Pre-Disaster Normal
The conditions, life-style, and standard of living that exist prior to disaster impact. An understanding of the pre-disaster normal is essential in the formulation of emergency programs.
Pre-Disaster Planning
The process of planning actions that will prevent, mitigate, or prepare for a disaster. Pre-disaster planning includes the tasks of disaster prevention, disaster mitigation and disaster preparedness.
Preparedness
The attempt to limit the impact of a disaster by structuring the response and affecting a quick and orderly reaction to the disaster. Preparedness is unique among all pre-disaster planning activities in that it addresses actions in both the pre-disaster phase, for example, warning and evacuation, as well as the post-disaster phase.
Prevention
Activities to prevent a natural phenomenon or a potential hazard from having harmful effects on either persons or property. Disaster prevention includes such activities as cloud seeding to control meteorological patterns, the construction of dams or dikes to prevent flooding and attempts to reduce tectonic tension by such measures as pumping water in to earthquake faults.
