The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has recommended to the 9-11 Commission that a National Fire Protection Association standard, NFPA 1600Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs, be recognized as the national preparedness standard.

NFPA 1600 establishes a common set of criteria for disaster management, emergency management and business continuity programs. It also identifies methodologies for exercising those plans and provides a listing of resource organizations within the fields of disaster recovery, emergency management and business continuity planning. The standard is available free online at www.nfpa.org.

The recommendation, presented by ANSI President and CEO Dr. Mark W. Hurwitz, on behalf of ANSI's Homeland Security Standards Panel, will be considered by the commission as it readies its final report to the President and Congress, expected sometime this summer.

The 9-11 Commission, also known as the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, is an independent, bipartisan panel, created by Congress in late 2002, and is charged with preparing a full account of the circumstances surrounding the 9-11 terrorist attacks, including recommendations designed to guard against future attacks.