CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION DHS Action Needed to Enhance Integration and Coordination of Vulnerability Assessment Efforts

In the fall of 2012, the remnants of Hurricane Sandy caused widespread damage to infrastructure across multiple states and affected millions of people. Damage included flooding in the nation's financial center that affected major transportation systems and caused widespread and prolonged power outages. The damage and resulting chaos disrupted government and business functions alike, producing cascading effects far beyond the location of these events. The extensive damage and long recovery required from disasters like Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, as well as the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, highlight the vulnerability of our nation's critical infrastructure (CI) to various hazards and the importance of CI security and resilience.