The EUSF was created in 2002 to support EU Member States and accession countries in situations of major disasters caused by natural events such as floods, storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, forest fires or drought.
ESSF tika izveidots 2002. gadā, lai atbalstītu ES dalībvalstis un kandidātvalstis liela mēroga katastrofu situācijās, ko izraisījuši tādi notikumi kā plūdi, vētras, zemestrīces, vulkāna izvirdumi, mežu ugunsgrēki vai sausums.