Skip to main content

Mission Areas & Core Capabilities

The National Preparedness Goal identifies five mission areas and 32 core capabilities intended to assist everyone who has a role in achieving all of the elements in the Goal. 

Five Mission Areas

 

1. PREVENTION: Prevent, avoid or stop an imminent, threatened or actual act of terrorism.

2. PROTECTION: Protect our citizens, residents, visitors, and assets against the greatest threats and hazards in a manner that allows our interests, aspirations and way of life to thrive.

3. MITIGATION: Reduce the loss of life and property by lessening the impact of future disasters.

4. RESPONSE: Respond quickly to save lives, protect property and the environment, and meet basic human needs in the aftermath of a catastrophic incident.

5. RECOVERY: Recover through a focus on the timely restoration, strengthening and revitalization of infrastructure, housing and a sustainable economy, as well as the health, social, cultural, historic and environmental fabric of communities affected by a catastrophic incident.

 

32 Core Capabilities

The core capabilities established in the National Preparedness Goal are referenced in many national preparedness efforts, including the National Planning Frameworks. The Goal groups the capabilities across the relevant five mission areas. Some core capabilities fall within a single mission area, while others apply to multiple or all mission areas.

Check out our Core Capability Development Sheets for tools to build or sustain capabilities and close identified gaps, including: training courses, planning partners, validation support and more.