| Phase | Definition | Example |
| Response | Disaster response work includes any actions taken in the midst of or immediately following an emergency, including efforts to save lives and to prevent further property damage. Ideally, disaster response involves putting already established disaster preparedness plans into motion. | fire flighting |
| Recovery | Disaster recovery happens after damages have been assessed, and involves actions to return the affected community to its pre-disaster state or better. | Restoration of power and water |
| Assessment | Disaster assessment happens both before and after damages occur. It is to identify risk that includes understanding the nature of hazards as well as understanding the nature of vulnerabilities. It also includes damage assessment. | Can a building wtihstand a 7.0 earthquake? Number of homes destroyed, casualty |
| Migitation | Disaster mitigation work involves directly preventing future emergencies and/or minimizing their negative effects. It requires hazard risk analysis and the application of strategies to reduce the likelihood that hazards will become disasters. | flood-proofing homes or buying insurance |
| Risk reduction | Risk reduction is effort to reduce damage probability | may range from physical upgrades to education, training, and public awareness campaigns. |
| Prediction | Disaster prediction is forecast/probabilistic assessment when and how big a disaster may happen in the future. | earthquake prediction |
| Prevention | Disaster prevention is effort made to prevent an upcoming and potentially disastrous event, to prevent adverse effects of a potentially disastrous event, even when the event itself cannot be controlled. | building of levees in Louisiana |
| Preparedness | Disaster preparedness efforts include plans or preparations made in advance of an emergency that help individuals and communities get ready. | stocking of food and water, or the gathering and screening of willing volunteers |
