ABSTRACT
Nations around the globe, including the United States, face a wide range of national safety and security threats. The 2010 British Petroleum oil rig disaster and subsequent oil spill that devastated much of the Mississippi Gulf Coast was an extreme example of an industrial accident. Internationally, the chemical disaster that occurred in Bhopal, India, in 1984 and the disaster at Chernobyl were reminders that disasters can occur in the least-anticipated location. Nature often wreaks unparalleled havoc surprisingly or with little warning. Individuals and communities may experience irreparable harm resulting from natural calamities. Natural events occur globally in varying magnitudes and scopes. A common theme permeates any incident: the preserving of human life. The lines between domestic and international security for the United States are not clear and distinct. The United States has faced and experienced many challenges.
