Definitions

Sources

Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8 (HSPD-8)
National Incident Management System (NIMS)
National Response Plan (NRP)
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA 2002)
Department of Homeland Security Strategic Plan (DHS Strategic Plan)
State Homeland Security Assessment and Strategy Program
HSPD-8 Implementation Concept Paper

All-Hazards Preparedness

HSPD-8: "Refers to preparedness for domestic terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies."
NIMS: Hazard - "Something that is potentially dangerous or harmful, often the root cause of an unwanted outcome."
NRP: Hazard - "Something that is potentially dangerous or harmful, often the root cause of an unwanted outcome."
HSA 2002: None
DHS Strategic Plan: None

First Responder

HSPD-8: "Refers to those individuals who in the early stages of an incident are responsible for the protection and preservation of life, property, evidence, and the environment, including emergency response providers as defined in section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002…as well as emergency management, public health, clinical care, public works, and other skilled support personnel (such as equipment operators) that provide immediate support services during prevention, response, and recovery operations."
NIMS: Emergency Response Provider - "Includes Federal, State, local, and tribal emergency public safety, law enforcement, emergency response, emergency medical (including hospital emergency facilities), and related personnel, agencies, and authorities. See Section 2 (6), Homeland Security Act of 2002&"
NRP: "First Responder. Local police, fire, and emergency medical personnel who first arrive on the scene of an incident and take action to save lives, protect property, and meet basic human needs. First responders may include Federal, State, local, or Tribal responders."
HSA 2002: Emergency Response Provider - includes Federal, State, and local emergency public safety, law enforcement, emergency response, emergency medical (including hospital emergency facilities), and related personnel, agencies, and authorities.
DHS Strategic Plan: None

Preparedness

HSPD-8: "Refers to the existence of plans, procedures, policies, training, and equipment necessary at the Federal, State, and local levels to maximize the ability to prevent, respond to, and recover from major events. The term "readiness" is used interchangeably with preparedness."
NIMS: "The range of deliberate, critical tasks and activities necessary to build, sustain and improve the operational capability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents. Preparedness is a continuous process. Preparedness involves efforts at all levels of government and between government and private sector and non-governmental organizations to identify threats, determine vulnerabilities, and identify required resources. Within the NIMS, preparedness is operationally focused on establishing guidelines, protocols, and standards for planning, training and exercises, personnel qualification and certification, equipment certification, and publication management."
NRP: "Actions to enhance readiness and minimize the impact of a potential incident. The NRP applies preparedness within the context of an incident. NIMS addresses the broader definition, as the full range of deliberate, critical tasks and activities necessary to build, sustain, and improve the operational capability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents."
HSA 2002: No specific definition - references: "all matters pertaining to combating terrorism, including training, exercises, and equipment support" and "to prepare for and mitigate the effects of nonterrorist-related disasters in the United States"
DHS Strategic Plan: None

Recover

HSPD-8: None
NIMS: Recovery. The development, coordination, and execution of service and site restoration plans; the reconstitution of government operations and services; individual, private sector, nongovernmental, and public-assistance programs to provide housing and promote restoration; long-term care and treatment of affected persons; additional measures for social, political, environmental, and economic restoration; evaluation of the incident to identify lessons learned; postincident reporting; and development of initiatives to mitigate effects of future incidents.
NRP: Recovery. Recovery involves actions and the implementation of programs needed to help individuals, communities, and the environment directly impacted by the incident return to normal where feasible. Recovery actions assist victims and their families, restore institutions to regain economic stability and confidence, rebuild or replace destroyed property, and reconstitute government operations and services. Recovery actions often extend long after the incident itself. Recovery programs include hazard mitigation components designed to avoid damage from future incidents.
HSA 2002: None
DHS Strategic Plan: Recovery. Lead national, state, local and private sector efforts to restore services and rebuild communities after acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies.

Respond

HSPD-8: None
NIMS: See NRP
NRP: Response. Activities that address the short-term, direct effects of an incident. Response includes immediate actions to save lives, protect property, and meet basic human needs. Response also includes the execution of emergency operations plans and of mitigation activities designed to limit the loss of life, personal injury, property damage, and other unfavorable outcomes. As indicated by the situation, response activities include applying intelligence and other information to lessen the effects or consequences of an incident; increased security operations; continuing investigations into the nature and source of the threat; ongoing public health and agricultural surveillance and testing processes; immunizations, isolation, or quarantine; and specific law enforcement operations aimed at preempting, interdicting, or disrupting illegal activity, and apprehending actual perpetrators and bringing them to justice.
HSA 2002: None
DHS Strategic Plan: Response. Lead, manage and coordinate the national response to acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies.

