As we watch the progression of Hurricane Dorian, NCDP encourages all residents in hurricane-prone areas to make disaster preparedness plans in advance. NCDP has a variety of interactive tools to assist in preparedness planning for the general public as well as those who serve vulnerable populations.
Preparedness Tools

The Preparedness Wizard
The Preparedness Wizard (El Asistente de Preparación) is an online tool that helps to create household preparedness plans in as little as 20 minutes.
- In English: https://ncdp.columbia.edu/library/preparedness-tools/preparedness-wizard/
- En Español : https://ncdp.columbia.edu/library/preparedness-tools/asistente-de-preparacion/
Five Steps to Prep
NCDP also has an online guide called “How to Survive a Disaster in 5 Easy Steps” (“Cómo Sobrevivir a un Desastre en 5 Pasos”) which is a brief online tutorial for understanding the most critical components of disaster preparedness.
- In English: https://ncdp.columbia.edu/library/preparedness-tools/5-action-steps-to-preparedness/
- En Español: https://ncdp.columbia.edu/library/preparedness-tools/5-action-steps-to-preparedness-en-espanol/
The Resilient Children/Resilient Communities Toolbox
The RCRC Toolbox is a product of the Resilient Children/Resilient Communities Initiative (RCRC). This online toolbox houses over 60 preparedness and recovery tools to specifically address the needs of children after a disaster or emergency.
- In English: https://rcrctoolbox.org
- En Español: El Próximo Otoño 2019
Natural Hazards Index
To gain a better visual understanding of the hurricane risk in your county, you can also take a look at the Hazard Index tool, an online map that shows which counties in the USA are susceptible to which hazards: