D5

Directive 5

Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5

February 28, 2003

SUBJECT: Management of Domestic Incidents

Purpose

1. To enhance the ability of the United States to manage domestic incidents by establishing

a single, comprehensive national incident management system.

Definitions

1. 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. 101, 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 of 2002, Public Law 107-296.

Policy

1. To prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters,

and other emergencies, the United States Government shall establish a single, comprehensive

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.

1. 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 Government's resources utilized in response to

or recovery from terrorist attacks, major disasters, or other emergencies if and when any

one of the following four conditions 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.