The National Preparedness Goal defines what it means for the whole community to be prepared for all types of disasters and emergencies. The goal is:

"A secure and resilient nation with the capabilities required across the whole community to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk."

This goal sets the vision for preparedness nationwide and identifies the core capabilities necessary to achieve that vision across five mission areas: Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery.