 

4

 The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) authorizes the President to 

provide financial and other assistance to local, state, tribal, territorial, and insular area governments, as well as 

Federal agencies, to support Response and Recovery efforts in the wake of emergency or major disaster 

declarations. 

5

 Children require a unique set of considerations across the core capabilities contained within this document. Their 

needs must be taken into consideration as part of any integrated planning effort. 
National Preparedness Goal 

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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). The core capabilities are not 

exclusive to any single government or organization, but rather require the combined efforts of 

the whole community. 

Table 1: Core Capabilities by Mission Area6

Prevention Protection Mitigation Response Recovery

Planning

Public Information and Warning

Operational Coordination

Intelligence and Information Sharing Community 

Resilience

Long-term 

Vulnerability 

Reduction

Risk and Disaster 

Resilience 

Assessment

Threats and 

Hazards 

Identification

Infrastructure Systems

Interdiction and Disruption Critical Transportation

Environmental 

Response/Health and 

Safety

Fatality Management 

Services

Fire Management and 

Suppression

Logistics and Supply 

Chain Management

Mass Care Services

Mass Search and 

Rescue Operations

On-scene Security, 

Protection, and Law 

Enforcement

Operational 

Communications

Public Health, 

Healthcare, and 

Emergency Medical 

Services

Situational 

Assessment

Economic 

Recovery

Health and 

Social Services

Housing

Natural and 

Cultural 

Resources

Screening, Search, and Detection

Forensics and 

Attribution

Access Control 

and Identity 

Verification

Cybersecurity

Physical 

Protective 

Measures

Risk 

Management for 

Protection 

Programs and 

Activities

Supply Chain 

Integrity and 

Security

6

 Planning, Public Information and Warning, and Operational Coordination are common to all mission areas. 
National Preparedness Goal 

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

enabling integration and coordination across core capabilities. The mission areas are interrelated 

and require collaboration in order to be effective. The National Planning Frameworks and 

Federal Interagency Operational Plans expand on these relationships, to include how the mission 

areas and core capabilities are used to achieve the goal of a secure and resilient nation. 

Three core capabilities: Planning, Public Information and Warning, and Operational 

Coordination span all five mission areas. They 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. 

The core capabilities, like the risks we face, are not static. They will be vetted and refined, taking 

into consideration the evolving risk and, changing resource requirements. Further, there is an 

expectation that each of the core capabilities will leverage advances in science and technology 

and be improved through post-event evaluation and assessment. 

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. All levels of government and the whole community should 

assess and present 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. 

The Strategic National Risk Assessment indicates that a wide range of threats and hazards 

continue to pose a significant risk to the Nation, affirming the need for an all-hazards, capabilitybased approach to preparedness planning. Key findings include:

 Natural hazards, including hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, droughts, wildfires, winter

storms, and floods, present a significant and varied risk across the country. Climate change

has the potential to cause the consequence of weather-related hazards to become more severe.

 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 undiscovered, may present significant risks.

 Technological and accidental hazards, such as transportation system failures, dam failures,

chemical spills or releases, have the potential to cause extensive fatalities and severe

economic impacts. In addition, these hazards 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 physical threats such as explosives and armed attacks, present a continued risk to

the Nation.

 Cyber-attacks can have catastrophic consequences, which in turn, can lead to other hazards,

such as power grid failures or financial system failures. These cascading hazards increase the

potential impact of cyber incidents. Cybersecurity threats exploit the increased complexity
National Preparedness Goal 

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and connectivity of critical infrastructure systems, placing the Nation’s security, economy, 

and public safety and health at risk. 

 Some incidents, such as explosives attacks or earthquakes, generally cause more localized

impacts, while other incidents, such as human pandemics, may cause impacts that are

dispersed throughout the Nation, thus creating different types of impacts for preparedness

planners to consider.

In addition to these findings, climate change has the potential to adversely impact a number of 

threats and hazards. Rising sea levels, increasingly powerful storms, and heavier downpours are 

already contributing to an increased risk of flooding. Droughts and wildfires are becoming more 

frequent and severe in some areas of the country. 

