10 Steps to Disaster Preparedness

Disasters affect millions of people each year on a personal, business, local community
or national level. The golden rule for successful disaster management at all levels is to
increase awareness, develop actions plans and practice them. Waiting for a disaster to
take place is not the right time to plan. Communicating and building relationships with
those around you, whether they contribute actively to the plan or are dependent on it,
will have the most significant and positive affect in determining your resiliency
throughout an event. Below are 10 actions to keep in mind when planning to mitigate
disaster and resources to help prepare:

1 Be ready at homePrepare, plan and practice. It is important for individuals

and families to increase their awareness, get educated, engage in
preparedness conversations and stay informed. Visit ready.gov for toolkits and
downloadable emergency plans.

2 Be ready at workDoes your office have an emergency and evacuation plan?

Have you communicated it? How do you stay in contact with local authorities to
determine what to do? Finding answers to these and other questions will
ensure greater safety and success when dealing with disaster.

3 Know your communitys vulnerabilitiesUnderstanding what types of

disasters are most likely to affect your location will help inform your plan. Enter
your zip code to discover the potential risks you face.

4 Learn about agencies and rolesPreparedness is a shared responsibility

all government agencies at every level have roles and responsibilities to fulfill in
supporting preparedness. The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) website has information to help you prepare effectively.

5 Find mitigation fundingA number of grant programs exist to fund disaster

mitigation activities, reduce losses and protect life and property from future
disaster damages. Review FEMAs hazard mitigation assistance website for
more information.

6 Conduct a risk assessmentConduct a risk assessment to identify potential

hazards and consequences and follow through with action to mitigate risks.

7 Inform your plan with statisticsDid you know that the most recurring and
 expensive disaster is flooding? Reduce disaster risks and build resilience by
understanding key data.

8 Plan for all types of risksEmergencies are not all related to natural hazards.
Some are man-made (e.g., fires, industrial or transport accidents, oil spills,
explosions). It is important to be prepared for all possible risk scenarios.

9 Understand continuity of operations (COOP)This is a universally accepted

term describing the stability of essential functions in a community or for a
business. Disaster preparation should include knowing what these function are,
who performs them and what they require to continue to perform in a disaster
environment. Visit FEMAs website for more resources.

Research NGOsNon-governmental organizations (NGOs) are an important

component of and complement to every communitys preparedness, assisting with
disaster response and recovery. Learn more and find ways to get involved by visiting
the American Red Cross and Citizen Corps.