emergency

An emergency is a situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property, or the environment and requires urgent action to prevent a worse outcome. The term is used across medicine, law enforcement, and disaster management. While emergencies and disasters are related, an emergency may be localized and manageable with available resources, whereas a disaster overwhelms local capacity and requires external assistance.

Common categories include medical emergencies (heart attack, stroke), accidental injuries (vehicle crashes), natural hazards (earthquakes, floods), and industrial incidents (chemical spills). The specifics and severity determine the appropriate response.

The first objective of an emergency response is life protection. This typically involves summoning emergency services, providing immediate care or triage on the scene, and taking steps to remove people from danger. Emergency medical services, fire departments, and police coordinate to stabilize victims, control hazards, and facilitate evacuation when needed. In mass-casualty events, triage orders treatment by severity and likelihood of survival.

Warning and preparedness play central roles. Early warning systems, alarms, and public alerts inform communities, while drills, training, and pre-arranged plans improve readiness. Emergency management follows a cycle of mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery to reduce future impacts.

Effective emergency systems require coordination among government agencies, responders, healthcare providers, businesses, and communities, along with clear communication, adequate resources, and responder safety considerations.