Disasters and emergencies can happen at any time, often without warning. Natural hazards threaten thousands of lives and cause billions of dollars in damage every year throughout the nation.

September is National Preparedness Month, a time to highlight the resources available to help you and your loved ones stay as safe as possible. This article features several science tools that are important for preparing for such events and helping guide decisions to minimize impacts.

Explore Your Hazards

1. See past, current and forecasted hazards along the coasts.
2. Get details on the latest geomagnetic disturbance event caused by solar activity.
3. Gather info on current flooding and past incidents at the USGS flood website.
4. Browse through statistics on water use in the United States.
5. See the Fire Danger Forecast, which is a dynamic map updated daily (at the top right, click “view legend for selected layer[s]” to see what the colors mean).
6. Current and past wildlife die-off information is available online—through an interactive map—to help inform disease prevention and mitigation strategies.
7. An estimate of how long it would take for someone to travel by foot out of a tsunami-hazard zone can be calculated through the USGS Pedestrian Evacuation Analyst.
8. See the latest earthquakes worldwide.
9. Learn of potential ground-shaking hazards from both natural and human-induced earthquakes.
10. If you live near a recent wildfire, see maps showing the potential for debris-flow activity.

Sign Up for Alerts

1. Sign up for free notification emails about volcanic activity happening at U.S. volcanoes.
2. See how high or low river levels are through USGS WaterWatch. Receive texts or emails when water levels in rivers and streams exceed certain thresholds through USGS WaterAlert. Or you can request data on-demand through USGS WaterNow.
3. Sign up to receive earthquake notices through the USGS Earthquake Notification System.

Help Scientists

1. iCoast – Did the Coast Change? Help scientists compare aerial photographs before and after coastal storms to identify the vulnerability of nearby communities.
2. Let us know if you observe ashfall during a volcanic eruption.
3. Report your landslide experiences and sightings at the USGS “Did You See It?” website.
4. If you feel an earthquake, report your experience on the USGS “Did You Feel It?” website.

USGS: Start with Science

You can’t plan effectively if you don’t know what you are planning for.

By understanding how the Earth behaves and identifying potential hazard scenarios, meaningful risk analyses can be performed. This includes making informed decisions on insurance rates; emergency preparedness plans; building and land-use codes; improving private property for increased resiliency; investments in infrastructure, such as dams and reservoirs; and more.

The USGS works with many partners to monitor, assess and conduct research on a wide range of natural hazards. USGS science provides policymakers, emergency managers and the public the understanding needed to enhance family and community safety.

Below are a few ways USGS science is helping keep America safe.

Volcanoes

The United States is home to 169 active volcanoes across numerous Western states and territories. The USGS operates five Volcano Observatories as part of the USGS National Volcano Early Warning System. By analyzing data from its monitoring networks, the USGS issues public warnings and alerts about conditions at U.S. volcanoes, and this includes models for ashfall forecasts and aviation notices.

Landslides

Landslides occur in all 50 states, and every year cause loss of life and billions of dollars in damage to public and private property. USGS science is helping assess where, when and how often landslides occur and how fast and far they might move. In southern California, the USGS partners with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association’s (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) to provide important advance warnings for debris-flows generated in areas burned by wildfire.

This landslide occurred at La Conchita, California in 2005. Ten people were killed. Photograph credit: Mark Reid, USGS

Hurricanes

Before, during and after major hurricanes or tropical storms affecting the United States, the USGS assesses the likelihood of and issues forecasts on beach erosion, overwash or inundation. The USGS also measures storm surge and monitors water levels of inland rivers and streams.

Wildfire

The USGS provides tools and information before, during and after fire disasters to identify wildfire risks and reduce subsequent hazards. This includes delivery to fire managers of up-to-the minute maps and satellite imagery about current wildfire extent and behavior.

Human and Wildlife Health

USGS scientists are working with partners to monitor, investigate and develop control options for numerous wildlife and human diseases. Research efforts include zika virus, bat white-nose syndrome, avian influenza, sylvatic plague, Newcastle disease virus, chronic wasting disease and West Nile virus. Another hazard impacting safety and human and ecosystem health are dust storms, especially in the Southwest. The USGS and land managers are working together to better understand the causes and sources of dust storm activity.

USGS scientist Dede Goldberg swabs a pintail duck for avian influenza at Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge in Colorado. Photograph credit: Robert Dusek, USGS

Drought and Floods

The USGS operates a nationwide streamgage network to monitor water level and flow in rivers and streams. The USGS also works with many partners to provide essential data for flood forecasts, watches and warnings. USGS science contributes to the U.S. Drought Monitor as well as the Drought Outlook led by NOAA’s NWS. On a global scale, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network identifies populations with the most food insecurity. This network is an activity of the U.S. Agency for International Development, with the USGS serving as an implementing partner.

Tsunamis

The USGS studies recent and historic tsunamis to better understand impacts, processes and causes, with a focus on investigating earthquakes as triggers. Scientists have evaluated the number of people or businesses exposed to tsunami hazards, as well as demographics and evacuation time for each of these communities. This provides officials with the ability to develop outreach, preparedness and evacuation plans that are tailored to local conditions and needs.

The tsunami generated by the M 8.8 earthquake carried many boats onto land – in some cases hundreds of meters inland. The tsunami wave height at this location in Concepcion Harbor (Talcahuano), Chile was about 4-5 meters (12-15 feet). Photograph credit: Walter D. Mooney, U.S. Geological Survey

Geomagnetic Storms

The dynamic interaction between the solar wind and the Earth’s magnetic field causes geomagnetic storms. The resulting rapid magnetic field fluctuations can interfere with radio communications, GPS systems, satellites, electric power grids and directional drilling for oil and gas. The USGS operates a network of specially designed observatories that provide real-time data on magnetic storm conditions. The USGS also maps geoelectric hazards associated with magnetic storms, a product especially important for mitigating hazards to electric power grids.

Earthquakes

Earthquake hazards are a national threat, with nearly half of Americans exposed to potentially damaging earthquakes. The USGS has created and provides information and tools to support earthquake loss reduction for the country. The USGS and its partners are also building a prototype Earthquake Early Warning System for the West Coast of the U.S. called ShakeAlert. The system could provide vital seconds to minutes of warning before the arrival of strong shaking.

America’s PrepareAthon! on September 30

Get prepared and join millions of people participating in America’s PrepareAthon! This is a campaign encouraging people across the nation to practice preparedness actions before a disaster or emergency strikes. Activities include drills, group discussions, exercises and more.

The Great ShakeOut on October 20

Millions of people across the nation will be participating in the next ShakeOut earthquake preparedness drill, to be held on Oct. 20, 2016. At 10:20 a.m. local time, participants will “drop, cover and hold on.” Mark your calendar and sign up to join.