Mitigation
Mitigation is about preventing future emergencies or minimizing their effects.
- Buying flood and fire insurance for your home is a mitigation activity
- Includes any activities that prevent an emergency, reduce the chance of an emergency happening, or reduce the damaging effects of unavoidable emergencies
- Mitigation activities take place before and after emergencies
Preparedness
Preparedness includes activities designed to prepare to handle an emergency.
- Evacuation plans and stocking food and water are both examples of preparedness
- Includes plans or preparations made to save lives and to help response and rescue operations
- Preparedness activities take place before an emergency occurs
Response
Response involves handling an emergency.
- Includes actions taken to save lives and prevent further property damage in an emergency situation
- Response activities take place during an emergency
- Response is putting your preparedness plans into action
- Seeking shelter from a tornado or turning off gas valves in an earthquake are both response activities
Recovery
Recovery covers restoration activities.
- Includes actions taken to return to a normal or an even safer situation following an emergency
- Recovery activities take place after an emergency
- Recovery includes getting financial assistance to help pay for the repairs