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Prepping for anything (Part 1): Know your risks

By The SHTF App Team

Every U.S. state and territory is at risk of some kind of disaster. The question is not whether you face a hazard, it is which hazards you face, and how vulnerable you are to each one.

⚠️ “It can’t happen here” is a gamble. Most communities face many types of hazards, not just one. A town that worries about tornadoes may also sit in a floodplain, or on a fault line, or downwind of a wildfire corridor. You cannot prepare for a threat you have not named. Knowing your risks is the first step of the entire framework, and it is the one most people skip.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as, and should not be considered, professional or emergency-response advice. Always follow the instructions of local authorities during an active event.

The Readiness Audit

Do you know the specific hazards that threaten your home?

  • 🟢 Green: You have looked up your local hazards in the last 12 months and signed up for your community’s alert systems.
  • 🟡 Yellow: You have a general sense (“we get storms”) but have never checked an official source.
  • 🔴 Red: You have never looked up your local risks, and you assume disasters happen to other people.

If you are Yellow or Red, execute Phase 1 immediately.

Phase 1: Determine Your Risks

Goal: Name the hazards you actually face.

Your risk of being affected by a disaster depends on two things: the possibility of an event, and your vulnerability to it.

  • The Official Source: Visit your state and local government’s emergency management websites. They list the common disasters for your area and whether disaster plans already exist.
  • The Alert Systems: Sign up for your community’s alert and warning systems, which notify you of impending disasters and of actions to take afterward.
  • The Neighbor Check: Talk to friends and neighbors about what emergencies they prepare for and what actions they take. Long-time residents know the local history that maps miss.

The Takeaway: Risk is specific, not generic. Find out what your community faces, not what the national news covers.

Phase 2: Basic Protective Actions (All Disasters)

Goal: Build the universal skills that apply to every hazard.

There are proven “protective actions” that protect you before, during, and after any disaster:

  • Assess quickly: Have the skills to size up a situation and take effective action to protect yourself.
  • Get trained: Get involved with preparedness training and volunteer programs.
  • Build a reserve: Put together an emergency fund of cash and supplies.
  • Reduce impacts: Decrease the potential impacts of hazards on your home.
  • Plan and practice: Prepare a family disaster plan and practice it.

The Takeaway: These five actions are the foundation. Everything else in this series builds on them.

Phase 3: The Two-Step Reaction (When It Hits)

Goal: Know what to do in the first seconds, before instructions arrive.

Many disasters happen with little or no warning. You must be ready to act immediately, often before authorities can tell you what to do.

  • Step 1, Assess the Situation: Take a few seconds to figure out your most effective next step. Identify the type of event and whether there is immediate danger, such as damaged buildings or downed power lines.
  • Step 2, Decide to Stay or Change Location: Decide whether it is safe to stay where you are. In a tornado, you stay indoors. In an active shooter situation, you may run. The right answer depends on the hazard.

The Takeaway: The first seconds are yours alone. A pre-decided reaction beats a panicked one.

The Essential Kit Checklist

  • The Hazard List: Write down the top three hazards for your area.
  • The Alert Signup: Subscribe to your community’s alert and warning systems.
  • The Neighbor Conversation: Ask a long-time neighbor what they prepare for.
  • The Training: Sign up for a CPR or first aid course.

Scenario Planner (Contingencies)

“I live in a quiet suburb, nothing ever happens here.” The trap: normalcy bias. The fix: every state and territory is at risk of something. Check your local emergency management site, you may be surprised by what is on the list.

“I’ll just react when it happens.” The trap: assuming you will have time and clarity. The fix: many disasters strike with little or no warning. The people who survive are the ones who assessed their risks and practiced their reaction before the event.

Next: Read Part 2: Make a Plan to learn how to build a family communication plan and an evacuation plan that works when the phones don’t.