Emergency preparedness is most commonly understood in terms of the readiness of response organizations. However, preparedness also extends to the information needs of the community at large, including non-emergency government agencies, businesses, and nonprofit organizations.

Information about the community is needed to answer the basic question – "What is at risk?" Emergency managers, first responders, and public safety organizations all need detailed, current information about the physical, social, and economic attributes of the communities they serve. For example, information needs in urban areas like New York City include detailed data about the physical structures and public spaces, utilities, transportation systems, landmarks, population densities, and neighborhood characteristics. For all communities, the location, condition, and physical distribution of commercial assets, health care facilities, military installations, public buildings, historic sites, and access and egress routes are all critically important. Information about physical geography plays an equally important role.

Given the nature of the community in all its dimensions, this kind of information specifies in what ways it is subject to threats or likely natural hazards. It tells which parts of the community (in economic, social, and physical terms) are more or less likely to withstand predictable attacks and why. Threat information is also important to the community at large. It is needed to educate residents, government agencies, and businesses about the possible vulnerabilities.

An emergency demands the ability to employ any number of resources and capabilities, both local and remote. Emergency managers need to know about the existence, location, availability, and detailed characteristics of resources likely to match their needs. Businesses and public agencies need to know and understand their own capabilities and where to go for assistance. Government, in particular, needs information suitable for informing community members about how to protect themselves and where to go for information and advice in a specific event.

Each emergency management organization has a "play book," an outline of potential events and decisions that trigger the activation and operation of a response. These plans usually involve many different organizations playing specialized, but interacting roles. While the plan is never fully accurate for any given event, its development process involves the participants in building the framework for an essential coordination strategy. Clear and well-understood roles and lines of authority and responsibility for action are all necessary parts of effective plans.

Every organization has people, facilities, data, equipment, and other assets to protect in the event of an emergency. Large organizations generally have some form of disaster recovery plan, but all organizations regardless of size need fully developed, continually updated business continuity plans that can be activated to keep them in operation or restore them to operation in minimal time at reasonable cost.