The Florida Catastrophic Planning Initiative (FLCP) was conducted under the auspices of the National Catastrophic Planning Process (CPP), as mandated by the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which was amended by the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2007. The 2007 law expanded the roles and responsibilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in disaster preparedness resulting from the dismal response to Hurricane Katrina (Ruback et al. , 2010). FEMA has been given specific requirements to better prepare for catastrophic disasters, and the FLCP planning process represents one of the first major tests of the PCC. The CPP is inherently different from traditional models developed by federal entities in several ways, the most important of which is that it is a “bottom-up” planning method as dictated by one of the directives of the 2007 law. At FEMA it is We have also been asked to collaborate with state, local, and tribal governments, first responders, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other federal agencies typically involved in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. Most FEMA and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) systems and methods in the past have been top-down driven, such as the Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) and focused on command and control structure rather than coordinated partnerships (Ruback et al., 2010). Another significant directive of the 2007 Act is the specific focus on preparedness for catastrophic events rather than disasters, which are more regional in scope. Disasters impact large areas, crossing regional and often state jurisdictional boundaries, and will require m.... .. middle of paper ......rs and disasters. Other planning processes can address other scenarios or situations in better ways, such as the integrated planning system approach also described by Ruback et al (2010) in FEMA's Catastrophic Readiness and Response Course, Section 12. The FLCP has demonstrated with success that the CPP can achieve the results of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2007 mandates placed on FEMA. If there can be any good or silver lining to the terrible catastrophe known as Hurricane Katrina, it must be that federal, state and local governments are better prepared to respond to disasters of the future. To better respond, such agencies must include all possible stakeholders in the planning process and rely on all of the nation's resources. FEMA's CPP and FLCP initiatives are steps in the right direction.