By Homeland Security Blog Team
On March 30, 2011, President Obama signed Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) 8 on National Preparedness. This directive instructs the federal government to take action to strengthen our nation’s security and resilience against a variety of hazards, including terrorism, pandemics, and catastrophic natural disasters. It reflects this administration’s belief that the entire emergency management team –all levels of government, the private and non-profits sectors, and individual citizens – plays a key role in keeping our communities safe and secure, meeting the needs of survivors when disaster strikes, and preventing the loss of life and property. Specifically, the directive will help us continue to strengthen this entire emergency management team by directing the government to develop a new national preparedness goal, national preparedness system, comprehensive campaign to build and sustain national preparedness, and national preparedness report based on this new goal.
So how will the PPD get implemented?
We look forward to working extensively with stakeholders at all levels of government, the private and non-profit sectors, and the public to develop the PPD implementation plan and to carry it out once it is finalized. The White House National Security Staff is currently coordinating this process.
All of us can contribute to national preparedness. This administration is dedicated to working with all members of our emergency management team to build a stronger national preparedness system that leverages all elements of our society – federal, state and local governments, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, faith-based and community partnerships, and individuals – to meet the security, preparedness and resilience needs of our communities.