10 steps to disaster preparedness | CDM Smith

Yellow warning sign with 'Are You Ready?' against stormy sky and lightning.

10 steps to disaster preparedness

Firas Makarem provides 10 ways for citizens, businesses and communities to be prepared before a disaster strikes.

by Firas Makarem

Practices

Program Management

Markets

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Firas Makarem, CFM

Federal Services Unit President

The golden rule for successful disaster management at all levels is to increase awareness, develop actions plans and practice them. Waiting for a disaster to take place is not the right time to plan. Communicating and building relationships with those around you, whether they contribute actively to the plan or are dependent on it, will have the most significant and positive affect in determining your resiliency throughout an event. Below are 10 actions to keep in mind when planning to mitigate disaster and resources to help prepare.

Illustration of a house with a large red number 1 on the roof.

Illustration of three buildings; the middle has a large '2' and people gathered outside.

More resources on this topic

View All Insights

Hydrogen symbol in clear globe on mossy log with eco-friendly icons around.

Insight

Fueling the future with hydrogen

Hydrogen, the “Swiss army knife” of clean energy, is the most abundant element in the universe. So why do only a few hydrogen fueling stations currently exist?

Two construction workers in safety vests and helmets inspect a road excavation surrounded by orange cones.

Insight

Preparing for non-lead validation under the LCRI should start now

Every water system will need to validate their non-lead service lines or obtain a waiver under the LCRI. Here's why the time to plan your validation study is right now.

A woman working at a desk with dual monitors displaying charts and diagrams in an office environment.

Insight

Find lead faster: shrinking LCRI replacement lists with data-driven tactics

Katie Deheer, data science expert at Trinnex, explains how data-driven strategies help utilities reduce uncertainty and plan more realistic, defensible replacements to comply with the LCRI.

	Be ready at home—Prepare, plan and practice. It is important for individuals and families to increase their awareness, get educated, engage in preparedness conversations and stay informed. Visit ready.gov for toolkits and downloadable emergency plans.
	Be ready at work—Does your office have an emergency and evacuation plan? Have you communicated it? How do you stay in contact with local authorities to determine what to do? Answering these questions are detrimental to dealing with disaster.
	Know your community’s vulnerabilities—Understanding what types of disasters are most likely to affect your location will help inform your plan. Enter your zip code to discover the potential risks you face.
	Learn about agencies and roles—Preparedness is a shared responsibility among all U.S. government agencies. The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website has information about how these agencies can help you prepare effectively.
	Find mitigation funding—A number of grant programs exist to fund disaster mitigation activities, reduce losses and protect life and property from future disaster damages. Review FEMA’s hazard mitigation assistance website for more information.
	Conduct a risk assessment—Conduct a risk assessment to identify potential hazards and consequences and follow through with action to mitigate risks
	Inform your plan with statistics—Did you know that the most recurring and expensive disaster is flooding? Reduce disaster risks and build resilience by understanding key data.
	Plan for all types of risks—Emergencies are not all related to natural hazards. Some are man-made (e.g., fires, industrial or transport accidents, oil spills, explosions). It is important to be prepared for all possible risk scenarios.
	Understand continuity of operations (COOP)—COOP describes the stability of essential functions in a community or business. Know what these function are, who performs them and what they require to operate during and after a disaster. Learn more at FEMA’s website.
	Research Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—NGOs are key to every community’s preparedness, assisting with disaster response and recovery. Learn more and get involved by visiting the American Red Cross and Citizen Corps.