• Identify the purpose of the National Preparedness Goal.
  • Identify the five mission areas.
National Preparedness Goal

The National Preparedness Goal presents an integrated, layered, and whole community approach to preparedness. The Goal, itself, is a result of contributions from the whole community. It recognizes that everyone can contribute to and benefit from national preparedness efforts.

National Preparedness Goal. A secure and resilient Nation with 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.
View the National Preparedness Goal.
National Preparedness Goal
The National Preparedness Goal sets the vision for preparedness nationwide and identifies the core capabilities necessary to achieve that vision across the following five mission areas:
  • Prevention
  • Protection
  • Mitigation
  • Response
  • Recovery

Keep in mind, these five mission areas aid in organizing our national preparedness activities and enhance coordination of the core capabilities. Successful achievement of the National Preparedness Goal will result in 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.


National Preparedness Goal: Capabilities and Mission Areas
The emphasis of the National Preparedness Goal is on building and sustaining core capabilities across the five mission areas.
National Preparedness Goal: Mission Areas
Let’s take a closer look at the mission areas. Each mission area is comprised of the capabilities required for accomplishing the mission or function at any time (before, during, or after an incident) and across all threats and hazards.
  • Prevention: The capabilities necessary to avoid, prevent, or stop a threatened or actual act of terrorism. As defined by PPD-8, the term "prevention" refers to preventing imminent threats.
  • Protection: The capabilities necessary to secure the homeland against acts of terrorism and manmade or natural disasters.
  • Mitigation: The capabilities necessary to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters.
  • Response: The capabilities necessary to save lives, protect property and the environment, and meet basic human needs after an incident has occurred.
  • Recovery: The capabilities necessary to assist communities affected by an incident to recover effectively.
Mission Areas and Capabilities (continued)

Let’s take a closer look at the mission areas. Each mission area is comprised of the capabilities required for accomplishing the mission or function at any time (before, during, or after an incident) and across all threats and hazards. The mission areas are not sequential; activities from multiple mission areas can occur simultaneously.

Lesson Summary

This lesson provided an overview of the National Preparedness Goal and the five mission areas.

You should now be able to: