According to the national risk assessment, what type of approach is necessary for effective preparedness planning?

The all-hazards, capability-based approach is essential for effective preparedness planning as it emphasizes the need to address a wide range of potential emergencies and disasters, rather than focusing on specific threats in isolation. This approach is proactive, encouraging stakeholders to evaluate and enhance their capabilities across various scenarios, including natural disasters, public health emergencies, and terrorist incidents.

This method allows for more comprehensive and adaptable preparedness strategies, recognizing that many incidents share common foundational responses. By concentrating on capabilities, planners can effectively allocate resources, develop training programs, and implement plans that are versatile enough to address different types of incidents, thereby improving overall community resilience.

In contrast, options like a resource-driven approach might limit planning to solely available resources, which does not address the complexity of different emergencies. Policy-based planning could be too rigid or focused strictly on regulatory frameworks without considering practical capabilities, while reactive planning focuses on responding to incidents rather than preparing for them in advance. Hence, the all-hazards, capability-based approach is the most effective in ensuring preparedness that can adapt to various challenges.