Programs that increase public awareness of the measures that people can take before, during and after a major disaster or wide-scale emergency to reduce loss of life and property and improve their chances for survival. Included are programs that inspect the homes of individual residents and give them a report which suggests ways to enhance their safety and reduce the risk of property damage or loss, as well as those that deal with disaster preparedness in a more general way. Also included are programs that provide fact sheets, hazard maps and other types of technical information about natural disasters that individuals and communities can review and evaluate to see if their area is at risk.

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Emergency management agencies, health departments and other entities that conduct multi-hazard planning for their communities that will enable them to mitigate, prepare for, respond to or recover from natural disasters, public health crises, terrorist incidents or other emergencies that occur within or have an impact on their area. Emergency planning addresses citizen awareness and self-sufficiency, responder capabilities, interagency cooperation in emergency operations and the roles, responsibilities and activities of public and private organizations and their staffs in all phases of the disaster.

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Programs that maintain information about people who may require special assistance in the event of a disaster or crisis that will tell emergency responders or volunteers where they are located and the type of care and support they need. Registration is voluntary, but is strongly encouraged for people who have special medical needs (e.g., oxygen or life support systems that are dependent on electrical power) or have physical disabilities that complicate their ability to evacuate or use shelter facilities without assistance. Some programs encourage everyone to register with the expectation that detailed information can facilitate critical help for the individual and family members in the event of an emergency.

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