Preparations

     Make a study of disaster organizations in your community. Name them, give their functions and equipment and look into their history. When were they last used? Any changes in equipment, approach in recent years?
     Citizens are expected to take certain precautions for an emergency, and once it strikes they are expected to know what actions to take. Include these in your story.
     You might look at what happened during the Katrina Hurricane in New Orleans and the extensive brush fires in southern California.