The concept of resilience is relevant at a number of levels within a state: among individuals, in families, communities and organisations, and at the national level. The UK Government has rewritten its civil contingencies law, doctrine and plans around the concept of resilience. In the US, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s mission is “…. to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.”

In Australia there has been a convergence of national resilience and security. On 4 December 2008 in his first national security statement to Parliament, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd defined the security of Australia and its people in a broad sense to include threats to human security other than attacks from foreign states and terrorist acts.  Such non-traditional threats include attacks on critical infrastructure and information systems, transnational crime including the trafficking of people, drugs and arms, and the impact of climate change which may bring unregulated population movements, declining food production, reductions in arable land, violent weather patterns and resulting catastrophic events. 

Prime Minister Rudd stressed the country’s ”…. underlying resilience and cohesion as a nation. Just as neighbourhood watch programs promote security at a local level, so we recognise the contribution all Australians can make to promoting security at a national level …. in Australia we have a strong tradition of volunteering to support our communities, especially in times of emergency, demonstrating the innate resilience and collective responsibility we all share as Australians.”

The primary role of governments is to provide leadership, and to create an enabling national legislative and regulatory environment. In this context, concrete actions may include establishing forums for cooperation and coordination among state institutions and the non-governmental sector; developing national standards; providing information and training; and supporting research and education.

Governments should also encourage a 'culture of preparedness' by promoting a set of values, priorities, patterns of behaviour and habits that are embedded into society with the aim of preparing for national emergency situations.