Although the cards were designed for emergency services dispatchers, they could be used by anyone who answers the phones and talks to the public during a natural disaster. The advice given is not intended to be exhaustive and complete in all situations, and common sense should prevail, but they can be used as a basic guide for safely surviving these occurrences.

The NDIC cards are written so that the call-taker can ask a question or series of questions, and based upon the answer to each question, flip to the next page. This system is similar to the the Emergency Medical Dispatch card system used by emergency communications personnel nationwide.

The information contained on the NDIC cards was developed through listening to many hours of taped incoming phone calls received during various emergency situations throughout the country. The resulting matrix has been reviewed by Meteorologists, Emergency Managers, and Emergency Communications personnel for accuracy and utility. Project Impact Community Partner John Weaver, a Research Meteorologist from NOAA, compiled the information and developed the NDIC system. Although John Weaver has done the lion's share of the work, the project is a cooperative effort between the City of Fort Collins Office of Emergency Management, NOAA, and CIRA. Our thanks to John in particular, and to all those who have taken their valuable time to review and make suggestions during the development of NDIC.