Preparations begin with the individual and the family. They build up through the local community and the state, then the national level. This is common sense and it is encoded in law. The federal level can only act at the request of the governor of the state.
Planning and education are key. You can't avoid natural disasters, but you can mitigate the consequences. This is done most effectively at the lowest level possible, with the other levels contributing resources as needed, usually after the fact.
If the individual and the household are prepared, they are not in need of federal assistance, local rescue or humanitarian help. If well prepared they can help those around them, further lessening the need for outside assistance.
Individual and community preparation can also reduce the costs of recovery after a disaster. If you prepare your dwelling to the extent possible, the repair costs are reduced. If you do not live in a flood zone, you will not get flooded. Earthquakes and tornadoes are a bit more problematic as they are less predictable, but the effects of even these can be mitigated to an extent with proper construction in areas where these are a threat.
My community takes the approach of preparing citizens for our most probable Big Deal Disaster(earthquakes) through training under the CERT umbrella. The fire captain who taught my course termed it "catch and release". Six weeks of training, a final practical exam, and a backpack of essentials. When the BDD strikes, takecare of yourself first, then your family, then start looking for situations where you can help. Your backpack and hard hat will indicate that you know something....
I have augmented the supplies and gear in the CERT pack and it is stored in a hopefully accessible spot, come the BDD. As we have seen in Houston, immediate assistance will be rendered by those closest at hand. Highly trained first responders can't be everywhere at once.
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