The ultimate purpose of emergency management is to save lives, preserve the environment, and protect property and the economy. The protection of life is of paramount importance. In the broadest sense, emergency management raises the understanding of risks and contributes to a safer, prosperous, sustainable, disaster resilient society in Canada. Emergency management is comprised of four interdependent components as follows:

Mitigation 

Mitigation, also known as Prevention, is the phase of emergency management in which proactive steps are taken to prevent a hazardous event from occurring by eliminating the hazard, or to reduce the potential impact of such an event before it occurs. The goal of these efforts – as with all other emergency management activities – is to protect lives, property, and the environment, and to reduce economic and social disruption. In the context of climate change, mitigation is referred to as “adaptation,” an adjustment made to a changing environment and actions taken to prepare for the occurrence. 

Examples of mitigation include: 

     Implementing flood control measures
     Raising homes in flood-prone areas
     Enforcing building codes
     Making properties wildfire resilient by removing brush
     Insurance programs

Preparedness

Preparedness is the phase of emergency management during which action is taken to ensure that individuals, businesses, and the jurisdiction/organization are ready to undertake emergency response and recovery. It includes planning, resource planning, volunteer management, training, exercises, public/ stakeholder education, and maintenance and continuous improvement.

Examples of preparedness include:

     Developing emergency plans
     Conducting drills and exercises to test capabilities and knowledge
     Building mutual aid agreements
     Educating the public through community outreach and education
     Updating and enhancing inventory of resources

Response

The term “response” refers to actions taken in direct response to an imminent or occurring emergency/disaster in order to manage its consequences. This phase of emergency management involves measures to limit loss of life, minimize suffering, and reduce personal injury and property damage. It also includes the initiation of plans and actions to support recovery.

Examples of response include:

     Activating the Emergency Coordination Centre
     Evacuating homes and businesses 
     Conducting damage assessment
     Search and rescue operations
     Public information and warning
     Coordinating emergency first responders

Recovery

Recovery is the phase of emergency management in which steps and processes are taken/implemented to:

• Repair communities affected by a disaster
• Restore conditions to an acceptable level or, when feasible, improve them
• Restore self-sufficiency and increase resilience in individuals, families, organizations, and communities

Recovery consists of several stages (short-term, medium-term, and long-term) and works towards minimizing future damage to communities and the environment.  Recovery measures are initiated as quickly as possible, generally after life safety issues have been addressed.

Examples of recovery include: 

     Restoring infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, communication networks, or power grids
     Housing assistance
     Debris Removal
     Mass care programs

These four interdependent components may be undertaken sequentially or concurrently, but they are not independent of each other. Emergency management in provincial, territorial and federal governments adopts a comprehensive all-hazards approach to coordinate and integrate prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery functions to maximize the safety of Canadians. Ensuring a strong and seamless relationship across these components and with appropriate emergency management partners, including Indigenous peoples and municipalities/communities, through mechanisms such as mutual aid agreements, is critical to effective emergency management.

Source: Public Safety Canada