Natural Disasters: Planning and Recovery  

"DISASTER. It strikes anytime, anywhere. It takes many forms -- a hurricane, an earthquake, a tornado, a flood, a fire or a hazardous spill, an act of nature or an act of terrorism. It builds over days or weeks, or hits suddenly, without warning. Every year, millions of Americans face disaster, and its terrifying consequences." (FEMA: About FEMA, http://www.fema.gov/about/index.shtm)

The purpose of this guide is to collect resources about emergency preparedness and management on a variety of specialized topics and from a variety of (mostly governmental) resources.

The table below defines some of the frequently used abbreviations in this Guide.