In a disaster, local officials and relief workers cannot reach everyone immediately. Help may not arrive for hours or days. You and members of your community need to be prepared ahead of time.
Most disasters are natural disasters, the result of some force of nature, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods. Some natural disasters can be predicted, such as hurricanes and severe winter storms, while others, such as tornadoes and earthquakes, happen with little or no warning. Some disasters are the cause of human actions, intentional or unintentional. A disaster plan will help with safety, security, and comfort. Regardless of the type of disaster, there are things you can do to prepare.
For consumers: NFPA offers a host of free tips and resources to help communities better prepare for a disaster.
Free checklist
Emergency preparedness checklist
Created to simplify key aspects of NFPA 1600, Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity/Continuity of Operations Programs, and help organizations identify where they might want to focus their emergency preparedness efforts.
Download the checklist.
Free resources
Bulletin: Submerged hybrid/electric vehicles
Emergency responders face many hazards when working with vehicles that have been submerged in water, particularly with a hybrid or electric vehicle. Understanding common safety issues with these vehicles can help keep responders safe.
Download the bulletin.
Generator safety tip sheet
Downed utility lines, power company blackouts, heavy snow falls or summer storms can all lead to power outages. Many people turn to a portable generator for a temporary solution without knowing the risks.
Download the safety tip sheet.
From the NFPA Today blog
President Jim Pauley affirms NFPA support to communities, first responders in Texas and Florida as they engage in recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.
The following NFPA codes and standards, available in English and Spanish, apply to emergency preparedness topics:
- NFPA 70B, Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment Maintenance. NFPA 70B details preventive maintenance for electrical, electronic, and communication systems and equipment — such as those used in industrial plants, institutional and commercial buildings, and large multi-family residential complexes — to prevent equipment failures and worker injuries.
- NFPA 101®, Life Safety Code®. NFPA 101 is the most widely used source for strategies to protect people based on building construction, protection, and occupancy features that minimize the effects of fire and related hazards. Unique in the field, it is the only document that covers life safety in both new and existing structures
- NFPA 400, Hazardous Materials Code. NFPA 400 consolidates fundamental safeguards for the storage, use, and handling of hazardous materials in all occupancies and facilities. The Code does not apply to storage or use of hazardous materials for individual use on the premises of one- and two-family dwellings.
- NFPA 472, Standard for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents. NFPA 472 identifies the minimum levels of competence required by responders to emergencies involving hazardous materials/weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
- NFPA 1600, Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity/Continuity of Operations Programs. NFPA 1600 is widely used by public, non-profit, nongovernmental, and private entities on a local, regional, national, international and global basis
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