Humanities › Geography The Disaster Cycle Preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation are the disaster cycle Share Flipboard Email Print Medical assistance is provided during the response phase of the disaster cycle. LeoPatrizi / Getty Images Geography Physical Geography Basics Political Geography Population Country Information Key Figures & Milestones Maps Urban Geography By Matt Rosenberg Geography Expert M.A., Geography, California State University - Northridge B.A., Geography, University of California - Davis Matt Rosenberg is an award-winning geographer and the author of "The Handy Geography Answer Book" and "The Geography Bee Complete Preparation Handbook." our editorial process Matt Rosenberg Updated January 31, 2019 The disaster cycle or the disaster life cycle consists of the steps that emergency managers take in planning for and responding to disasters. Each step in the disaster cycle correlates to part of the ongoing cycle that is emergency management. This disaster cycle is used throughout the emergency management community, from the local to the national and international levels and it is: Mitigation: Minimizing the effectsPreparedness: Planning the responseResponse: Efforts to minimize hazards that were created by the disasterRecovery: Returning the community back to normal with relief Starting the Disaster Cycle Again Finally, using the lessons learned from the response, recovery, and mitigation phases of the disaster the emergency manager and government officials return to the preparedness phase and revise their plans and their understanding of the material and human resources needs for a particular disaster in their community.