Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was established in 2002 as a result of the 2001 terrorist attack on the United States. It consists of 22 different federal departments with over 240,000 employees and focuses on protecting the United States. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) , which is responsible for managing catastrophic events, was integrated into the DHS in 2003. Together, they are responsible for coordinating efforts at all governmental levels to ensure emergency preparedness for any catastrophic events such as bioterrorism; chemical and radiation emergencies; mass casualties as a result of explosions, natural disasters, and severe weather; and disease outbreaks. They coordinate with the CDC to ensure there are plans in place to quickly resolve these events. In conjunction with FEMA, the DHS has also developed a National Incident Management System (NIMS) , which provides a systematic, proactive approach to all levels of government and private sector agencies to collaborate and ensure there is a seamless plan to manage any major incidents. It is the essential foundation to the National Preparedness System (NPS) , which outlines an organized process for an integrated preparedness system for any disaster ( DHS, 2016 ).