FEMA Preliminary Damage Assessment Guide

The Preliminary Damage Assessment Guide (PDA Guide), which serves as a standard framework for emergency management officials conducting preliminary damage assessments (PDAs) following a disaster, became effective on October 1, 20211. This guide supersedes FEMA’s previous 2020 PDA Guide.

This comprehensive guide outlines how state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments, along with FEMA staff, collect and validate information about the cause, location, and extent of damage after a disaster. It provides a standardized approach for assessing damage and impact.