The D.C. government is holding an emergency preparedness seminar Thursday, described as the first step in a citywide preparedness initiative.

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Cabinet members and members of Mayor Vincent Gray’s senior leadership team are in attendance at the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.

In addition to D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier, attendees include a wide range of representatives from D.C. Fire & EMS and the D.C. Department of Health to less critical departments such as the Department of Parks and Recreation.

The seminar is focused on "how city agencies can work together to prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters that could impact the city."

The afternoon session will feature discussions of three scenarios: a tornado, a cyber attack and extreme heat.

D.C. Homeland Security officials say these conversations are increasingly important to have in the wake of deadly storms in the South, the death of Osama Bin Laden and with the approaching ten-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.