National Strategy for Homeland Security
Encyclopedia
The United States National Strategy for Homeland Security is a formal government response to the events of September 11, 2001 at the Pentagon
and World Trade Center
. The document issued by President George W. Bush outlines the overall strategic considerations for cooperation between the federal government, states, private enterprises, and ordinary citizens in anticipating future terrorism attacks as well as natural disasters and other incidents of national significance. The National Response Framework
is the part of the homeland security national strategy that is a Comprehensive Emergency Management
guideline for implementing scalable responses to disasters and other incidents of national significance.
The order of these objectives determine a priority for action within the strategy, where the strategic assumption is that a terrorist attack within the United States is not an impossible event
.
According to the "Homeland Security and National Security" section of the national strategy document:
(FEMA) provides local guidance on implementing the National Incident Management System
(NIMS) and Incident Command System
(ICS) for local handling of emergency responses. As responses use up local resources, state and federal resources are mobilized under the National Response Framework, so that operational priorities are met during emergency responses of increasing size and complexity. All of these response activities are within the overall scope of the National Strategy for Homeland Security, whether emergency incidents are the result of terrorism or failure to respond may cause increased vulnerability to terrorism that may occur later.
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
and World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
. The document issued by President George W. Bush outlines the overall strategic considerations for cooperation between the federal government, states, private enterprises, and ordinary citizens in anticipating future terrorism attacks as well as natural disasters and other incidents of national significance. The National Response Framework
National Response Framework
The United States National Response Framework is part of the National Strategy for Homeland Security that presents the guiding principles enabling all levels of domestic response partners to prepare for and provide a unified national response to disasters and emergencies...
is the part of the homeland security national strategy that is a Comprehensive Emergency Management
Comprehensive Emergency Management
Comprehensive emergency management, as defined in various laws throughout the United States, is the preparation for and the carrying out of all emergency functions, other than functions for which the military forces are primarily responsible, to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from...
guideline for implementing scalable responses to disasters and other incidents of national significance.
Objectives
The three primary objectives of the National Strategy for Homeland Security are:- to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States;
- to reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism; and
- to minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur.
The order of these objectives determine a priority for action within the strategy, where the strategic assumption is that a terrorist attack within the United States is not an impossible event
Impossible event
In the mathematics of probability, an impossible event is an event A with probability zero, or Pr = 0. See in particular almost surely.An impossible event is not the same as the stronger concept of logical impossibility...
.
Implementation
One of the first steps in implementing the strategy was the creation of the Department of Homeland Security.According to the "Homeland Security and National Security" section of the national strategy document:
NIMS/ICS
Generally, the United States Federal Emergency Management AgencyFederal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
(FEMA) provides local guidance on implementing the National Incident Management System
National Incident Management System
The National Incident Management System is emergency management doctrine used nationwide to coordinate emergency preparedness and incident management and response among the public and private sectors.NIMS is a comprehensive, national approach to incident management that is applicable at all...
(NIMS) and Incident Command System
Incident Command System
The Incident Command System is "a systematic tool used for the command, control, and coordination of emergency response" according to the United States Federal Highway Administration...
(ICS) for local handling of emergency responses. As responses use up local resources, state and federal resources are mobilized under the National Response Framework, so that operational priorities are met during emergency responses of increasing size and complexity. All of these response activities are within the overall scope of the National Strategy for Homeland Security, whether emergency incidents are the result of terrorism or failure to respond may cause increased vulnerability to terrorism that may occur later.