The management of emergencies concerning all-hazards, including all activities and risk management measures related to prevention / mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Frequently this set of related activities is referred to as the Four Components of Emergency Management. Emergency management is a shared responsibility that builds a sustainable, prosperous and disaster-resilient society. The Four Components of Emergency Management are: (1) Prevention/Mitigation: To eliminate or reduce the risks of disasters in order to protect lives, property, the environment, and reduce economic disruption. Prevention/mitigation includes structural mitigative measures (e.g. construction of floodways and dykes) and non-structural mitigative measures (e.g. building codes, landuse planning, and insurance incentives). Prevention and mitigation may be considered independently or one may include the other. (2) Preparedness: To be ready to respond to a disaster and manage its consequences through measures taken prior to an event (for example emergency response plans, mutual assistance agreements, resource inventories and training, equipment and exercise programs); (3) Response: To act during or immediately before or after a disaster to manage its consequences through, for example, emergency public communication, search and rescue, emergency medical assistance and evacuation to minimize suffering and losses associated with disasters; and (4) Recovery: To repair or restore conditions to an acceptable level through measures taken after a disaster, for example return of evacuees, trauma counseling, reconstruction, economic impact studies and financial assistance. There is a strong relationship between long-term sustainable recovery and prevention and mitigation of future disasters. Recovery efforts should be conducted with a view towards disaster risk reduction. (Source: An Emergency Management Framework for Canada, 2011)