Cybersecurity poses its own unique challenges. In addition to the risk that cyber-threats pose to 

the nation, cybersecurity represents a core capability integral to preparedness efforts across the 

whole community. In order to meet the threat, preparedness planners must not only consider the 

unique core capability outlined in the Protection mission area, but must also consider integrating 

cyber preparedness throughout core capabilities in every mission area. 

These findings supported the update of the core capabilities. 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 series of cascading incidents. Such incidents would likely stress the abilities of our 

Nation. A developed set of planning factors, intended to mimic this cascading incident and 

identify the necessary core capabilities, draws upon three hazards identified by the Strategic 

National Risk Assessment (i.e., large-scale earthquake, major hurricane, WMD attack). 

The risks faced by a community can directly impact those responsible for delivering core 

capabilities. The whole community must maintain the ability to conduct mission essential 

functions during an actual hazard or incident to ensure delivery of core capabilities for all 

mission areas. The scope and magnitude of a catastrophic incident may result in a resource 

scarce environment. Because such incidents may affect an organization’s ability to provide 

assets, assistance, and services, continuity planning and operations are an inherent component of 

each core capability and the coordinating structures that provide them. Continuity operations 

increase resilience and the likelihood that organizations can perform essential functions and 

deliver core capabilities that support the mission areas. 

Mission Area: Prevention 

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

act of terrorism. Unlike other mission areas, which are all-hazards by design, Prevention core 

capabilities are focused specifically on imminent terrorist threats, including on-going attacks or 

stopping imminent follow-on attacks. 

In addition, preventing an imminent terrorist threat will trigger a robust counterterrorism 

response wherein all instruments of national power may be used to resolve threats and save lives. 

Prevention also includes activities such as intelligence, law enforcement, and homeland defense 

as examples of activities conducted to address and resolve the threat. 

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 terrorism prevention 

through extensive collaboration with government and nongovernmental entities, international 
National Preparedness Goal 

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partners, and the private sector. We will foster a rapid, coordinated, all-of-Nation, 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. 

The Prevention mission area relies on ongoing support activities from across all mission areas 

that prepare the whole community to execute the core capabilities for preventing an imminent 

terrorist threat. These activities include information sharing efforts that directly support local 

communities in preventing terrorism and other activities that are precursors or indicators of 

terrorist activity and violent extremism. 

Table 2 defines and details the Prevention core capabilities and the preliminary targets 

associated with each.

Table 2: Prevention Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets 

Prevention Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Planning

Conduct a systematic process engaging the whole community as appropriate in 

the development of executable strategic, operational, and/or tactical-level

approaches to meet defined objectives.

1. Identify critical objectives during the planning process, 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 local, state, tribal, territorial,

Federal, and private sector entities in order to prevent an imminent terrorist attack within the United

States.

Public Information 

and Warning

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.

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. 
National Preparedness Goal 

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Prevention Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets 

Forensics and 

Attribution

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, network exploitation, and cyber technical analysis to assist in preventing initial

or follow-on terrorist acts.

Intelligence and 

Information Sharing

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

2. Share relevant, timely, and actionable information and analysis with local, state, tribal, territorial,

Federal, private sector, and international partners and develop and disseminate appropriate

classified/unclassified products.

3. Ensure local, state, tribal, territorial, Federal, 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.

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. 

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

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

evaluation, and feedback of available information concerning physical and cyber 

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 local, state, tribal, territorial, Federal, and other 

stakeholders. Information sharing is the ability to exchange intelligence, 

information, data, or knowledge among government or private sector entities, as 

appropriate. 
National Preparedness Goal 

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Prevention Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Screening, Search, 

and Detection

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 the capabilities to safeguard the homeland against acts of terrorism and manmade or natural disasters. It focuses on actions to protect our people, our vital interests, and our

way of life. 

Protection core capabilities are the product of diverse activities. These activities include defense 

against WMD threats; defense of agriculture and food; critical infrastructure protection7; 

protection of key leadership and events; border security; maritime security; transportation 

security; immigration security; and cybersecurity. 

Table 3 defines and details the Protection core capabilities and the preliminary targets 

associated with each.

