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Disaster Response

Effective disaster response saves lives and speeds recovery. The National Academies examine coordination, logistics, and technology that improve emergency preparedness and resilience. 

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Do wildfires pose serious risks to human health?

Based on Science

Fires pose serious health risks even when they are not deadly. People in fire zones can suffer burns, breathing problems due to smoke inhalation, injuries, and other trauma from evacuations.

Sep 8, 2025
Night long exposure photograph of the Santa Clarita wildfire in CA. The Santa Clarita Valley mountains has drawn firefighters and emergency crews in the hills toward Acton. So far, the fire has burned 38,346 acres.

Two Decades Later, the Experience of Katrina Continues to Shape How the Nation Prepares for and Responds to Disasters

Program News

Two decades ago, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, submerging a major American city, claiming nearly 1,400 lives, and displacing one million people. The storm was a turning point in how the nation understands the risks of extreme weather and the urgency of disaster preparedness. As we mark this anniversary, we carry forward the lessons of Katrina to ensure communities are better prepared for the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Sep 3, 2025
aerial view of marsh

Bridging the Gulfs: GRP Hosts First Gulf-Alaska Knowledge Exchange Around Oil Spill Impacts

Program News

In early October 2024, around 120 people from the Gulf States and Alaska met in Anchorage to discuss oil spill disaster management.

Oct 28, 2024
.MOBILE, ALABAMA (May 6, 2010)  Aerial images of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill taken from a  US Coast Guard HC-144 aircraft. The flight was conducted primarily for media support and to plot the locations of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Photo by Michael B. Watkins
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