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NCR Homeland Security Program

Acronyms and Glossary of Terms

This section presents a glossary of common homeland security terms and acronyms.

Acronyms

24/7	24 hours day, seven days a week
A
AAR	After-Action Review
ACI	Advance Contracting Initiative
ACF	Administration for Children and Families
ACS	Auxiliary Communications Service
AHRQ	Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
ALOHA	Arial Locations of Hazardous Atmospheres
ALS	Advanced Life Support
AMC	Alternative Medical Center
AMF	Alternative Mortuary Facility
AMS	Aerial Measuring System
ANG	Air National Guard
ANT	Aid to Navigation
AoA	Administration on Aging
AOR	Area of Responsibility
APWA	American Public Works Association
ARC	American Red Cross
ARG	Accident Response Group
ARES	Amateur Radio Emergency Services
ATSDR	Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry
ATTF	Anti-Terrorism Task Force
AVMA	American Veterinary Medical Association
B
BIOEVENT	Bioterrorist incident or large scale natural event
BL	Biosafety Level
BLM	Bureau of Land Management
BMC	Baltimore Metropolitan Council
BTF	Bioterrorism Task Force
BWI	Baltimore Washington International Airport
BW-IRP	Biological Weapons Improved Response Program
BRAC	Base Realignment and Closure
BSI	Base Support Installation
BW	Biological Warfare
C
CAC	Citizens Advisory Committee
CACRT	Capital Area Crises Response Team
CAMEO	Computer Aided Management of Emergency Operations
CAO	Chief Administrative Officer
CAP	Corrective Action Program
CAPWIN	Capital Wireless Integrated Network
CAR	Capability Assessment for Readiness
CATS	Consequence Assessment Tool Set
CB	Citizen Band
CBIRF	Chemical Biological Incident Response Force
CBRN	Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear
CBRNE	Chemical and Biological Agents and Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive Devices
CCRF	Commissioned Corps Readiness Force
CCTV	Closed Circuit Television
CDBG	Community Development Block Grant
CDC	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDRG	Catastrophic Disaster Response Group
CERCLA	Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act
CERSC	Corps of Engineers Readiness Support Center
CERT	Community Emergency Response Team
CHP	Certified Health Physicist
CIA	Central Intelligence Agency
CIAO	Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office
CIH	Certified Industrial Hygienist
CINC	Commander in Chief
CIRA	Catastrophic Incident Response Annex
CISM	Critical Incident Stress Management
CJTF	Civil Joint Task Force
CLRP	Constrained Long-Range Plan
CMC	Crises Management Center
CMS	Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
CMT	Consequence Management Center
CNN	Cable News Network
COG	Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
COGMARS	Council of Governments Mutual Aid Radio System
Comp Grant	Comprehensive Grant Program
CONPLAN	U. S. Government Interagency Domestic Terrorism Concept of Operations Plan
CONUS	Continental United States
CONUSA	Continental United States Army
COOP	Continuity of Operations Plan
CPOC	Chief Purchasing Officers Committee
CPX	Command Post Exercise
CSEPP	Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program
CSG	Council of State Governments
CWA	Clean Water Act
D
DAE	Disaster Assistance Employee
DARPA	Defense Advance Research Projects Agency
DART	Disaster Assistance Recovery Team
DC	District of Columbia
DCA	Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
DC EMA	District of Columbia Emergency Management Agency
DCHA	District of Columbia Hospital Association
DCO	Defense Coordination Officer
DCS	Disaster Communications Service
DCSOPS	Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations
DCWASA	District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority
DDOT	District Department of Transportation
DETF	Disaster Emergency Task Force
DFA	Direct Federal Assistance
DFC	Disaster Finance Center
DFO	Disaster Field Office
DHHS	U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
DHS	U.S. Department of Homeland Security
DHS ONCRC	U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of the National Capital Region Coordination
DIA	Defense Intelligence Agency
DJTF	Disaster Joint Task Force
DMAT	Disaster Medical Assistance Team
DMORT	Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team
