ABSTRACT
We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared, so we will always be free.1
President Ronald Reagan
Chapter objectives:
• Familiarize readers with the concept of homeland security • Introduce the all-hazards concept • Discuss the complexity of homeland security • Introduce multiple perspectives of homeland security • Emphasize the importance of homeland security for the continuance of society and
of the nation
Over the span of a few short days in April 2013, the nation experienced two events that captured our attention and, in different ways, displayed an essential need for homeland security, law enforcement, first responders, and emergency management. The Boston Marathon bombings and the explosion of a fertilizer plant in Texas are examples of the types of events that may challenge the safety of our communities. These events of modern times are not uncommon. Throughout American history, since the founding of the nation, an innumerable array of threats and hazards has endangered society. Some of these events have affected only localities, whereas other incidents have impacted the entirety of the nation.
