This chapter focuses on progress in the National Civil Protection System in Mexico in terms of effective organisational structures for contingency planning and inter-agency communication to support counter disaster plans. Effective preparedness and response are the cornerstones of civil protection and contribute key capacities to an integrated approach to disaster risk management. Efficient preparation for large-scale disasters requires organisations to develop emergency plans that are coherent and interoperable with each other. Civil protection services from different organisations at different levels of government must be able to communicate effectively and work in a co-ordinated and efficient manner, both prior to and during an event, which implies regular joint training and drills, as well as strong linkages to organisations with roles in pre-disaster phases of disaster risk management.