DMV	Department of Motor Vehicles
DOC	Department Operations Center
DOD	U.S. Department of Defense
DOD-GEIS	Department of Defense – Global Emerging Infectious
	System
DOE	U.S. Department of Energy
DOH	Department of Health
DOJ	U.S. Department of Justice
DOL	U.S. Department of Labor
DOT	U. S. Department of Transportation
DPMU	Disaster Portable Morgue Unit
DPW	Department of Public Works
DRP	District Response Plan
DSCA	Defense Support of Civilian Authorities
DTE	Disaster Temporary Employee
DTOS	Deployable Tactical Operating Center
E
EAS	Emergency Alert System
EBS	Emergency Broadcast System
ECA	Evaluation and Corrective Action
ECC	Emergency Communications Center
ECOT	U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Emergency Communications and Outreach Team
ECS	Emergency Communications Service
ED	Emergency Department
EDA	U. S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration
EDD	Economic Development Districts
EEI	Essential Elements of Information
EFO	Emergency Field Office
EICC	Emergency Information and Coordination Center
EMA	District of Columbia Emergency Management Agency
EMAC	Emergency Management Assistance Compact
EMI	Emergency Management Institute
EMS	Emergency Medical Services
EMT	Emergency Medical Technician
ENGLink	USACE Emergency Information Center
ENCOMPAS	Enhanced Consequence Management Planning and Support
	System
EO	Executive Order
EOC	Emergency Operations Center
EOP	Emergency Operations Plan
EPA	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EPAC	Energy Policy Advisory Committee
EPAERT	U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Emergency Response Team
EPARERT	U. S. Environment Protection Agency’s Radiological Emergency Response Team
EPC	Emergency Preparedness Council
EPCRA	Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
EP&R	Emergency Preparedness and Response
EPW	Exercise Planning Workshop
ER	Emergency Response
ERRO	Emergency Response and Recovery Office
ERT	Emergency Response Team
ERT-A	Emergency Response Team-Advance Element
ERT-N	Emergency Response Team-National
ESF	Emergency Support Function
ESF - 1	Transportation
ESF - 2	Communications
ESF – 3	Public Works & Engineering
ESF – 4	Firefighting
ESF – 5	Information & Planning
ESF – 6	Mass Care
ESF – 7	Resource Management
ESF – 8	Health & Medical Services
ESF – 9	Urban Search & Rescue
ESF – 10	Hazardous Materials
ESF – 11	Food
ESF – 12	Energy
ESFLG	Emergency Support Function Leadership Group
ESP	Essential Service Protection
ESSENCE	Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification
	of Community-based Epidemics
ESSO	Executive Support Staff Officer
EST	Emergency Support Team
EWB	Electronic Watchboard
F
FAA	Federal Aviation Administration
FAC	Family Assistance Center
FACS	Foundation of American Communications
FAO	Federal Approving Officer
FBI	Federal Bureau of Investigation
FBI HMRU	FBI , Laboratory Division, Hazardous Materials Response Unit
FBI OSC	FBI, On-scene Coordinator
FCC	Federal Communications Commission
FCO	Federal Coordinating Officer
FCWA	Fairfax County Water Authority
FDA	Federal Drug Administration
FECC	Federal Emergency Communications Coordinator
FEMA	Federal Emergency Management Agency
FHWA	Federal Highway Administration
FIRST	Federal Incident Response Support Team
FMARS	Fire Mutual Aid Response System
FNS	Food and Nutrition Service
FOG	Field Operations Guide
FOIA	Freedom of Information Act
FOSC	Federal On Scene Coordinator
FOUO	For Official Use Only
FPC	Federal Preparedness Circulars
FRERP	Federal Radiological Preparedness Coordinating Committee
FRMAC	Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center
FRP	Federal Response Plan
FRPCC	Federal Radiological Preparedness Coordinating Committee
FSE	Full-Scale Exercise
FSX	Federal Scale Exercise
FTA	Federal Transit Administration
FTS	Federal Telecommunications System
FUDS	Formerly Used Defense Sites
FUSRAP	Formerly Used Sites Remedial Action Program
G
GETS	Government Emergency Telecommunications Service
GIS	Geographical Information System
GMRS	General Mobile Radio System
GPS	Global Positioning System
GSA	General Services Administration
GWBOT	Greater Washington Board of Trade
H
HAZMAT	Hazardous Material
HCC	Health Care Coalition
HEICS	Hospital Emergency Incident Command System
HEPA	High Efficiency Particulate
HHS	U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
