This report examines the key aspects of disaster response and the need for engineers to be at the heart of efforts to reduce the impact of these events, from initial humanitarian aid through to building resilience for the future. Often the consequences of natural disasters extend far beyond the directly impacted country or region, extending to international markets and supply chains and increasing the range of people affected right across the globe. The report argues that although we are now better able to identify and respond to such natural disasters, in many cases lack of knowledge and poor planning, resourcing and deployment of relief systems can create problems for both the local and global community.