PREPAREDNESS

Preparedness is an important quality in achieving goals and in avoiding and mitigating negative outcomes. Preparedness is a major part of emergency management. Methods of preparation include research, estimation, planning, resourcing, education, practicing and rehearsing.

A disaster can affect entire communities, so everyone must be ready, by making a plan, being informed, and taking action to mitigate the effects of future disasters. The idea of whole community preparedness is “By working together, everyone can keep the nation safe from harm and resilient when struck by hazards, such as natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and pandemics.”

Advice and sample plans for individuals and families can be found by visiting ready.gov

RESPONSE

Response efforts involve maintaining the highest state of preparedness and standing ready to respond on a moment’s notice to provide leadership, response coordination and management, situational awareness, emergency communications, and to support county and local governments in providing critical lifesaving and life-sustaining services to our citizens and visitors in Pennsylvania. Response at LCDES involves strategic planning, policy development, implementation, and integration of all emergency management response program services.

RECOVERY

Disaster recovery is the cumulative effort of federal, state, and local governments in conjunction with non-governmental organizations and private industries pooling financial and personnel resources to assist disaster-impacted communities with  reconstructing homes, providing housing, restoring health, social and community services, rebuilding infrastructure, restoring natural and cultural services and revitalizing the economy.

MITIGATION

Hazard Mitigation is the measures taken to protect life and property from future disaster damages.  In emergency management, hazards are natural, human-caused, or technological disasters. Hazard mitigation means reducing, eliminating, redirecting, or avoiding the effects of those hazards. The standard definition of hazard mitigation that is often used by FEMA is any cost-effective action taken to eliminate or reduce the long-term risk to life and property from natural and technological hazards.