The Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience

April 10, 2013

The Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience is the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) first national resilience award for superior leadership and innovation by a non-governmental individual or organization who exemplifies the qualities and achievements of Rick Rescorla, emphasizing leadership in effective preparation, response, and recovery in the face of disasters.

Eligibility and Criteria

  • Outstanding performance during 2012 in withstanding, adapting, and rapidly recovering from natural or human caused incidents that impact lives or property
  • Demonstrable success in saving lives, protecting property and the environment, and meeting basic human needs because of outstanding prior preparation and/or extraordinary efforts during or after incidents
  • Outstanding leadership in assisting individuals, families, organizations and/or communities in response or recovery from natural or human caused incidents
  • Outstanding performance during 2012 in developing resilience in anticipation of future incidents threatening life or property
  • Motivating and assisting individuals (including those with special needs), families, organizations, and/or communities to take steps that effectively achieve resilience, for example, developing personal and community preparedness plans and organizing communities so as to promote the rapid recovery of essential services
  • Implementing regular training and exercises that test the resilience of individuals, families, organizations and/or communities
  • Implementing private sector preparedness, for example, developing plans for business continuity and the adoption of cyber security consensus standards and industry best practices to the fullest extent possible
  • Exceeding existing building and other codes in the design and construction of infrastructure, including homes, office buildings, and highway bridges and tunnels

How to Nominate for the Award

Eligible candidates may be nominated for the Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience during the nomination period that begins on April 1, 2013 at 12:00 a.m. and closes on May 31, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. Visit the DHS website for more information on the award and how to nominate a candidate.

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