Last month, DHS announced publication of the Interim National Preparedness Goal, establishing readiness benchmarks and targets to strengthen the nation's preparedness for major incidents.

The document includes new capabilities-based tools for developing preparedness at the federal, state, local, tribal and organizational level, including:

• 15 National Planning Scenarios that describe plausible terrorist attacks and natural disasters that would stretch the nation's prevention and response capabilities.
• Target Capabilities List consisting of 36 essential capabilities that should be maintained by various levels of government.

DHS stressed the INPG is not intended to impose micro-level plans that tell first responders or public officials how to do their work and execute their missions, but rather on the collective capabilities required by the nation's emergency response system.

The INPG includes seven priorities for national preparedness falling into two categories: overarching priorities and priorities to build specific capabilities.

The overarching priorities are to:

• Implement the National Incident Management System and National Response Plan.
• Expand regional collaboration.
• Implement the Interim National Infrastructure Protection Plan.

The priorities for specific capabilities are to strengthen:

• Information sharing and collaboration capabilities.
• Interoperable communications capabilities.
• Detection, response and decontamination capabilities For CBRN and explosive weapons.
• Medical surge and mass prophylaxis capabilities.

“The goal is an overarching statement of strategic intent,” said Matt Mayer, acting executive director of the Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness. “We have to be ready to come together as a single, integrated system when the need arises.”

The complete document is available at https://www.llis.dhs.gov/.