Table 3: Protection Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets 

Protection Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Planning

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

the development of executable strategic, operational, and/or tactical-level

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

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).

7

 See Critical Infrastructure in Appendix A for a full explanation. 

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. 

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, biosurveillance, sensor technologies, or physical 

investigation and intelligence. 
National Preparedness Goal 

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Protection Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Operational 

Coordination

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

planning, and coordination.

Access Control and 

Identity Verification

Apply and support necessary physical, technological, and cyber measures to 

control admittance to critical locations and systems.

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

access to specific locations, information, and networks.

Cybersecurity Protect (and, if needed, restore) electronic communications systems, information, 

and services from damage, unauthorized use, and exploitation.

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 local, state, tribal, territorial, Federal, and other stakeholders. Information 

sharing is the ability to exchange intelligence, information, data, or knowledge 

among government 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 local, state, tribal, territorial,

Federal, private sector, and international partners and develop and disseminate appropriate

classified/unclassified products.

3. Provide local, state, tribal, territorial, Federal, 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.

Establish and maintain a unified and coordinated operational structure and 

process that appropriately integrates all critical stakeholders and supports the 

execution of core capabilities. 
National Preparedness Goal 

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Protection Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Physical Protective 

Measures

Implement and maintain risk-informed countermeasures, and policies protecting 

people, borders, structures, materials, products, and systems associated with 

key operational activities and critical infrastructure sectors.

1. Identify, assess, and mitigate vulnerabilities to incidents through the deployment of physical protective

measures.

2. Deploy protective measures commensurate with the risk of an incident and balanced with the

complementary aims of enabling commerce and maintaining the civil rights of citizens.

Risk Management for 

Protection Programs 

and Activities

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

countermeasures, 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, biosurveillance, 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 and nonprofit 

sectors, 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 trend of increasing impacts from extreme events and catastrophic incidents, hazard 

mitigation stands as a critical linchpin to reduce or eliminate the long-term risks to life, property, 
National Preparedness Goal 

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and well-being. Spanning across community planning, housing, information systems, critical 

infrastructure, public health, healthcare, 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 both now and in the future. 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. 

Although Mitigation is the responsibility of the whole community, a great deal of mitigation 

activity occurs at the local level. Individual and community preparedness is fundamental to our 

success, as preparedness activities contribute to strengthening resilience and mitigate the impact 

of disasters through adaptability and capacity for rapid recovery. 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 community—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 defines and details the Mitigation core capabilities and the preliminary targets 

associated with each.

Table 4: Mitigation Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets 

Mitigation Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Planning

Conduct a systematic process engaging the whole community as appropriate in 

the development of executable strategic, operational, and/or tactical-level

approaches to meet defined objectives.

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

the results of their risk assessment within all local, state, tribal, territorial, and Federal partners.

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 with local, state,

tribal, territorial, and insular area partners and in coordination with Federal agencies.
National Preparedness Goal 

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Mitigation Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Community 

Resilience 

Enable the recognition, understanding, communication of, and planning for risk 

and empower individuals and communities to make informed risk management 

decisions necessary to adapt to, withstand, and quickly recover from future 

incidents.

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

developed through partnerships across the entire community.

2. Empower individuals and communities to make informed decisions to facilitate actions necessary to

adapt to, withstand, and quickly recover from future incidents.

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 threats and hazards by lessening the likelihood, severity, and 

duration of the adverse consequences.

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

amid a growing population base, changing climate conditions, increasing reliance upon information

technology, 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 local, state, tribal, territorial, and insular area governments 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 Hazards

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 local, state, tribal, territorial, and insular area

governments, 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. Response emphasizes saving and sustaining lives, stabilizing the incident,

rapidly meeting basic human needs, restoring basic services and technologies, restoring 

community functionality, providing universal accessibility, 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 
National Preparedness Goal 

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incidents require a much broader set of atypical partners to deliver equal access to the Response 

core capabilities other than those routinely addressed. Community involvement 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 an incident. Because of this, community members 

should be encouraged to train, exercise, and partner with emergency management officials. 

