Homeland Security: The Essentials sets a new standard for security textbooks, concisely outlining the risks facing the US today and the structures we have put in place to deal with them. The authors expertly delineate the bedrock principles of preparing for, mitigating, managing, and recovering from emergencies and disasters. From cyber warfare to devastating tornados to car bombs, all hazards currently fall within the purview of the Department of Homeland Security. Yet the federal role must be closely aligned with the work of partners in the private sector, and the authors examine the challenges involved in these collaborative efforts. Homeland Security: The Essentials lays a solid foundation for the study of present and future threats to our communities and to national security, and challenges readers to imagine more effective ways to manage these risks. As with Bullock's other textbooks, the text contains ample full-color illustrations, but in a streamlined and affordable paperback format.