Lead Federal Agencies When it comes to lead agencies in the U.S. government -- designed to respond to an emergency, a disaster, or an attack on the U.S. -- there is one that stands out as having the greatest responsibilities, and that is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Prior to September 11, 2001, there was no homeland security department, but FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), the military, and other agencies were responsible for security in the event of disaster or other emergency.

But following the September 11 attacks, the U.S. Congress authorized the creation of the DHS, and a total of 22 different federal departments and agencies were brought under one umbrella. The DHS helps citizens and communities where there is a flood -- which is the most common disaster situation in America -- or a terrible tornado or hurricane, or an explosion in a factory or sudden, unpredictable and frightening event like the huge rain-soaked hill in Washington State that engulfed a community and killed a number of people in March, 2014.

Within the DHS are these agencies: U.S. Customs; Immigration and Naturalization Services;...

Coast Guard; and the U.S. Secret Service (www.dhs.gov).
The Washington Post published an investigative report (in 2010) on the various "top-secret" activities going on -- in addition to the DHS -- to protect American and Americans. The report showed that the government agencies created (in response to Sept. 11) has "…become so large, so unwieldy and so secretive that no one knows how much money it costs, how many people it employs, how many programs exist within…