There are different types and causes of disasters; artificial, natural and a combination. Man-made disasters are caused by human errors or human actions that cause harm to the environment and people (Baack & Alfred, 2013). Natural disasters are caused by nature, for example a hurricane; and a combination; NA-TECH (natural-technological) examples are earthquakes that cause structural damage such as the collapse of a bridge (Nies & McEwen, 2011). Communities must have effective emergency preparedness to reduce disaster casualties. The purpose of this document is to discuss potential disasters that could strike a community and cause mass casualties. Further discussions will include who is responsible for management preparedness, what barriers need to be considered and finally this paper will discuss the role of healthcare facilities in emergency supplies and patient care in a disaster situation. The Community Communities across the country and around the world are susceptible to disasters. The environment and location of a community often predisposes greater susceptibility to the type of disaster. For example, central Pennsylvania would not be susceptible to an avalanche, yet communities in the Colorado Rockies would have greater vulnerability. Understanding the types of disasters to which the community is exposed is essential for emergency preparedness (Nies & McEwen, 2011). All communities are exposed to man-made disasters; Terrorism, fires, public transport accidents and emergency preparedness are essential. The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) is responsible for disaster planning. Evaluation, predictability and prevention...... middle of paper ......, L.M. and Wallace, R.B. (March 2014). Natural disaster preparedness among older adults, a nationwide survey [Journal]. American Journal of Public Health, 104(3), 506-511. http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2013.301559 Baack, S., & Alfred, D. (2013, September). Nurse preparation and perceived competence in disaster management [Journal]. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 45(3), 281-287. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12029Hemingway, M., & Ferguson, J. (2014). Response to the Boston bombings disaster [Journal]. AORN Journal, 99 (2), 277-288. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aorn.2013.07.019Nies, M. A., & McEwen, M. (2011). Community/Public Health Nursing: Promoting the Health of Populations (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Saunders.Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency website. (2014). http://www.pema.state.pa.us/portalPinnacle Health System. (2014). phs/pinnaclehealth.org