As used in this course, critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) are those systems and assets so vital to the community that their incapacity or destruction would have a debilitating impact on public services, security, economics, public health, or safety, or any combination of those matters. Critical infrastructure and key resources require special planning because they are necessary for the health and welfare of the whole population, and/or they represent high potential for loss or damaging effects on the community.
Some examples of critical infrastructure and key resources are listed below.
- Hospitals/medical centers/nursing homes
- Police and fire stations (public safety)
- Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs)
- Evacuation shelters
- Schools
- Nuclear power plants
- Dams and bridges
- Military installations
- Chemical plants
- Industrial facilities
- Water treatment and distribution
- Sewer treatment and collection
- Power generation and distribution
- Other