A catastrophic incident with cascading events may impact the execution of applicable laws and 

policies. Certain circumstances may trigger legal and policy exceptions that better aid delivery of 

core capabilities. Planners should identify applicable laws and policies with their respective 

counsel in the pre-planning phase.8 These challenges should be identified during pre-incident 

planning to ensure they are accounted for during an incident. 

Table 5 defines and details the Response core capabilities and the preliminary targets associated 

with each.

Table 5: Response Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets 

Response Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Planning

Conduct a systematic process engaging the whole community as appropriate in 

the development of executable strategic, operational, and/or tactical-level

approaches to meet defined objectives.

1. Develop operational plans 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 and actionable messages to inform ongoing emergency services and the public about

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

8

 Given the scope and magnitude of a catastrophic incident, waivers, exceptions, and exemptions to policy, 

regulations, and laws may be available in order to save and sustain life, and to protect property and the environment. 

However, any such waivers, exceptions, and exemptions must be consistent with laws that preserve human and civil 

rights and protect individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. 
National Preparedness Goal 

14

Response Mission Area Core 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. 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 command, control, and coordination structures, consistent with the National 

Incident Management System (NIMS), 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. 

3. Clear debris from any route type, (i.e., road, rail, airfield, port facility, waterway) to facilitate response 

operations.

Environmental 

Response/Health and 

Safety

Conduct appropriate measures to ensure the protection of the health and safety 

of the public and workers, as well as the environment, from all-hazards in support 

of responder operations and the affected communities.

1. Identify, assess, and mitigate worker health and safety hazards and disseminate health and safety

guidance and resources to response and recovery workers.

2. Minimize public exposure to environmental hazards through assessment of the hazards and 

implementation of public protective actions.

3. Detect, assess, stabilize, and clean up releases of oil and hazardous materials into the environment, 

including buildings/structures, and properly manage waste.

4. Identify, evaluate, and implement measures to prevent and minimize impacts to the environment, 

natural and cultural resources, and historic properties from all-hazard emergencies and response 

operations.

Fatality Management 

Services

Provide fatality management services, including decedent remains recovery and 

victim identification, working with local, state, tribal, territorial, insular area, and 

Federal authorities to provide mortuary processes, temporary storage or 

permanent internment 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.
 National Preparedness Goal 

15

Response Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Fire Management 

and Suppression

Provide structural, wildland, and specialized firefighting capabilities to manage 

and suppress fires of all types, kinds, and complexities while protecting the lives, 

property, and the environment in the affected area.

1. Provide traditional first response or initial attack firefighting services.

2. Conduct expanded or extended attack firefighting and support operations through coordinated 

response of fire management and specialized fire suppression resources.

3. Ensure the coordinated deployment of appropriate local, regional, national, and international fire 

management and fire suppression resources to reinforce firefighting efforts and maintain an 

appropriate level of protection for subsequent fires.

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. 

3. Provide for the clearance, removal, and disposal of debris.

4. Formalize partnerships with governmental and private sector cyber incident or emergency response 

teams to accept, triage, and collaboratively respond to cascading impacts in an efficient manner.

Logistics and Supply 

Chain Management9

Deliver essential commodities, equipment, and services in support of impacted 

communities and survivors, to include emergency power and fuel support, as 

well as the coordination of access to community staples. Synchronize logistics 

capabilities and enable the restoration of impacted supply chains.

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

Mass Care Services

Provide life-sustaining and human services to the affected population, to include

hydration, feeding, sheltering, temporary housing, evacuee support, reunification, 

and distribution of emergency supplies.

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

individuals with access and functional needs.

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.

 

9

 This replaces the previous “Public and Private Services and Resources” core capability.
National Preparedness Goal 

16

Response Mission Area Core 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.

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,

Protection, and Law 

Enforcement

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 response personnel engaged in lifesaving and lifesustaining 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, tribal, 

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.

3. Re-establish critical information networks, including cybersecurity information sharing networks, in 

order to inform situational awareness, enable incident response, and support the resiliency of key 

systems.