HIRA	Hazardous Identification and Risk Assessment
H-MARS	Hospital Municipal Aid Radio System
HOME	Home Investment partnership
HP	Health Physicist
HPAC	Hazard Prediction and Assessment Capability
HP Tech	Health Physicist Technician
HQ	Headquarters
HRSA	Health Resources and Services Administration
HSAS	Homeland Security Advisory System
HSC	Homeland Security Council
HSC/DC	Homeland Security Deputies Committee
HSC/PC	Homeland Security Principals Committee
HSC/PCC	Homeland Security Policy Coordination Committee
HSEEP	Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program
HSOC	Homeland Security Operations Center
HSPD	Homeland Security Presidential Directive
HTRW-CX	Hazardous, Toxic and Radioactive Waste, Center of Expertise
HUD	U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
I
IAAT	Independent Assistance and Assessment Team
IAD	Washington Dulles International Airport
IAIP	Department of Homeland Security, Infrastructure Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Directorate
IAP	Incident Action Plan
IC	Incident Commander
IC or UC	Incident Command or Unified Command
ICD-9 Codes	International Classification of Disease Codes
ICMA	International City/County Management Association
ICP	Incident Command Post
ICPRB	Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin
ICS	Incident Command System
ID	Identification
IDIQ	Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity
IED	Improvised Explosive Device
IFO	Initial Operating Facility
IHS	Indian Health Service
IIMG	Interagency Incident Management Guide
ILS	Influenza-like Syndrome
IMAT	Incident Management Action Team
IMS	Incident Management System
IMT	Incident Management Team
IND	Improvised Nuclear Device
INRP	Initial National Response Plan
INS	Immigration and Naturalization Service
IOM	Institute of Medicine
IP	Improvement Plan
IRE	Institute of Regional Excellence
IRP	Installation Restoration Program
IRR	Initial Response Resources
ISAC	Information Sharing and Analysis Center
ISCORS	Interagency Steering Committee on Radiation Standards
ITS	Intelligent Transportation Systems
J
JCAHO	Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
	Organizations
JDOMS	Joint Directorate of Military Support, Department of Defense
JFO	Joint Field Office
JIC	Joint Information Center
JIS	Joint Information System
JTF-CS	Joint Task Force Civil Support
JTTF	Joint Terrorism Task Force
L
LCSA	Loudoun County Sanitation Authority
LEPC	Local Emergency Planning Committee
LFA	Lead Federal Agency
LGPA	Local Government Personnel Association
LNO	Liaison Officer
M
MA	Mission Assignment
MAA	Mutual Aid Agreement
MACA	Military Assistance to Civil Authorities
MARC	Maryland Area Rail Commuter
MATTS	Mobile Air Transportation Telecommunications System
MARLAP	Multi-Agency Radiation Laboratory Analytical Protocols
MARSSIM	Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual
MCF	Movement Coordination Function
MCI	Mass Casualty Incident
MCMT	Mobilization Center Management Team
MD	State of Maryland
MDE	Maryland Department of the Environment
MDOT	Maryland Department of Transportation
MDUSGS	Maryland United States Geologic Survey
MDW	Military District of Washington
ME	Medical Examiner
MECC	Mobile Emergency Communications Center
MEEP	Medical Examiner Expansion Program
MEMA	Maryland Emergency Management Agency
MERS	Mobile Emergency Response Support
MFIP	Multiple Fatality Incident Plan
MIPT	Memorial Institute for Prevention of Terrorism
MML	Maryland Municipal League
MMRS	Metropolitan Medical Response System
MMRT	Metropolitan Medical Response Team
MMS	Minerals Management Service
MOA	Memorandum of Agreement
MOU	Memorandum of Understanding
MPDC	Metropolitan Police Department
MRE	Meals Ready to Eat
MREP	Medical Response Expansion Program
MSC	Major Subordinate Command
MSCA	Military Support to Civilian Authorities
MSEL	Master Scenario Events List
MSLO	Military Support Liaison Officer
MSO	U. S. Coast Guard, Marine Safety Office
MTF	Military Treatment Facility
MTA	Maryland Transit Administration
MWAA	Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
MWAQC	Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee
MWCOG	Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
MWPHAC	Metropolitan Washington Public Health Assessment Center
N
NAE	National Academy of Engineering
NAIC	National Infrastructure Advisory Council
