Mitigation and Loss Reduction. In disaster research and analysis, the vulnerability of a community is defined as the "characteristics of a person or group in terms of their capacity to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from the impact of a natural hazard". It is important to note that some groups within society are more vulnerable to the destructive effects of natural disasters as compared with others. Within certain societies, factors of gender, wealth, culture, ethnicity, or education can all contribute to the risk that certain individuals tolerate on a daily basis. Risk is generally defined as a community's vulnerability factored with the nature of the impending hazard. In order to safeguard against the inherent risk of a natural disaster, the only method in which a community can lower its risk is to decrease its vulnerability. In order to effectively prepare for a natural catastrophic event a society must establish and adequately practice a "Health Disaster Management Program". An effective disaster mitigation program must include aspects of public education, professional training, and multi-discipline collaboration. Programs, which educate the public and promote personal disaster safety, are the backbone to a successful disaster response. In order for the public to be prepared even to a minimal standard, the specific disasters that the community may face must be common knowledge. Additionally, the community must be made aware of simple actions that can reduce an individual's personal vulnerability. Professionals in many different fields must also possess specific skills relevant to a large-scale disaster response. This includes specialised training for paramedics, doctors, nurses, engineers, and even police officers and military personnel. Health care professionals need catastrophe training in order to modify daily triage protocols to handle the possible deluge of victims. Engineers need training and equipment, which enable them to quickly assess the structural stability of varying homes and buildings. Police and military personnel may be called upon to control crowds and enforce civil order, and must be specifically trained in how to manage expanded levels of authority in relation to civil rights during times of crisis. Governments must be lobbied in order to improve building codes and to properly fund enforcement. Adequate search and rescue resources in relation to the community's population must be in place as well modernised and "disaster-proof"infrastructure such as highways, bridges, hospitals, and fire halls. Disaster plans must also account for the possibility of mass evacuation and should also provide a basic stockpile of medical supplies.