🇺🇸 United States
Last verified: July 2026 — validate with your local authorities during the annual update of the club directory.
1. Emergency numbers
| Service |
Number |
| General emergency (police, fire, medical) |
911 |
| Information and social services (shelter, aid) |
211 |
| Suicide and mental health crisis line |
988 |
| Poison Control |
1-800-222-1222 |
2. National disaster management
| Element |
In the United States |
| Federal agency |
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) — fema.gov |
| National response framework |
National Response Framework (NRF); ICS/NIMS doctrine (Incident Command System) |
| Territorial crisis authority |
County / City Emergency Management (OEM); the state governor requests the federal disaster declaration |
| Citizen preparedness |
ready.gov; CERT programmes (Community Emergency Response Teams) — free training recommended for club members |
| Organised volunteering |
VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) — the institutional inter-agency coordination body; the club can join its state VOAD |
3. Alert systems
| System |
What it is |
Access |
| Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) |
Automatic cell alert (tornado, flash flood, AMBER) |
Automatic |
| NOAA Weather Radio |
24/7 weather radio — recommended in the club's emergency kit |
Dedicated receiver |
| Emergency Alert System (EAS) |
Radio/TV broadcast |
Automatic |
| National Hurricane Center |
Cyclone tracking (cone, Saffir-Simpson categories) |
nhc.noaa.gov |
| USGS ShakeMap / Did You Feel It |
Real-time seismic information |
usgs.gov |
| FEMA App |
Localised alerts + shelter locations |
App stores |
4. Key non-Rotary actors
| Actor |
Role in disaster |
| American Red Cross |
Emergency shelter, relief, family reunification |
| Salvation Army |
Meals, distribution, support |
| State VOAD |
NGO coordination — get known there BEFORE the crisis |
| County Emergency Management |
The club's institutional contact (exercises, PODs) |
| Team Rubicon, Samaritan's Purse |
Muck & gut, tarping |
5. Dominant risks → guide cards
| Risk |
Where |
Card to print |
| Hurricane |
Atlantic and Gulf coasts, June-November |
Card B1 |
| Tornado |
Great Plains, South-East ("Tornado Alley", "Dixie Alley") |
Dedicated card in preparation — see roadmap |
| Wildfire |
West, California |
Card C2 |
| Flood / flash flood |
Nationwide |
Card B2 |
| Earthquake |
West Coast, Alaska, New Madrid |
Card A1 |
| Extreme winter / blizzard |
North, Midwest |
Card B3 |
| Heat wave |
South-West, urban waves |
Card B4 |
| Industrial / rail accident |
Industrial corridors |
Card D1 |
6. Equivalences with the guide's terms
| Generic term in the guide |
US equivalent |
| National disaster management agency |
FEMA + State/County OEM |
| National response plan |
National Response Framework / ICS-NIMS |
| Emergency medical service (EMS) |
EMS (via 911) |
| Territorial state authority |
County Emergency Management |
| Mass casualty protocol (MCI) |
MCI protocols (ICS) |
| Civil-security citizen reserve |
CERT |
| Inter-agency coordination |
VOAD |
Donation tax rules: donations to a Rotary club (501(c)(4)) are generally not deductible; donations to The Rotary Foundation (501(c)(3)) are. Many clubs have a separate 501(c)(3) club foundation — check yours.
7. Rotary section — to be completed by your club
| Element |
Your information |
| Rotary district |
____ |
| District Governor (DG) |
____ |
| District disaster officer (DRO/DRC) |
____ |
| ShelterBox USA contact |
____ |
| State VOAD (contact) |
____ |
| Neighbouring clubs (< 50 km) |
____ |
| Last update of this section |
//______ |
Sources: FEMA (fema.gov, ready.gov), NOAA/NWS, USGS, American Red Cross. Report any error: g.bourgogne.rtn@gmail.com