Let’s look at an example where private-sector partners used sector-specific tools and programs to analyze risk and protect against hazards.

In 2014, the Dams Sector Analysis Tool—a web-based platform of analysis tools and data-collection mechanisms to protect the Nation’s dams—helped stakeholders run more than 1,300 dam-break, flood-inundation simulations to test for screening, prioritization, characterization, and analysis of critical assets, and update plans and policies accordingly. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation also helped improve dam preparedness by conducting 34 dam inspections and risk assessments to determine potential means of failure and resulting consequences. Moreover, DHS began a series of resilience webinars to address risks from cross-sector interdependencies for commercial stakeholders.

This example illustrates the critical task of developing and using appropriate tools to identify and assess threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences.