The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a multitude of resources for various audiences on disaster preparedness and other health and safety topics.

Definition of a Disaster

A disaster is an event or situation that overwhelms available resources and results in injury, death, and/or destruction of property. Terrorism or disaster preparedness includes several phases:

Planning – Becoming aware of what types of disasters may occur and taking steps to be prepared for different situations.

Rescue – Immediate steps taken during a disaster to ensure everyone is safe.

Response/Recovery – Actions and care taken during and immediately after
the disaster. The time when people work towards reestablishing normalcy. Emotional or mental health problems typically begin to emerge during
this phase.

Mitigation – Efforts to apply lessons learned to prevent future disasters or to lessen their impact.

Types of Disasters

There are different types of disasters; some occur without warning, while with others there is time for preparation.

Natural Disasters

	Droughts
	Earthquakes
	Infestations or disease epidemics
	Mudslides
	Storms (blizzards, cyclones, hail or ice storms, hurricanes, tornadoes)
	Tsunamis
	Wildfires

Technological Disasters

	Hazardous material releases, spills
	Power outages
	Transportation crashes, derailments
	Unintentional explosions, collapses

Terrorism or Violence

	Arson
	Bombings, intentional explosions
	Cult-related violence
	Multiple or mass shootings
	Releasing of agents (biological, chemical, nuclear)
	Riots

Humanitarian Disasters, Complex Emergencies

	Droughts
	Famine
	Genocidal acts
	Shelter, feeding, or medical care of displaced populations
	War, violent political conflict

Certain disasters end quickly, while others affect large populations for an
extended period of time. Disasters can have physical, mental, and emotional consequences. Each person prepares and responds differently to a disaster; children are at increased risk during and after a disaster, for a variety
of reasons.

Children Have Unique Needs

Children younger than 18 comprise more than one-quarter of the US population. The AAP has created a fact sheet that you can share with others
to help raise awareness as to why children are at increased risk or are more vulnerable in a disaster. As a parent, caregiver or teacher, emergency professional, health professional, or a child advocate, you can work with
others in your community to ensure children's needs are addressed in all disaster preparedness plans.