Steps of Emergency Management

Emergency Management is responsible for helping in reducing the effects of disasters before they occur, planning and coordinating the response, managing the resources and coordination of recovery efforts following a disaster along with helping provide information to the public. 

Prevention

Actions taken to avoid an incident, stopping an incident from occurring, and deterrence operations and surveillance.

Mitigation

Measures which prevent an emergency, reduce the chance of an emergency happening, or reduce the damaging effects of unavoidable emergencies. Typical mitigation measures include establishing building codes and zoning requirements, installing shutters, and constructing barriers such as levees.

Preparedness

Activities which enhance a community’s ability to respond to disasters. This includes mutual aid agreements, training for response personnel and citizens, disaster exercises, and all-hazards education campaigns.

Response 

Actions carried out immediately before, during, and immediately after a hazard impact, which are aimed at saving lives, reducing economic losses, and alleviating suffering. Response actions may include activating the emergency operations center, evacuating threatened populations, opening shelters and providing mass care, emergency rescue and medical care, fire fighting, and urban search and rescue.

Recovery

Actions to restore a community to normal or near-normal conditions, involving the repair of physical, social, and economic damages. This includes debris cleanup, financial assistance, rebuilding of infrastructure, and sustained mass care.