6 U.S.C. § 744 — Establishment of national preparedness

Page 399 TITLE 6—DOMESTIC SECURITY § 744 ercised personnel that achieves the intended outcome. (2) Credentialed; credentialing The terms ‘‘credentialed’’ and ‘‘credentialing’’ have the meanings given those terms in section 311 of this title. (3) Hazard The term ‘‘hazard’’ has the meaning given that term under section 5195a(a)(1) of title 42. (4) Mission assignment The term ‘‘mission assignment’’ means a work order issued to a Federal agency by the Agency, directing completion by that agency of a specified task and setting forth funding, other managerial controls, and guidance. (5) National preparedness goal The term ‘‘national preparedness goal’’ means the national preparedness goal estab- lished under section 743 of this title. (6) National preparedness system The term ‘‘national preparedness system’’ means the national preparedness system es- tablished under section 744 of this title. (7) National training program The term ‘‘national training program’’ means the national training program estab- lished under section 748(a) of this title. (8) Operational readiness The term ‘‘operational readiness’’ means the capability of an organization, an asset, a sys- tem, or equipment to perform the missions or functions for which it is organized or designed. (9) Performance measure The term ‘‘performance measure’’ means a quantitative or qualitative characteristic used to gauge the results of an outcome compared to its intended purpose. (10) Performance metric The term ‘‘performance metric’’ means a particular value or characteristic used to measure the outcome that is generally ex- pressed in terms of a baseline and a target. (11) Prevention The term ‘‘prevention’’ means any activity undertaken to avoid, prevent, or stop a threat- ened or actual act of terrorism. (12) Resources The term ‘‘resources’’ has the meaning given that term in section 311 of this title. (13) Type The term ‘‘type’’ means a classification of resources that refers to the capability of a re- source. (14) Typed; typing The terms ‘‘typed’’ and ‘‘typing’’ have the meanings given those terms in section 311 of this title. (Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, § 641, Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1424; Pub. L. 110–53, title IV, § 401(b), Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 302.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2007—Pars. (2) to (14). Pub. L. 110–53 added pars. (2) and (12) to (14) and redesignated former pars. (2) to (10) as (3) to (11), respectively. § 742. National preparedness In order to prepare the Nation for all hazards, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters, the President, consistent with the declaration of policy under section 5195 of title 42 and title V of the Home- land Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 311 et seq.), as amended by this Act, shall develop a national preparedness goal and a national preparedness system. (Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, § 642, Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1425.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT The Homeland Security Act of 2002, referred to in text, is Pub. L. 107–296, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2135. Title V of the Act is classified generally to subchapter V (§ 311 et seq.) of chapter 1 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 101 of this title and Tables. This Act, referred to in text, means title VI of Pub. L. 109–295, Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1394, known as the Post- Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title and References in Pub. L. 109–295 notes set out under section 701 of this title and Tables. § 743. National preparedness goal (a) Establishment The President, acting through the Adminis- trator, shall complete, revise, and update, as necessary, a national preparedness goal that de- fines the target level of preparedness to ensure the Nation’s ability to prevent, respond to, re- cover from, and mitigate against natural disas- ters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made dis- asters. (b) National Incident Management System and National Response Plan The national preparedness goal, to the great- est extent practicable, shall be consistent with the National Incident Management System and the National Response Plan. (Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, § 643, Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1425.) § 744. Establishment of national preparedness system (a) Establishment The President, acting through the Adminis- trator, shall develop a national preparedness system to enable the Nation to meet the na- tional preparedness goal. (b) Components The national preparedness system shall in- clude the following components: (1) Target capabilities and preparedness pri- orities. (2) Equipment and training standards. (3) Training and exercises. Page 400 TITLE 6—DOMESTIC SECURITY § 745 (4) Comprehensive assessment system. (5) Remedial action management program. (6) Federal response capability inventory. (7) Reporting requirements. (8) Federal preparedness. (c) National planning scenarios The national preparedness system may include national planning scenarios. (Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, § 644, Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1425.) § 745. National planning scenarios (a) In general The Administrator, in coordination with the heads of appropriate Federal agencies and the National Advisory Council, may develop plan- ning scenarios to reflect the relative risk re- quirements presented by all hazards, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters, in order to provide the foundation for the flexible and adaptive develop- ment of target capabilities and the identifica- tion of target capability levels to meet the na- tional preparedness goal. (b) Development In developing, revising, and replacing national planning scenarios, the Administrator shall en- sure that the scenarios— (1) reflect the relative risk of all hazards and illustrate the potential scope, magnitude, and complexity of a broad range of representative hazards; and (2) provide the minimum number of rep- resentative scenarios necessary to identify and define the tasks and target capabilities re- quired to respond to all hazards. (Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, § 645, Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1425.) § 746. Target capabilities and preparedness prior- ities (a) Establishment of guidelines on target capa- bilities Not later than 180 days after October 4, 2006, the Administrator, in coordination with the heads of appropriate Federal agencies, the Na- tional Council on Disability, and the National Advisory Council, shall complete, revise, and up- date, as necessary, guidelines to define risk- based target capabilities for Federal, State, local, and tribal government preparedness that will enable the Nation to prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against all hazards, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters. (b) Distribution of guidelines The Administrator shall ensure that the guidelines are provided promptly to the appro- priate committees of Congress and the States. (c) Objectives The Administrator shall ensure that the guidelines are specific, flexible, and measurable. (d) Terrorism risk assessment With respect to analyzing and assessing the risk of acts of terrorism, the Administrator shall consider— (1) the variables of threat, vulnerability, and consequences related to population (including transient commuting and tourist populations), areas of high population density, critical in- frastructure, coastline, and international bor- ders; and (2) the most current risk assessment avail- able from the Chief Intelligence Officer of the Department of the threats of terrorism against the United States. (e) Preparedness priorities In establishing the guidelines under sub- section (a), the Administrator shall establish preparedness priorities that appropriately bal- ance the risk of all hazards, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters, with the resources required to pre- vent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against the hazards. (f) Mutual aid agreements The Administrator may provide support for the development of mutual aid agreements with- in States. (Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, § 646, Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1426.) § 747. Equipment and training standards (a) Equipment standards (1) In general The Administrator, in coordination with the heads of appropriate Federal agencies and the National Advisory Council, shall support the development, promulgation, and updating, as necessary, of national voluntary consensus standards for the performance, use, and vali- dation of equipment used by Federal, State, local, and tribal governments and nongovern- mental emergency response providers. (2) Requirements The national voluntary consensus standards shall— (A) be designed to achieve equipment and other capabilities consistent with the na- tional preparedness goal, including the safe- ty and health of emergency response pro- viders; (B) to the maximum extent practicable, be consistent with existing national voluntary consensus standards; (C) take into account, as appropriate, threats that may not have been con- templated when the existing standards were developed; and (D) focus on maximizing operability, inter- operability, interchangeability, durability, flexibility, efficiency, efficacy, portability, sustainability, and safety. (b) Training standards The Administrator shall— (1) support the development, promulgation, and regular updating, as necessary, of national voluntary consensus standards for training; and (2) ensure that the training provided under the national training program is consistent with the standards. (c) Consultation with standards organizations In carrying out this section, the Adminis- trator shall consult with representatives of rel-