[Disaster situations. What must we know and do?]

Disasters are situations or events that overwhelm local capacity and can cause great damage and human suffering. Disasters are uncommon but their consequences may be extremely serious; that is why it is absolutely necessary that health care providers become fully prepared. The paediatric population is especially vulnerable to disasters effects, and so paediatricians have to play an essential role, not only during the disaster but also previously, during disaster planning. This review aims to provide an overview of the different types of disaster, the role of paediatricians in disaster preparedness, the stages of disaster managing and finally, hospital preparedness.