Emergency preparedness involves preparing for a disaster before it occurs. It is an ongoing process in which government, individuals, groups and communities work to prevent or reduce the impact of disasters. Effective emergency preparedness relies on coordinated planning at all levels of government; coordinated planning facilitates interoperability and mutual aid between agencies and groups when disasters strike. Carlsbad's residents, businesses and schools are also key to effective community preparedness. The focus on cross-department and multi-agency planning for large-scale incidents distinguishes emergency preparedness from the day-to-day emergency response operations planning performed by fire and police departments.
The City of Carlsbad's Emergency Preparedness Office develops city emergency response plans and coordinates with local emergency preparedness organizations and groups. All city employees are disaster service workers. Carlsbad Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is the city's principal volunteer organization responsible for promoting neighbor-helping-neighbor preparedness. Other elements of emergency preparedness include:
Prudent emergency preparedness actions include disaster response planning, training on and exercising plans and staying informed about current conditions.
FEMA's independent study program offers a wide variety of emergency preparedness courses online, including NIMS and ICS courses.