The Preliminary Damage Assessment Guide (PDA Guide) is a standard framework for how emergency management officials conduct preliminary damage assessments (PDAs) following a disaster.
The 2025 Preliminary Damage Assessment Guide, dated July 1, 2025 is in effect for events with incident periods from July 1, 2025 and after. For periods from July 2024-June 2025 the PDA Operational Guide Draft should be the guidance utilized. For a complete list of changes to the Guide, please refer to the Summary of Changes.
The 2025 Preliminary Damage Assessment Pocket Guide is a supplement to the full PDA Guide and provides high level guidance that can be used as a reference in the field.