We recognize that priorities in disasters are most often the supply of shelter, water and food, but to streamline this paper we have limited ourselves to aspects of Disaster Preparedness pertaining to medical intervention.

It is essential to understand that the overall responsibility in disaster preparedness and for coordination in case of disaster remains under all circumstances with public authorities. National Red Cross Societies, being auxiliary to their governments, are usually given a clearly defined role in disaster. In many cases the tasks assigned to the Red Cross include medical, paramedical and welfare assistance in varying degrees.

The activities described hereafter are therefore not necessarily to be seen as a standard applied to all National Red Cross Societies.