What is the definition for the “Protection” mission area?
A. Secure the homeland against terrorism and manmade or natural disasters.
B. Reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters.
C. Assist communities affected by an incident to recover effectively.
D. Avoid, prevent, or stop a threatened or actual act of terrorism.
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is A. Secure the homeland against terrorism and manmade or natural disasters.
Explanation:
The “Protection” mission area, as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and in line with the National Response Framework (NRF), focuses on efforts aimed at securing the homeland from terrorism, manmade threats, and natural disasters. This mission area emphasizes the need for preventing or mitigating attacks and disasters that could impact national security, infrastructure, public safety, and the overall well-being of communities.
- Securing the Homeland Against Terrorism:
The Protection mission area is designed to prevent terrorist attacks, including both foreign and domestic threats. This involves a variety of strategic measures such as intelligence sharing, enhancing surveillance, strengthening border security, and utilizing law enforcement agencies to identify and neutralize threats before they can cause harm. - Protection from Manmade and Natural Disasters:
Apart from counter-terrorism, this mission area includes steps to protect citizens and critical infrastructure from natural disasters (like hurricanes, floods, wildfires, etc.) and manmade incidents (such as industrial accidents or acts of sabotage). Protection efforts may involve disaster preparedness, response planning, and coordination across multiple levels of government, private sector, and the public. - Strategic Initiatives:
In practice, the Protection mission area involves a combination of risk assessments, protective actions, and resilience-building measures. For example, during a natural disaster, the Protection mission area would ensure that infrastructure, including emergency response systems, is fortified to withstand the event. In a terrorism-related scenario, it focuses on prevention tactics like screening, surveillance, and international partnerships to identify threats.
Thus, the Protection mission area encompasses actions aimed at securing the nation’s safety from a range of threats, including both human-caused and natural incidents, ensuring both preventative measures and crisis preparedness are in place.
Incorrect Options:
- B. Reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters: This refers more closely to the “Mitigation” mission area.
- C. Assist communities affected by an incident to recover effectively: This describes the “Recovery” mission area.
- D. Avoid, prevent, or stop a threatened or actual act of terrorism: While this is related to the Protection mission, the phrasing here is too narrow and doesn’t encompass the full range of threats, including natural disasters.