What does Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 (HSPD-5) require from Federal departments and agencies?

Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 (HSPD-5) emphasizes the importance of a unified national strategy for incident management, mandating that Federal departments and agencies adopt the National Incident Management System (NIMS). NIMS provides a cohesive framework for ensuring that all levels of government and various organizations can work together effectively during incidents, no matter their scale or complexity.

This directive is crucial in fostering a standardized approach to disaster response and recovery, allowing for better communication, coordination, and resource allocation. Adopting NIMS ensures that Federal entities are prepared to engage with state, local, and tribal agencies, thereby enhancing the overall response capabilities across all jurisdictions.

Other options, while relevant to emergency management, do not capture the primary requirement of HSPD-5. For instance, establishing local emergency operations is more decentralized and pertains to local jurisdictions rather than federal mandates. Coordination with international disaster relief involves additional complexities beyond the scope of HSPD-5, which focuses primarily on domestic incident management. Federal disaster training, while important, is not a direct requirement outlined in HSPD-5; instead, the focus is on adopting a comprehensive system for incident management across federal agencies.