A facility is in the direct path of an approaching hurricane. Which phase of emergency management should the facility activate?

• A. Preparedness
• B. Response
• C. Recovery
• D. Mitigation

Answer: (A)

When a hurricane is approaching, the focus is on getting ready before the impact. Preparedness covers the activities that set you up to handle the event effectively: activating the emergency operations plan, notifying and coordinating with staff, securing essential supplies, checking critical systems (like power and communications), and coordinating with authorities. These pre-event actions ensure the facility can respond quickly and minimize damage when the storm arrives.

Mitigation involves long-term steps to reduce risk before disasters happen, not the immediate pre-event activation. Response is the actions taken during the disaster to protect people and property, while recovery deals with restoring operations afterward. So the best fit for an imminent hurricane is the preparedness phase.