Public Health, 

Healthcare, and 

Emergency Medical 

Services

Provide lifesaving medical treatment via Emergency Medical Services and 

related operations and avoid additional disease and injury by providing targeted 

public health, medical, and behavioral health support, and products to all affected 

populations.

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 and illness.

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

recovery processes.
National Preparedness Goal 

17

Response Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

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 to

recover effectively. Support for recovery ensures a continuum of care for individuals to maintain 

and restore health, safety, independence and livelihoods, especially those who experience 

financial, emotional, and physical hardships. Successful recovery ensures that we emerge from 

any threat or hazard stronger and positioned to meet the needs of the future. Recovery 

capabilities support well-coordinated, transparent, and timely restoration, strengthening, and 

revitalization of infrastructure and housing; an economic base; health and social systems; and a 

revitalized cultural, historic, and environmental fabric. 

The ability of a community to accelerate the recovery process begins with its efforts in preincident preparedness: increasing resilience; collaborative, inclusive planning; and developing 

capacity to manage disaster recovery effectively. Developing and maintaining Recovery core 

capabilities requires a multi-agency, interdisciplinary approach that engages the whole 

community, including a wide range of service and resource providers and stakeholders. 

Whole community and government leaders have primary responsibility for planning and 

coordinating all aspects of their recovery and ensuring that organizations and individuals that 

play a key role in recovery are included and actively engaged. Following an incident, a wellcoordinated management process allows recovery and community leaders to maintain open and 

transparent communication, share decision making, expand and engage traditional and nontraditional partners, identify needs and priorities more effectively, reallocate and share existing 

resources, and identify other potential resources and expertise from both inside and outside the 

community. 

Following any incident, recovery efforts are an opportunity to leverage solutions that increase 

overall community resilience and capitalize on existing strengths, while addressing weaknesses 

that may have existed pre-incident. Lessons learned from the post-incident environment on 

establishing leadership, a coordinating structure, and developing whole community partnerships 

can help influence pre-incident planning and build capability for future incidents. 

Table 6 defines and details the Recovery core capabilities and the preliminary targets 

associated with each.
National Preparedness Goal 

18

Table 6: Recovery Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets 

Recovery Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Planning

Conduct a systematic process engaging the whole community as appropriate in 

the development of executable strategic, operational, and/or tactical- level

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, technology, and risk

assessment considerations (including projected climate change impacts), 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 actionable 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.

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 local, state, tribal, territorial, insular area, and Federal

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 an 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 area’s economy within the specified time frame in the recovery plan.
 National Preparedness Goal 

19

Recovery Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

Health and Social 

Services

Restore and improve health and social services capabilities and networks to 

promote the resilience, independence, health (including behavioral health), and 

well-being of the whole community.

1. Identify affected populations, groups and key partners in short-term, intermediate, and long-term 

recovery.

2. Complete an assessment of community health and social service needs, and prioritize these needs, 

including accessibility requirements, based on the whole community's input and participation in the 

recovery planning process, and develop a comprehensive recovery timeline.

3. Restore health care (including behavioral health), public health, and social services functions.

4. Restore and improve the resilience and sustainability of the health care system and social service

capabilities and networks to 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.

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.
National Preparedness Goal 

20

Recovery Mission Area Core Capabilities and Preliminary Targets

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 applicable

environmental and historic 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 

21

Conclusion and Next Steps

The Goal is designed to prepare our Nation for the risks that will severely stress 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 is strengthened through 

collaboration and cooperation with international partners, including working closely with Canada 

and Mexico, with whom we share common borders.

The National Preparedness Goal is the cornerstone of implementing the National Preparedness 

System. Several National Preparedness System components contribute to building, sustaining, 

and delivering the core capabilities described in the National Preparedness Goal. These include: 

 A National Planning System, which supports the integration of planning across all levels of 

government and the whole community to provide an agile, flexible, and accessible delivery 

of the core capabilities. 

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

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

core capabilities. The Federal Interagency Operational Plans address the critical tasks, 

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

capabilities. 

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

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

annual National Preparedness Report provides an opportunity to measure the advancement 

the whole community has made in preparedness and to identify where challenges remain. 