NAME	National Association of Medical Examiners
NARAC	National Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability
NARC	National Association of Regional Councils
NAS	National Academy of Sciences
NASA	National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASAR	National Association of Search and Rescue
NAWAS	National Area Warning System
NBC	Nuclear, Biological, Chemical
NCERT	National Center-Terrorism Evidence Response Team
NCP	National Contingency Plan
NCR	National Capital Region
NCRP	National Capital Region Weapons of Mass Destruction Incident Contingency Plan
NCRRS	National Capital Region Radio System
NCS	National Communications System
NDMS	National Disaster Medical System
NDPO	National Domestic Preparedness Office (FBI)
NEMA	National Emergency Management Association
NEOC	National Emergency Operations Center
NEOT	National Emergency Operations Team
NEST	Nuclear Emergency Support Team
NFIP	National Flood Insurance Program
NFPA	National Fire Protection Association
NG	National Guard
NGO	Nongovernmental Organization
NIA	National Security Agency
NIAC	National Interagency Advisory Council
NIH	National Institutes of Health
NIMS	National Incident Management System
NIPC	National Infrastructure Protection Center
NIRT	National Incident Response Team
NMRI	Naval Medical Research Institute
NMRT	National Medical Response Team
NOAA	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NORTHCOM	Northern Command
NOVA	National Organization of Victim Assistance
NPDRS	National Plant Disease Recovery System
NPS	National Park Service
NPS	National Pharmaceutical Stockpile
NRC	National Research Council
NRC	National Response Center
NRCC	National Response Coordination Center
NRP	National Response Plan
NRS	National Response System
NRT	National Response Team
NSA	National Security Agency
NSC	National Security Council
NSD	National Security Directive
NSEP	National Security Emergency Preparedness
NS/EP	National Security and Emergency Plan
NSF	National Strike Force
NSFCC	National Strike Force Coordination Center
NVS	National Veterinary Stockpile
NWS	National Weather Service
O
OA	Operating Administrators
OCME	Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
OCONUS	Outside the Continental United States
OCS	Outer Continental Shelf
ODP	Office of Domestic Preparedness
OECA	Office of Enforcement, Compliance, and Assurance (EPA)
OEPC	Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance
OEPPR	Office of Prevention, Preparedness and Response
OERR	Office of Emergency and Remedial Response
OHS	Office of Homeland Security
OJP	Office of Justice Programs
ONCRC	Office of National Capital Region Coordination
ONP	Office of National Preparedness
OPCON	Operational Control
OPM	Office of Personnel Management
OPTC	Outpatient Treatment Center
ORIA	Office of Radiation and Indoor Air
OSC	On-Scene Coordinator
OSHA	Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OTC	Over The Counter
P
PA	Public Assistance
PAG	Protective Action Guide
PAO	Public Affairs Office
PDD	Presidential Decision Directive
PDM	Pre-Disaster Mitigation
PFO	Principal Federal Official
PHL	Public Health Laboratory
PIO	Public Information Officer
PL	Public Law
PMARS	Police Mutual Aid Response System
POC	Point of Contact
POD	Point of Dispensing
POLREP	Pollution Report
POMSO	Planning, Operations, and Military Support Officer
POTC	Personnel Officer’s Technical Committee
POTS	Plain Old Telephone Services
PPE	Personal Protective Equipment
PRT	Planning and Response Team
PSC	Progress Support Center
PSI	Proliferation Security Initiative
PSMI	Pre-Scripted Mission Assignment
PVO	Private Voluntary Organizations
PWCSA	Prince William County Service Authority
Q
QA/QA	Quality Assurance/Quality Control
R
RAC	Regional Assistance Committee
RACES	Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services
RAMP	Remedial Action Management Plan
RAP	Remedial Action Plan
RCO	Regional Coordinating Officer
RD	Regional Director
RDD	Radiological Dispersion Device
RDT&E	Research, Development, Test, & Evaluation
REAC/TS	Radiological Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site
R&D	Research and Development
REACT	Radio Emergency Associate Communications Teams
RECP	Regional Emergency Coordination Plan
rem	Roentgen Equivalent Man
REP	Radiological Emergency Preparedness
R-ESF	Regional Emergency Support Function
