---
kind: "section"
citation: "6 U.S.C. § 748"
title: "6"
title_heading: "Domestic Security"
number: "748"
heading: "Training and exercises"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/748"
units:
  - "Chapter 2 — National Emergency Management"
  - "Subchapter II — Comprehensive Preparedness System"
  - "Part A — National Preparedness System"
---

# §748. Training and exercises

- (a) **National training program—**
  - (1) **In general—** Beginning not later than 180 days after October 4, 2006, the [Administrator](/usc/6/821.md?p=1), in coordination with the heads of appropriate [Federal agencies](/usc/6/677a.md?p=4), the National [Council](/usc/6/681.md?p=2) on Disability, and the National Advisory [Council](/usc/6/681.md?p=2), shall carry out a [national training program](/usc/6/741.md?p=7) to implement the [national preparedness goal](/usc/6/741.md?p=5), [National Incident Management System](/usc/6/701.md?p=12), [National Response Plan](/usc/6/701.md?p=13), and other related plans and strategies.
  - (2) **Training partners—** In developing and implementing the [national training program](/usc/6/741.md?p=7), the [Administrator](/usc/6/821.md?p=1) shall—
    - (A) work with government training facilities, academic institutions, private organizations, and other [entities](/usc/6/301c.md?p=2) that provide specialized, [state](/usc/6/821.md?p=9)-of-the-art training for [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) managers or [emergency response providers](/usc/6/101.md?p=6); and
    - (B) utilize, as appropriate, training courses provided by community colleges, [State](/usc/6/821.md?p=9) and local public safety academies, [State](/usc/6/821.md?p=9) and private universities, and other facilities.
- (b) **National exercise program—**
  - (1) **In general—** Beginning not later than 180 days after October 4, 2006, the [Administrator](/usc/6/821.md?p=1), in coordination with the heads of appropriate [Federal agencies](/usc/6/677a.md?p=4), the National [Council](/usc/6/681.md?p=2) on Disability, and the National Advisory [Council](/usc/6/681.md?p=2), shall carry out a [national exercise program](/usc/6/821.md?p=10) to test and evaluate the [national preparedness goal](/usc/6/741.md?p=5), [National Incident Management System](/usc/6/701.md?p=12), [National Response Plan](/usc/6/701.md?p=13), and other related plans and strategies.
  - (2) **Requirements—** The [national exercise program](/usc/6/821.md?p=10)—
    - (A) shall be—
      - (i) as realistic as practicable, based on current risk assessments, including credible and emerging threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences, and designed to stress the [national preparedness system](/usc/6/741.md?p=6);
      - (ii) designed, as practicable, to simulate the partial or complete incapacitation of a [State](/usc/6/821.md?p=9), local, or [tribal government](/usc/6/701.md?p=16);
      - (iii) carried out, as appropriate, with a minimum degree of notice to involved parties regarding the timing and details of such exercises, consistent with safety considerations;
      - (iv) designed to provide for the systematic evaluation of readiness and enhance operational understanding of the [incident](/usc/6/677a.md?p=6) command system and relevant mutual aid agreements;
      - (v) designed to address the unique requirements of populations with special needs, including the elderly; and
      - (vi) designed to promptly develop after-action reports and plans for quickly incorporating lessons learned into future operations; and
    - (B) shall include a selection of model exercises that [State](/usc/6/821.md?p=9), local, and [tribal governments](/usc/6/701.md?p=16) can readily adapt for use and provide assistance to [State](/usc/6/821.md?p=9), local, and [tribal governments](/usc/6/701.md?p=16) with the design, implementation, and evaluation of exercises (whether a model exercise program or an exercise designed locally) that—
      - (i) conform to the requirements under [subparagraph (A)](#b-2-A);
      - (ii) are consistent with any applicable [State](/usc/6/821.md?p=9), local, or tribal strategy or plan; and
      - (iii) provide for systematic evaluation of readiness.
  - (3) **National level exercises—** The [Administrator](/usc/6/821.md?p=1) shall periodically, but not less than biennially, perform national exercises for the following purposes:
    - (A) To test and evaluate the [capability](/usc/6/741.md?p=1) of Federal, [State](/usc/6/821.md?p=9), local, and [tribal governments](/usc/6/701.md?p=16) to detect, disrupt, and prevent threatened or actual catastrophic acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18), especially those involving weapons of mass destruction.
    - (B) To test and evaluate the readiness of Federal, [State](/usc/6/821.md?p=9), local, and [tribal governments](/usc/6/701.md?p=16) to respond and recover in a coordinated and unified manner to [catastrophic incidents](/usc/6/821.md?p=3).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, § 648, Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1427; Pub. L. 110–53, title IV, §§ 402, 403, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 302, 303; Pub. L. 116–64, § 3, Oct. 9, 2019, 133 Stat. 1123.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2019—Subsec. (b)(2)(A)(i). Pub. L. 116–64 inserted “and emerging” after “credible”.

2007—Subsec. (b)(2)(A)(iv) to (vi). Pub. L. 110–53, § 402, added cls. (iv) to (vi) and struck out former cls. (iv) and (v) which read as follows:

“(iv) designed to provide for systematic evaluation of readiness; and

“(v) designed to address the unique requirements of populations with special needs; and”.

Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 110–53, § 403, in introductory provisions, substituted “shall include a selection of model exercises that State, local, and tribal governments can readily adapt for use and provide assistance to State, local, and tribal governments with the design, implementation, and evaluation of exercises (whether a model exercise program or an exercise designed locally)” for “shall provide assistance to State, local, and tribal governments with the design, implementation, and evaluation of exercises”.