The CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response website is CDC’s primary source of information and

resources for preparing for and responding to public health emergencies. This site continues to keep the
public informed about public health emergencies and provides the information needed to protect and
save lives.

Emergency management is the generic name of an interdisciplinary field dealing with the
strategic organizational management processes used to protect critical assets of an organization
from hazard risks that can cause events like disasters or catastrophes and to ensure the
continuance of the organization within their planned lifetime.[1] Emergencies, Disasters, and
Catastrophes are not gradients, they are separate, distinct problems that require distinct strategies
of response. Disasters are events distinguished from everyday emergencies by four factors:
Organizations are forced into more and different kinds of interactions than normal; Organizations
lose some of their normal autonomy; Performance standards change, and; More coordinated
public sector/private sector relationships are required.[2] Catastrophes are distinct from disasters
in that: Most or all of the community built structure is heavily impacted; Local officials are
unable to undertake their usual work roles; Most, if not all, of the everyday community functions
are sharply and simultaneously interrupted, and; Help from nearby communities cannot be
provided.[3]

Are you prepared?