R-ESF#1	Transportation
R-ESF#2	Communications Infrastructure
R-ESF#3	Public Works and Engineering
R-ESF#4	Fire, Technical Rescue, and Hazardous Materials Operations
R-ESF#5	Information and Planning
R-ESF#6	Mass Care
R-ESF#7	Resource Support
R-ESF#8	Health, Mental Health, and Medical Services
R-ESF#9	Technical Rescue (Combined in R-ESF 4)
R-ESF#10	Hazardous Materials (Combined in R- ESF 4)
R-ESF#11	Food
R-ESF#12	Energy
R-ESF#13	Law Enforcement
R-ESF#14	Media Relations and Community Outreach
R-ESF#15	Donations and Volunteer Management
RESTAT	Resources Status
RFA	Request for Federal Assistance
RICCS	Regional Incident Communication and Coordination
	System
RICS	Regional Intelligence Centers
RNA	Rapid Needs Assessment
ROSS	Resource Ordering and Status System
RRCC	Regional Response Coordination Center
RR-CX	Rapid Response Center of Expertise
RRR	Readiness, Response, and Recovery
RRT	Regional Response Team
RRW	Regional Readiness Workshop
RSAN	Roam Secure Alert Network
RSC	Readiness Support Center
RSL	Remote Storage Location
RSPA	Research and Special Program Administration
RSST	Radiation Safety Support Team
RTNDA	Radio-Television News Directors Association
S
SAC	Special Agent in Charge
SADR	Standardized Ambulatory Data Record
SAMHSA	Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
SARS	Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
SBA	Small Business Administration
SBCCOM	U.S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command
SCO	State Coordinating Officer
SDO	Standards Development Organization
SERC	State Emergency Response Commission
SHA	State Highway Administration
SIOC	Strategic Information and Operations Center (FBI)
SIP	State Implementation Plan – Air Quality
SITMAN	Situation Manual
SITREP	Situation Report
SLS	Senior Leader Seminar
SMA	Statewide Mutual Aid
SME	Subject Matter Expert
SNS	Strategic National Stockpile
SO	Safety Officer
SOP	Standard Operating Procedure
SPC	Sentinel Pharmaceutical Center
SPG	Senior Policy Group
S&T	Science and Technology
STARC	State Area Command
STEO	Special Traffic Enforcement Officer
SVC	Sentinel Veterinarian Clinic
T
TAG	The Adjutant General
Task Force	Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force
TBD	To Be Determined
TEU	Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit
The Task Force	Presidential Task Force on Citizen Preparedness in the War on Terrorism
TIP	Transportation Improvement Plan
TISP	The Infrastructure Security Partnership
TOPOFF	Top Officials Exercise
TPB	Transportation Planning Board
TPFDD	Time-phased Force Deployment Document
TPFDL	Time-phased Force Deployment List
TSA	Transportation Security Administration
TSP	Telecommunications Service Priority
TTIC	Terrorist Threat Integration Center
TTX	Table Top Exercise
U
UAHSS	Urban Area Homeland Security Strategy
UASI	Urban Area Security Initiative
UC	Unified Command
UPWP	Unified Planning Work Program
US	United States
USAMRIID	U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious
	Diseases
USCG	U.S. Coast Guard
USDA	U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDHS	U.S. Department of Homeland Security
USDOT	U.S. Department of Transportation
USFS	U. S. Forestry Service
USNG CST	U. S. National Guard Civil Support Team
USNRC	U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
USPHS/EOP	U.S. Public Health Service Office of Emergency
	Preparedness
USPP	U.S. Park Police
US&R	Urban Search and Rescue
V
VA	Commonwealth of Virginia
VA	Veterans Affairs
VAW	Virginia American Water
VDEM	Virginia Department of Emergency Management
VDEQ	Virginia Department of Emergency Quality
VDOT	Virginia Department of Transportation
VDRPT	Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation
VEE	Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis
VMAT	Veterinary Medical Assistance Team
VMI	Vendor Managed Inventory
VML	Virginia Municipal League
VOAD	Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters
VRE	Virginia Railway Express
VRERP	Virginia Radiological Emergency Response Plan
W
WAD	Washington Aqueduct Division
WAWAS	Washington Area Warning Alert System
WMATA	Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
WMD	Weapons of Mass Destruction
WMD-CST	Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team
WSSC	Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission

