Which item is a core component of an operational PM plan for natural disaster response?

• A. Long-term tax policy development
• B. Initiating a citywide art festival
• C. Pre-disaster risk assessment
• D. Construction of a new stadium

Answer: (C)

Pre-disaster risk assessment informs every action in an operational plan for natural disaster response. By analyzing the hazards that could occur, identifying who and what is most vulnerable, and estimating the potential impacts on health, infrastructure, and services, planners can foresee demand for medical care, shelter, evacuation, and communication needs. This evidence helps decide where to pre-position supplies, which response teams to deploy, how to route resources, and when to activate certain operations. Without it, response efforts would lack a data-driven basis for prioritizing actions and allocating limited resources.

Other options don’t fit because they address long-term or unrelated activities rather than the immediate needs and constraints of a disaster response plan. Long-term tax policy development, initiating a citywide art festival, and constructing a new stadium do not directly inform preparedness, surge capacity, or operational decisions during a natural disaster.