All one needs to do is turn on the TV news – or log on to the internet – to see how overwhelming the range and ferociousness of disasters taking place around the world can be. The  recent earthquake from Washington, DC, to New York City, as well as the devastation of Hurricane Irene serves as a reminder that potential disasters can strike anywhere, anytime, even in the most of unexpected places. FEMA’s “A Time to Remember, A Time to Prepare” Campaign, running this September during the tenth anniversary of 9/11, and Disaster Preparedness Month should motivate all physicians to action.