Glossary

Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES)—A public service organization of licensed amateur radio operators who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment to provide emergency communications for public service events as needed.

Capital Wireless Integrated Network (CapWIN)—A project managed by the University of Maryland, Engineering Center for Advanced Transportation Technology, demonstrating interoperability related to data sharing among public safety agencies in Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia.

Consequence Management—Measures taken to protect public health and safety, restore essential government services, and provide emergency relief to governments, businesses, and individuals affected by the consequences of terrorism. State and local governments exercise primary authority to respond to the consequences of terrorism. (Source: Federal Response Plan Terrorism Incident Annex, page TI-2, April 1999.)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been designated the lead federal agency (LFA) for consequence management to ensure that the Federal Response Plan is adequate to respond to terrorism. Additionally, FEMA supports the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in crisis management.

Contingency Plan—Targets a specific issue or event that arises during the course of disaster operations and presents alternative actions to respond to the situation.

Council of Governments (COG)—The Metropolitan Washington COG is a regional organization of 19 metropolitan Washington area local government’s surrounding the nations capital, plus area members of the Maryland and Virginia legislatures, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives

Crisis Management—Predominantly a law enforcement function that includes measures to identify, acquire, and plan the resources needed to anticipate, prevent, and/or resolve a threat of terrorism. The FBI is the LFA for crisis management for such an incident. (Source: FBI.)

During crisis management, the FBI coordinates closely with local law enforcement authorities to provide successful law enforcement resolution to the incident. The FBI also coordinates with other federal authorities, including FEMA. (Source: FRP Terrorism Incident Annex, April 1999)

CONPLAN—U.S. Government Interagency Domestic Terrrorism Concept of Operations Plan. The CONPLAN was designed to provide overall guidance to federal, state, and local agencies concerning how the federal government would respond to a potential or actual terrorist threat or incident, particularlly one involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

Six federal agencies are signatories to the plan: Department of Justice, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, Department of Defense, and the Department of Health and Human Services. The CONPLAN was created to implement Presidential Decision Directive 39 (1995), which sets forth U.S. policy on counter-terrorism.

Emergency—As defined in the Stafford Act, an emergency is any occasion or instance for which, in the determination of the President, federal assistance is needed to supplement state and local efforts and capabilities to save lives and to protect property, public health, and safety, and includes emergencies other than natural disasters.

Emergency Alert System (EAS)—A system established by the FCC in November of 1994 to replace the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) as a tool the President and others might use to warn the public about emergency situations.

Emergency Broadcast System (EBS)—A system replaced by the EAS that was composed of AM, FM, and TV broadcast stations; low-power TV stations; and non-government industry entities operating on a voluntary, organized basis during emergencies at national, state, or operational (local) area levels.

Emergency Operations Center (EOC)—A secure location to determine situational status, coordinate actions, and make critical decisions during emergency and disaster situations.

Federal Response Plan (FRP)—The FRP establishes a process and structure for the systematic, coordinated, and effective delivery of federal assistance to address the consequences of any major disaster or emergency declared under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as amended (42 U.S. Code [USC], et seq.). The FRP Terrorism Incident Annex defines the organizational structures used to coordinate crisis management with consequence management. (Source: FRP Terrorism Incident Annex, April 1999.)

Incident Command System (ICS)—A model for disaster response that calls for the use of common terminology, modular organization, integrated communications, unified command structure, action planning, manageable span-of-control, pre-designated facilities, and comprehensive resource management.

Homeland Security—A concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the
United States, to reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recovery from attacks that do occur. (National Strategy for Homeland Security, 2002.)

Major Disaster—As defined under the Stafford Act, any natural catastrophe (including any hurricane, tornado, storm, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, or drought), or, regardless of cause, any fire, flood, or explosion, in any part of the United States, which in the determination of the President causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant major disaster assistance under this Act to supplement the efforts and available resources of states, local governments, and disaster relief organizations in alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, or suffering caused thereby.

Mitigation—Those actions (including threat and vulnerability assessments) taken to reduce the exposure to and detrimental effects of a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) incident.

Preparedness—Establishing the plans, training, exercises, and resources necessary to achieve readiness for all hazards, including WMD incidents.

Public Safety Wireless Network (PSWN)—Joint Department of Justice and Department of Treasury program that promotes federal and local government communications interoperability and sponsors innovative pilot projects.

Shelter in Place—To stay where one is in the event of an emergency. Requires that people stay inside a building away from windows. All windows and air intake systems should be closed. Wet towels or tape may be used to seal cracks. If there is a danger of explosion windows should be covered.

Satellite-Based Technology—Communication systems that are not prone to the same outages as terrestrially based systems.

Terrorism—The unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives. Domestic terrorism involves groups or individuals who are based and operate entirely within the United States and U.S. territories without foreign direction and whose acts are directed at elements of the U.S. government or population.

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)—Any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas; bomb, grenade, rocket having a propellant charge of more than 4 ounces; missile having an explosive incendiary charge of more than 0.25 ounce; mine or device similar to the above; weapon involving a disease organism; or weapon that is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dangerous to human life. (Source: 18 USC 2332a as referenced in 18 USC 921.)