"The key to the Framework is that it is a simple, straightforward guide for senior officials and emergency responders so they can plan, prepare for, and respond to all-hazard disasters and emergencies. The Framework lays out a clear understanding of the roles, responsibilities and relationships that are indispensable for effective emergency response. The Framework sets forth a doctrine, the core principles, and the structure through which this nation prepares for and responds to disasters."

"…the NRF is built around five core principles. First, engaged partnerships. The framework stresses the need for partnerships at all levels of government and across our society, public and private sector. First and foremost, what this is about is working together, which means planning, training, and exercising before a disaster, and then coming together to execute that plan and that training during and after a disaster – all of which is a way to make sure we’re properly coordinated in a dynamic and dangerous event."

"A second fundamental principle of the NRF is tiered response. The National Response framework recognizes that local communities, tribes and states have the primary responsibility for the safety and security of their citizens. This document was not designed to be a top-down document, and response is not designed to be a top-down effort. Rather, the framework emphasizes a bottom-up approach that focuses upon the fact that most incidents are managed locally, that incidents in general should be handled at the most local jurisdictional level possible with a response that is measured to the appropriate need, and that we should be able to scale the planning when the dimensions of a particular disaster exceed the capabilities of a locality."

"And that brings us to our third principle. No two disasters are alike, and so all of our capabilities have to be flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of every unique type of event. The NRF was designed to be scalable so that it, or at least elements of the Framework, can be expanded or contracted based on the scope and nature of the incident and the type of the disaster."

"Fourth critical principle of the NRF is what we call unity of effort. Successful emergency preparedness and response depends upon a unity of effort, and a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities among all those involved. As such, the National Response Framework leverages on the core principles of the National Incident Management System, which has been around now for a while and is well understood and recognized. That incident management system allows first responders from different jurisdictions and across different disciplines to work together within a common framework."

"Finally, unlike past plans, the National Response Framework is always active, and encourages a forward-leaning posture by emphasizing readiness to act. That means preparedness planning, organizing, training, equipping, exercising, and applying lessons learned every single day. Planning ahead of the disaster is critical to a successful response, and the NRF encourages such coordination. Also, because we’ve abandoned the old Incident of National Significance principle, which was a kind of an on-off switch for federal response, we recognize that the framework is really an ingredient of all of the disaster response we do, and that we need not wait until some formal legalistic threshold is crossed before we put into effect the lessons that we’ve learned and that we are training to and exercising for every single day of the year."

(DHS, Remarks by HS Secretary Chertoff and FEMA Administrator Paulison, 22Jan08. Accessed at: http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/speeches/sp_1201092657616.shtm)