scope:

This standard shall establish a common set of criteria for all-hazards disaster/emergency management and business continuity/continuity of operations programs, hereinafter referred to as "the program."

The Emergency Management and Business Continuity/Continuity of Operations community comprises many different entities, including the government at distinct levels (e.g., federal, state/provincial, territorial, aboriginal, indigenous, tribal, and local levels); commercial business and industry; nonprofit and nongovernmental entities; and individual citizens. Each of these entities has its own focus, unique mission and responsibilities, varied resources and capabilities, and operating principles and procedures.

The scope is used to determine if the standard applies to the application being considered.

Purpose.

This standard provides the fundamental criteria for preparedness including the planning, implementation, assessment, and maintenance of programs for prevention, mitigation, response, continuity, and recovery.

The standard promotes a common understanding of the fundamentals of planning and decision making to help entities examine all hazards and produce an integrated, coordinated, and synchronized program for disaster/emergency management and business continuity/continuity of operations.

After the user determines if the scope includes the application sought, then the purpose can be reviewed for further affirmation. All NFPA codes and standards are required to contain a document purpose section that describes the goal of the document. The document purpose also describes the objective(s) of the document or what it was created to accomplish. The purpose of NFPA 1600 is to provide criteria by which existing and newly developed programs can be assessed to determine the gaps between the recommended and actual program. After corrective action, the standard can used to check for compliance. Developing instructional programs can be assessed using this standard.