Emergencies and Disasters

Parts of the United States are at risk for certain types of natural disasters that can cause injuries and deaths. These disasters include heat waves, winter storms, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcano eruptions, floods, and wildfires. People can take steps to reduce their risk of harm.

Take action before disasters occur. Planning is important. Learn ways to cope with the emotional and physical effects of disasters before they occur. Good planning can help protect the health and safety of people with special needs. Plan for the safety of pets.

Homes can be designed and built with materials that can minimize damages from a disaster. Homes built and remodeled according to modern building codes can suffer less damage due to disasters.

Health and Safety Tips

• Prepare a disaster survival kit with an adequate supply of water and necessary prescription drugs.
• Create a family disaster plan, including a communication plan, disaster supplies kit, and an evacuation plan.
• Make plans to ensure the safety of your pets before, during, and after an emergency.

Important Links

• Step-by-step guidance to help you prepare, plan, and stay informed to protect yourself and others
• Detailed checklists that explain what you should know during and after an emergency
• Strategies for coping with disasters and traumatic events
• Guidance for disaster evacuees
• Tox Town information on toxic chemicals and disaster health concerns (National Institutes of Health)

Top of Page