Search Operations: Home About Operations Office Directory Program Areas Regulation/Policy Publications Speeches Press Room Links Subject Index Feedback	Definitions ETO Home > Preparedness Sources Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8 (HSPD-8) National Incident Management System (NIMS) National Response Plan (NRP) Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA 2002) Department of Homeland Security Strategic Plan (DHS Strategic Plan) State Homeland Security Assessment and Strategy Program HSPD-8 Implementation Concept Paper All-Hazards Preparedness HSPD-8: "Refers to preparedness for domestic terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies." NIMS: Hazard - "Something that is potentially dangerous or harmful, often the root cause of an unwanted outcome." NRP: Hazard - "Something that is potentially dangerous or harmful, often the root cause of an unwanted outcome." HSA 2002: None DHS Strategic Plan: None First Responder HSPD-8: "Refers to those individuals who in the early stages of an incident are responsible for the protection and preservation of life, property, evidence, and the environment, including emergency response providers as defined in section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002…as well as emergency management, public health, clinical care, public works, and other skilled support personnel (such as equipment operators) that provide immediate support services during prevention, response, and recovery operations." NIMS: Emergency Response Provider - "Includes Federal, State, local, and tribal emergency public safety, law enforcement, emergency response, emergency medical (including hospital emergency facilities), and related personnel, agencies, and authorities. See Section 2 (6), Homeland Security Act of 2002&" NRP: "First Responder. Local police, fire, and emergency medical personnel who first arrive on the scene of an incident and take action to save lives, protect property, and meet basic human needs. First responders may include Federal, State, local, or Tribal responders." HSA 2002: Emergency Response Provider - includes Federal, State, and local emergency public safety, law enforcement, emergency response, emergency medical (including hospital emergency facilities), and related personnel, agencies, and authorities. DHS Strategic Plan: None Preparedness HSPD-8: "Refers to the existence of plans, procedures, policies, training, and equipment necessary at the Federal, State, and local levels to maximize the ability to prevent, respond to, and recover from major events. The term "readiness" is used interchangeably with preparedness." NIMS: "The range of deliberate, critical tasks and activities necessary to build, sustain and improve the operational capability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents. Preparedness is a continuous process. Preparedness involves efforts at all levels of government and between government and private sector and non-governmental organizations to identify threats, determine vulnerabilities, and identify required resources. Within the NIMS, preparedness is operationally focused on establishing guidelines, protocols, and standards for planning, training and exercises, personnel qualification and certification, equipment certification, and publication management." NRP: "Actions to enhance readiness and minimize the impact of a potential incident. The NRP applies preparedness within the context of an incident. NIMS addresses the broader definition, as the full range of deliberate, critical tasks and activities necessary to build, sustain, and improve the operational capability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents." HSA 2002: No specific definition - references: "all matters pertaining to combating terrorism, including training, exercises, and equipment support" and "to prepare for and mitigate the effects of nonterrorist-related disasters in the United States" DHS Strategic Plan: None Recover HSPD-8: None NIMS: Recovery. The development, coordination, and execution of service and site restoration plans; the reconstitution of government operations and services; individual, private sector, nongovernmental, and public-assistance programs to provide housing and promote restoration; long-term care and treatment of affected persons; additional measures for social, political, environmental, and economic restoration; evaluation of the incident to identify lessons learned; postincident reporting; and development of initiatives to mitigate effects of future incidents. NRP: Recovery. Recovery involves actions and the implementation of programs needed to help individuals, communities, and the environment directly impacted by the incident return to normal where feasible. Recovery actions assist victims and their families, restore institutions to regain economic stability and confidence, rebuild or replace destroyed property, and reconstitute government operations and services. Recovery actions often extend long after the incident itself. Recovery programs include hazard mitigation components designed to avoid damage from future incidents. HSA 2002: None DHS Strategic Plan: Recovery. Lead national, state, local and private sector efforts to restore services and rebuild communities after acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies. Respond HSPD-8: None NIMS: See NRP NRP: Response. Activities that address the short-term, direct effects of an incident. Response includes immediate actions to save lives, protect property, and meet basic human needs. Response also includes the execution of emergency operations plans and of mitigation activities designed to limit the loss of life, personal injury, property damage, and other unfavorable outcomes. As indicated by the situation, response activities include applying intelligence and other information to lessen the effects or consequences of an incident; increased security operations; continuing investigations into the nature and source of the threat; ongoing public health and agricultural surveillance and testing processes; immunizations, isolation, or quarantine; and specific law enforcement operations aimed at preempting, interdicting, or disrupting illegal activity, and apprehending actual perpetrators and bringing them to justice. HSA 2002: None DHS Strategic Plan: Response. Lead, manage and coordinate the national response to acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies.
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