Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-5

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Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5

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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
The White House
February 28, 2003

Homeland Security Presidential Directive/H PD-5
Subject: Management of Domestic Incidents
Purpose
(I) To enhance the ability of the United States to manage domestic incidents by establishing a single,
comprehensive national incident management system.

Definitions
(2) In this directive:
(a) the term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Homeland Security.
(b) the term "Federal departments and agencies" means those executive departments enumerated in 5
U.S.c. 10 I, together with the Department of Homeland Security; independent establishments as
defined by 5 U.s.c. 104(1); government corporations as defined by 5 U.S.C. 103(1); and the United
States Postal Service.
(c) the terms "State," "local," and the "United States" when it is used in a geographical sense, have
the same meanings as used in the Homeland Security Act of2002, Public Law 107-296.

Policy
(3) To prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other
emergencies, the United States Government shall establish a single, compre-hensive approach to
domestic incident management. The objective of the United States Government is to ensure that all
levels of government across the Nation have the capability to work efficiently and effectively
together, using a national approach to domestic incident management. In these efforts, with regard to
domestic incidents, the United States Government treats crisis management and consequence
management as a single, integrated function, rather than as two separate functions.
(4) The Secretary of Homeland Security is the principal Federal official for domestic incident
management. Pursuant to the Homeland Security Act of 2002, the Secretary is responsible for
coordinating Federal operations within the United States to prepare for, respond to, and recover from
terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies. The Secretary shall coordinate the Federal

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Government's resources utilized in response to or recovery from terrorist attacks, major disasters, or
other emergencies if and when anyone of the following four cond it ions applies: (1) a Federal
department or agency acting under its own authority has requested the assistance of the Secretary; (2)
the resources of State and local authorities are overwhelmed and Federal assistance has been
requested by the appropriate State and local authorities; (3) more than one Federal department or
agency has become substantially involved in responding to the incident; or (4) the Secretary has been
directed to assume responsibility for managing the domestic incident by the President.
(5) Nothing in this directive alters, or impedes the ability to carry out, the authorities of Federal

departments and agencies to perform their responsibilities under law. All Federal departments and

agencies shall cooperate with the Secretary in the Secretary's domestic incident management role.

(6) The Federal Government recognizes the roles and responsibilities of State and local authorities in
domestic incident management. Initial responsibility for managing domestic incidents generally falls
on State and local authorities. The Federal Government will assist State and local authorities when
their resources are overwhelmed, or when Federal interests are involved. The Secretary will
coordinate with State and local governments to ensure adequate planning, equipment, training, and
exercise activities. The Secretary will also provide assistance to State and local governments to
develop all-hazards plans and capabilities, including those of greatest importance to the security of
the United States, and will ensure that State, local, and Federal plans are compatible.
(7) The Federal Government recognizes the role that the private and nongovernmental sectors play in
preventing, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from terrorist attacks, major disasters, and
other emergencies. The Secretary will coordinate with the private and nongovernmental sectors to
ensure adequate planning, equipment, training, and exercise activities and to promote partnerships to
address incident management capabil ities.
(8) The Attorney General has lead responsibility for criminal investigations of t rrorist acts or
terrorist threats by individuals or groups inside the United States, or directed at United States citizens
or institutions abroad, where such acts are within the Federal criminal jurisdiction of the United
States, as well as for related intelligence collection activities within the United States, subject to the
National Security Act of 1947 and other applicable law, Executive Order 12333, and Attorney
General-approved procedures pursuant to that Executive Order. Generally acting through the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, the Attorney General, in cooperation with other Federal departments and
agencies engaged in activities to protect our national security, shall also coordinate the activities of
the other members of the law enforcement community to detect, prevent, preempt, and disrupt
terrorist attacks against the United States. Following a terrorist threat or an actual incident that falls
within the criminal jurisdiction of the United States, the full capabilities of the United States shall be
dedicated, consistent with United States law and with activities of other Federal departments and
agencies to protect our national security, to assisting the Attorney General to identify the perpetrators
and bring them to justice. The Attorney General and the Secretary shall establish appropriate
relationships and mechanisms for cooperation and coordination between their two departments.
(9) Nothing in this directive impairs or otherwise affects the authority of the Secretary of Defense
over the Department of Defense, including the chain of command for mi litary fI rces from the
President as Commander in Chief, to the Secretary of Defense, to the commander of mil itary forces,
or military command and control procedures. The Secretary of Defense shall provide military
support to civil authorities for domestic incidents as directed by the President or when consistent
with military readiness and appropriate under the circumstances and the law. The Secretary of
Defense shall retain command of military forces providing civil support. The Secretary of Defense
and the Secretary shall establish appropriate relationships and mechanisms for cooperation and
coordination between their two departments.
(10) The Secretary of State has the responsibility, consistent with other United States Government
activities to protect our national security, to coordinate international activities related to the

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prevention, preparation, response, and recovery from a domestic incident, and for the protection of
United States citizens and United States interests overseas. The Secretary of State and the Secretary
shall establish appropriate relationships and mechanisms for cooperation and coordination between
their two departments.
(II) The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and the Assistant to the President for
National Security Affairs shall be responsible for interagency policy coordination on domestic and
international incident management, respectively, as directed by the President. T e Assistant to the
President for Homeland Security and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs shall
work together to ensure that the United States domestic and international incident management
efforts are seamlessly united.
(12) The Secretary shall ensure that, as appropriate, information related to domestic incidents is
gathered and provided to the public, the private sector, State and local authorities, Federal
departments and agencies, and, generally through the Assistant to the President for Homeland
Security, to the President. The Secretary shall provide standardized, quantitative reports to the
Assistant to the President for Homeland Security on the readiness and preparedness of the Nation -­
at all levels of government -- to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from domestic
incidents.
(13) Nothing in this directive shall be construed to grant to any Assistant to the resident any
authority to issue orders to Federal departments and agencies, their officers, or eir employees.

