Individuals who have experienced a traumatic event oftentimes suffer psychological stress related to the incident. In most instances, these are normal reactions to abnormal situations. Individuals who feel they are unable to regain control of their lives, or who experience the symptoms outlined in the article referenced below for more than a month should consider seeking outside professional mental health assistance. If you would like to seek support following a crisis, the American Red Cross may be able to help; for information or a referral, contact your local American Red Cross chapter or call the American Psychological Association at (800) 964-2000.

Review the Warning Signs of Trauma Related Stress Go

Find a Psychologist Near You Go

Find Your Local Chapter of the American Red Cross Go

Disaster strikes anytime, anywhere. It takes many forms — a hurricane, an earthquake, a tornado, a flood, a fire or a hazardous spill, an act of nature or an act of terrorism. It builds over days or weeks, or hits suddenly, without warning. Every year millions of Americans face disaster — and its terrifying consequences. The Federal Emergency Management Agency — FEMA — is an independent agency of the federal government that reports to the President. Since its founding in 1979, FEMA's mission has been clear:

to reduce loss of life and property and protect our nation's critical infrastructure from all types of hazards through a comprehensive, risk-based, emergency management program of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

As an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has a mission: to prevent exposure and adverse human health effects and diminished quality of life associated with exposure to hazardous substances from waste sites, unplanned releases, and other sources of pollution present in the environment.

ATSDR is directed by congressional mandate to perform specific functions concerning the effect on public health of hazardous substances in the environment. These functions include public health assessments of waste sites, health consultations concerning specific hazardous substances, health surveillance and registries, response to emergency releases of hazardous substances, applied research in support of public health assessments, information development and dissemination, and education and training concerning hazardous substances.

Among the resources offered by the ATSDR, the ATSDR ToxFAQs(TM) is a series of summaries about hazardous substances developed by the ATSDR Division of Toxicology. Information for this series is excerpted from the ATSDR Toxicological Profiles and Public Health Statements. Each fact sheet serves as a quick and easy-to-understand guide. Answers are provided to the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about exposure to hazardous substances and the effects of exposure on human health.

Each ToxFAQsTM is available in both the standard HTML format or in PDF format which provides the familiar two page print version widely used at community meetings and distributed via our mailing list. This PDF format requires Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded free from the Adobe web site.

In addition, CDC ATSDR Emergency Response Teams are available 24 hours a day and are comprised of toxicologists, physicians, and other scientists available to assist during an emergency involving hazardous substances in the environment. You can call ATSDR Emergency Response at 1-(404) 498-0120, 24-Hours a day, 7 Days a Week.

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Go

Search ToxFAQs Go

When a natural disaster or other emergency strikes, your collections can be lost. The Emergency Response and Salvage Wheels will help you safeguard items of value that have been damaged by water, whether from flood, fire, earthquakes, severe storms or broken pipes. Use the wheels within 48 hours of an emergency when salvage steps are most critical. These guidelines were developed by experts, but remember that this is an easy-reference guide. After an emergency, consult with conservation or preservation specialists as soon as possible. The first 48 hours can make all the difference!

The Response Wheel walks you through the following steps:

1. Disaster Alert
2. Safety First!
3. Getting Started Off-Site
4. Stabilize the Building & Environment
5. Documentation
6. Retrieval & Protection
7. Damage Assessment
8. Salvage Priorities
9. Historic Buildings: General Tips

Action Steps Using the Response Wheel Go

Action Steps Using the Salvage Wheel Go

Serving as a link in the delivery of emergency services, 911 has — throughout its evolution — become recognized as an asset of the North American public.

In most areas of North America, citizens have basic or enhanced 911 service from their landline, or wireline, phones in their homes or workplaces. Basic 911 means that when the three-digit number is dialed, a call taker/dispatcher in the local public safety answering point (PSAP), or 911 center, answers the call. The emergency and its location are communicated by voice between the caller and the call taker. In areas serviced by Enhanced 911, the local 911 center has equipment and database information that allow the call taker to see the caller's phone number and address on a display. This lets them quickly dispatch emergency help, even if the caller is unable to communicate where they are or what the emergency is.

However, when 911 calls are made from wireless phones, the call may not be routed to the closest 911 center, and the call taker doesn't receive the callback phone number or the location of the caller. This presents life threatening problems due to lost response time, if callers are unable to speak or don't know where they are, or if they don't know their wireless phone callback number and the call is dropped.

Three Phases of Wireless 911

There are 3 phases that are referred to in implementing Wireless 911. The most basic of these, sometimes called Wireless Phase 0, simply means that when you dial 911 from your cell phone a call taker at a public safety answering point (PSAP) answers. The call taker may be at a state highway patrol PSAP, at a city or county PSAP up to hundreds of miles away, or at a local PSAP, depending on how the wireless 911 call is routed.

Wireless Phase I is the first step in providing better emergency response service to wireless 911 callers. When Phase I has been implemented, a wireless 911 call will come into the PSAP with the wireless phone call back number. This is important in the event the cell phone call is dropped, and may even allow PSAP employees to work with the wireless company to identify the wireless subscriber. However, Phase I still doesn't help call takers locate emergency victims or callers.

To locate wireless 911 callers, Phase II must have been implemented in the area by local 911 systems and wireless carriers. Phase II allows call takers to receive both the caller's wireless phone number and their location information.

For more information on 911 Go

For more information on Wireless 911 Go

Special thanks to the National Emergency Number Association