However, Sept. 11, 2001, opened up new doors to preparing for disasters and earthshaking events in all areas of the country. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created to anticipate and deter these threats to the United States whenever possible, and provide the ability to respond quickly if a threat does arise.
The DHS also is responsible for assessing the country's vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure, which includes emergency shelters, hospitals, and first-responder stations - the same infrastructure that must withstand natural disasters. Protecting these buildings' mechanical systems from blasts or attacks, so they can continue to provide emergency heat and hot water after such an event, is becoming an increasing concern when enforcing seismic requirements in model codes for all areas of the United States, rather than those areas subject to seismic- only events.