Tasking
(14) The heads of all Federal departments and agencies are directed to provide their full and prompt
cooperation, resources, and support, as appropriate and consistent with their own responsibilities for
protecting our national security, to the Secretary, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense, and
the Secretary of State in the exercise of the individual leadership responsibilities and missions
assigned in paragraphs (4), (8), (9), and (10), respectively, above.
(15) The Secretary shall develop, submit for review to the Homeland Security Council, and
administer a National Incident Management System (NIMS). This system will provide a consistent
nationwide approach for Federal, State, and local governments to work effectively and efficiently
together to prepare for, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents, regardless of cause, size, or
complexity. To provide for interoperability and compatibility among Federal, State, and local
capabilities, the NIMS will include a core set of concepts, principles, terminology, and technologies
covering the incident command system; multi-agency coordination systems; unified command;
training; identification and management of resources (including systems for classifYing types of
resources); qualifications and certification; and the collection, tracking, and reporting of incident
information and incident resources.
(16) The Secretary shall develop, submit for review to the Homeland Security Council, and
administer a National Response Plan (NRP). The Secretary shall consult with appropriate Assistants
to the President (including the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy) and the Director of the
Office of Science and Technology Policy, and other such Federal officials as may be appropriate, in
developing and implementing the NRP. This plan shall integrate Federal Government domestic
prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery plans into one all-discipline, all-hazards plan. The
NRP shall be unclassified. If certain operational aspects require classification, they shall be included
in classified annexes to the NRP.
(a) The NRP, using the NIMS, shall, with regard to response to domestic incidents, provide the
structure and mechanisms for national level policy and operational direction for Federal support to
State and local incident managers and for exercising direct Federal authorities and responsibilities, as
appropriate.

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(b) The NRP will include protocols for operating under different threats or threat levels;
incorporation of existing Federal emergency and incident management plans (with appropriate
modifications and revisions) as either integrated components of the NRP or as supporting operational
plans; and additional opera-tiona I plans or annexes, as appropriate, including public affairs and
intergovernmental comm unications.
(c) The NRP will include a consistent approach to reporting incidents, providing assessments, and
making recommendations to the President, the Secretary, and the Homeland Security Council.
(d) The NRP will include rigorous requirements for continuous improvements from testing,
exercising, experience with incidents, and new information and technologies.
( 17) The Secretary shall:
(a) By April 1,2003, (I) develop and publish an initial version of the NRP, in consultation with other
Federal departments and agencies; and (2) provide the Assistant to the President for Homeland
Security with a plan for full development and implementation of the NRP.
(b) By June 1,2003, (1) in consultation with Federal departments and agencies and with State and
local governments, develop a national system of standards, guidelines, and protocols to implement
the NIMS; and (2) establish a mechanism for ensuring ongoing management and maintenance of the
NIMS, including regular consultation with other Federal departments and agencies and with State
and local governments.
(c) By September 1,2003, in consultation with Federal departments and agencies and the Assistant
to the President for Homeland Security, review existing authorities and regulations and prepare
recommendations for the President on revisions necessary to implement fully the NRP.
(18) The heads of Federal departments and agencies shall adopt the NIMS within their departments
and agencies and shall provide support and assistance to the Secretary in the development and
maintenance of the NIMS. All Federal departments and agencies will use the NlMS in their domestic
incident management and emergency prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation
activities, as well as those actions taken in support of State or local entities. The heads of Federal
departments and agencies shall participate in the NRP, shall assist and support the Secretary in the
development and maintenance of the NRP, and shall participate in and use domestic incident
reporting systems and protocols established by the Secretary.
(19) The head of each Federal department and agency shall:
(a) By June I, 2003, make initial revisions to existing plans in accordance with the initial version of
the NRP.
(b) By August I, 2003, submit a plan to adopt and implement the NIMS to the Secretary and the
Assistant to the President for Homeland Security. The Assistant to the President for Homeland
Security shall advise the President on whether such plans effectively implement the NIMS.
(20) Beginning in Fiscal Year 2005, Federal departments and agencies shall make adoption of the
NIMS a requirement, to the extent permitted by law, for providing Federal preparedness assistance
through grants, contracts, or other activities. The Secretary shall develop standards and guidelines for
determining whether a State or local entity has adopted the NIMS.
Technical and Conforming Amendments to National Security Presidential Directive-I (NSPD-I)
(21) NSPD~L("Organizatiollof th~ational SeFile Typeapplication/pdfFile Modified2009-11-05File Created2009-11-05