 A Campaign to Build and Sustain Preparedness, which provides an integrating structure for 

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

research and development activities to include post-event evaluation of the use of science and 

technology tools, and preparedness assistance. 

The results of these efforts inform current and future budget planning and decisions. Analysis of 

current performance against intended capabilities and associated performance measures can 

enable the whole community to individually and collectively determine necessary resource 

levels, inform resource allocation plans, and guide Federal preparedness assistance. This detailed 

information can augment assessments of budget implications across the preparedness enterprise. 

This approach allows for annual adjustments based on updated priorities and resource posture. 

This National Preparedness Goal is a living document; regular reviews of the Goal will ensure 

consistency with existing and new policies, evolving conditions, and the National Incident 

Management System. These periodic reviews of the National Preparedness Goal will evaluate 

the Nation’s progress toward building, sustaining, and delivering the core capabilities that are 

essential to a secure and resilient Nation. 
National Preparedness Goal 

22

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 National Preparedness Goal 

A-1 

Appendix A: Terms and Definitions

Access and Functional Needs: Persons who may have additional needs before, during and after 

an incident in functional areas, including but not limited to: maintaining health, independence, 

communication, transportation, support, services, self-determination, and medical care. 

Individuals in need of additional response assistance may include those who have disabilities; 

live in institutionalized settings; are older adults; are children; are from diverse cultures; have 

limited English proficiency or are non-English speaking; or are transportation disadvantaged. 

All-of-Nation: See Whole Community. 

All Hazard: A threat or an incident, natural or manmade, that warrants action to protect life, 

property, the environment, and public health or safety, and to minimize disruptions of 

government, social, or economic activities. It includes natural disasters, cyber incidents, 

industrial accidents, pandemics, acts of terrorism, sabotage, and destructive criminal activity 

targeting critical infrastructure. This also includes the effects climate change has on the threats 

and hazards.

Animal: Animals include household pets, service and assistance animals, working dogs, 

livestock, wildlife, exotic animals, zoo animals, research animals, and animals housed in shelters, 

rescue organizations, breeding facilities, and sanctuaries. 

Community: Unified groups that share goals, values, or purposes; they may exist within 

geographic boundaries or unite geographically dispersed individuals. Communities bring people 

together in different ways for different reasons, but each provides opportunities for sharing 

information and promoting collective action.

Coordinating Structures: Groups composed of representatives from multiple departments or 

agencies, public and/or private sector organizations, or a combination of these for the purpose of 

facilitating the preparedness and delivery of capabilities. They share information and provide 

guidance, support, and integration to aid in the preparedness of the whole community and 

building resilience at the local, regional, and national levels.

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 of those matters. The Nation’s critical infrastructure is composed of 16 sectors: 

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

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

facilities; healthcare and public health; information technology; nuclear reactors, material, and 

waste; transportation systems; and water and wastewater systems. 

Cultural Resources: Aspects of a cultural system that are valued by or significantly 

representative of a culture or that contain significant information about a culture. 

Cybersecurity: The process of protecting information by preventing, detecting, and responding 

to attacks. 
National Preparedness Goal 

A-2

Disability: A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life 

activities of such individual; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an 

impairment. This does not apply to impairments that are transitory and minor. A transitory 

impairment is an impairment with an actual or expected duration of six months or less.

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

impending terrorist threat or ongoing attack against the United States.

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 continuous. 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: 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.

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

terrorism. For the purposes of the prevention framework, 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.
 National Preparedness Goal

A-3

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

systems are managed and contained.

Steady State: A condition where operations and procedures are normal and ongoing. 

Communities are considered to be at a steady state prior to disasters and after recovery is

complete.

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.)

Weapons of Mass Destruction: Materials, weapons, or devices that are intended or capable of 

causing death or serious bodily injury to a significant number of people through release, 

dissemination, or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals or precursors, a disease organism, or 

radiation or radioactivity, to include, but not limited to, biological devices, chemical devices, 

improvised nuclear devices, radiological dispersion devices, and radiological exposure devices.

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 all levels of

government in order to foster better coordination and working relationships. Used 

interchangeably with “all-of-Nation.”