Civil protection plays a key role in ensuring the safety and well-being of citizens and in building economic and social resilience to disasters. Good civil protection can literally make the difference between lives saved or lost, and in the time it takes for society and the economy to recover after major events. Mexico, a country exposed to frequent tropical storms, powerful earthquakes and devastating floods, has been a frontrunner in this area. The National Civil Protection System is a core public service which relies on a unique mix of institutional capacities and the co-ordination of resources at all levels of government.