Preparedness is defined by DHS/FEMA as "a continuous cycle of planning, organizing, training, equipping, exercising, evaluating, and taking corrective action in an effort to ensure effective coordination during incident response." This cycle is one element of a broader National Preparedness System to prevent, respond to, and recover from natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other disasters.
Planning for Potential Crises
Planning makes it possible to manage the entire life cycle of a potential crisis.
Strategic and operational planning establishes priorities, identifies expected levels of performance and capability requirements, provides the standard for assessing capabilities, and helps stakeholders learn their roles.
The National Response Framework presents the guiding principles that enable all response partners to prepare for and provide a unified national response to disasters and emergencies from the smallest incident to the largest catastrophe. The Framework establishes a comprehensive, national, all-hazards approach to domestic incident response.
Protection & Preparedness
Protection and National Preparedness (PNP) coordinates preparedness and protection related activities throughout FEMA, including grants, planning, training, exercises, individual and community preparedness, assessments, lessons learned, continuity, and national capital region coordination.
National Preparedness
National Preparedness leads the nation's efforts to enhance preparedness through a comprehensive cycle of planning, organizing and equipping, training, exercising, evaluating, and improvement planning.
Learn more about FEMA's preparedness efforts. Information regarding FEMA’s national preparedness policies and doctrine are highlighted below.
- National Preparedness Goal
- National Preparedness System Description
- National Incident Management System (NIMS) Resource Center
- National Response Framework Resource Center
- Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program
- Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 101
- Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) Policy and Guidance
- Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program (REPP) Manual
If you cannot find the document you are looking for, please go to FEMA’s document library and enter the key search terms and choose “policy” and/or “doctrine” from the subject.
Grant Programs
FEMA’s Grant Programs strategically and effectively administers and manages FEMA grants to ensure critical and measurable results for customers and stakeholders. Learn more about FEMA’s grant programs. FEMA provides state and local governments with preparedness program funding in the form of Non-Disaster Grants to enhance the capacity of state and local emergency responders to prevent, respond to, and recover from a weapons of mass destruction terrorism incident involving chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive devices and cyber attacks.
To learn more about current year and prior grant guidance packages please click on the grant program topics below. If you cannot find the document you are looking for, please go to FEMA’s document library and enter the key search terms and choose “policy” and/or “doctrine” from the subject field.