- The first investigative issue that arises is the characterization of a disaster. This raises the question of "what exactly is a disaster?" Webster’s Dictionary defines a disaster as a "sudden calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, or destruction." This is a broad classification, and the term may mean different things to different people.
- Disasters may represent many different types of events. Those related to weather and the earth’s geology are the most widely recognized. Recent events, though, point out that several episodes of mass destruction have their links to our own actions. These may include industrial accidents, many episodes of famine, and significant population displacements.
- The common characteristic to each of these events is their severity. These events represent extremes. We normally live with the underlying features of these events present with us every day. They become disasters when the extremes express themselves.