While most emergency situations are handled locally, help may be needed from other jurisdictions, as well as state and federal governments during a major incident. The September 11, 2001 attacks revealed certain weaknesses in the nation's response system, thus causing all levels of government to evaluate and improve their response procedures. Many security issues and organizations became part of a single, common homeland security definition with the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The National Response Plan (NRP), now the National Response Framework (NRF), was created in 2003 as a single plan that incorporates an all-hazards approach and integrates the domains of awareness, prevention, preparedness, and response. The NRF defines actions to prevent terrorist attacks in the United States, reduce vulnerabilities to natural ...