In 2001, disaster preparedness delegates from the IFRC and staff from different National Societies defined the characteristics of a well-prepared National Society. Their aim was to prepare a simple tool for disaster preparedness planning. This document presents these characteristics as a two-page guideline and checklist, from which the Well-prepared National Societies (WPNS) self-assessment tool that helps National Societies recognize, prioritize and plan activities to improve their disaster management capacity is based. Published in 2011.