Daniel J. Power
and Ciara Heavin

Any event that occurs with little or no warning and causes or threatens death or injury, serious disruption of essential service or damage to property, the environment or infrastructure is a major emergency. When the emergency exceeds capabilities of emergency services either locally, regionally or nationally, then a crisis may exist. A major emergency requires the activation and use of specific procedures, decision support tools, and the mobilization of additional resources as required to ensure an effective, co-ordinated response.