Critical Infrastructure
Critical infrastructure is a term used by governments to describe assets that are essential for the functioning of a society and economy. According to the Department of Homeland Security, protecting and ensuring the continuity of the critical infrastructure of the United States are essential to the nation's security, public health and safety, economic vitality, and way of life. Most commonly associated with the critical infrastructure are facilities for:
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Agriculture and Food |
Banking |
Chemical |
Commercial Infrastructure |
Communication |
Critical Manufacturing |
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Dams |
Defense Industrial Base |
Emergency Services |
Energy |
Government Facilities |
Healthcare and Public Health |
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Information Technology |
National Monuments |
Nuclear Reactors |
Postal and Shipping |
Transportation Systems |
Water |
Defined by the Patriot Act of 2001
"Systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters."
Defined by Homeland Security Presidential Directive - 7
The directive identified 18 critical infrastructure sectors (identified above) and, for each sector, designated a federal Sector-Specific Agency (SSA) to lead protection and resilience-building programs and activities. HSPD-7 allows for the Department of Homeland Security to identify gaps in existing critical infrastructure sectors and establish new sectors to fill these gaps.
Are Schools Critical Infrastructure?
Additional areas are viewed functionally as infrastructure facilities such as the production of goods and services, the distribution of finished products to markets, and basic social services such as schools and hospitals.
Examples of Critical Infrastructure
- Gas storage tank farm but NOT gas service stations.
- Federal Reserve Bank but NOT local bank branches.
- Major phone switching station but NOT local phone office.
- Trauma center but NOT every hospital and clinic.
- City Hall but NOT every city office.
- Symbolic or psychological impact such as cultural, religious and patriotic locations and events. (Significant religious locations, federal buildings, 4th of July celebrations, etc.)
Critical Asset...that it's loss would have such a debilitating impact that the facility, person, or function would be devastated.
- Crucial
- Indispensable
- Vital
- Necessary
- Item of Value
- Resource
- Advantage
- Something Useful