A system of prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery elements, the Emergency Services Sector (ESS) represents the nation's first line of defense in the prevention and mitigation of risk from both intentional and unintentional manmade incidents, as well as from natural disasters. The ESS also serves as the primary protector for the other 15 critical infrastructure sectors.
Encompassing a wide range of emergency response functions, the primary mission of the ESS is to:
These functions, the majority of which are performed at the state, local, tribal, and territorial levels, are defined by five disciplines:
Additionally, there are several specialized capabilities identified within the ESS, such as:
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