An Evacuation Shelter serves the general population in an existing facility (or facilities), such as a school, community center, convention center, or church that has been temporarily converted for use as a shelter for disaster survivors. The shelter will meet the basic life-sustaining needs of shelter residents until the threat has passed (typically 72 hours or less), or until shelter residents transfer or transition to a Short-Term Shelter. Services typically include: basic food items or snacks, hydration, basic medical care, sanitation, and disaster-related information.

An organized, phased and supervised withdrawal, dispersal, or removal of civilians from dangerous or potentially dangerous areas, and their reception and care in safe areas.

A pre-designated facility established by an agency or jurisdiction to coordinate the overall agency or jurisdictional response and support to an emergency.

Any action to inform citizens about a potential threat and/or ask for them to take protective actions.

Emergency: Any event that can adversely impact the health and safety of people or property; Disaster: A sudden event, such as an accident or a natural catastrophe, that causes great damage or loss of life.

A back-up plan of action when actions described in the primary plan are no longer appropriate.

Burden: Resources required to address an emergency or disaster situation; Capacity: An organization's ability to meet the burden required to address an emergency or disaster situation.

An incident, natural or human-caused, that requires an organized response by a public, private, and/or governmental entity to protect life, public health and safety, values to be protected, and to minimize any disruption of governmental, social and economic services. One or more kinds of incident (fire, flood, mass casualty, search, rescue, evacuation, etc.) may occur simultaneously as part of an all-hazard incident response.

Advisory: Highlights special weather conditions that are less serious than a warning. They are for events that may cause significant inconvenience and if caution is not exercised, it could lead to situations that may threaten life and/or property. Watch: The environmental conditions are such that an extreme weather event (extreme heat, tornado, thunderstorm, flooding, etc.) *may* occur and residents in the watch area should get prepared just in case. Warning: An extreme weather event *is occurring* and residents should take immediate action (shelter in place, evacuate, etc.).