Most people don’t spend much time thinking about what they’ll do if a major storm knocks out the power, roads become impassable, or they suddenly have to leave home. We tend to assume we’ll figure things out when the time comes.
But people who take emergency preparedness seriously often approach everyday life a little differently.
A recent LBC report offered a look inside the Silent Legion, a volunteer organization whose members spend time planning, training, and preparing for emergencies. Interestingly, the group doesn’t particularly like being called preppers because of the extreme image often associated with the term.
Their approach raises an interesting question: What do people who prepare for disasters actually do differently?
You don’t need a bunker, a basement full of canned food, or expensive survival equipment to adopt some of these habits. Here are nine practical things worth considering.
1. They Don’t Wait Until a Storm Is Coming to Get Ready
Most people start thinking about emergency supplies when severe weather appears in the forecast, which is also when stores tend to get crowded. People who prepare ahead of time gradually build their supplies, replace what they’ve used, and avoid starting from scratch every time something happens.
2. They Keep Their Vehicles Ready for Unexpected Trips
Running on an almost-empty gas tank might not seem like a big deal until an evacuation warning or widespread power outage hits. Keeping a reasonable amount of fuel in the car, checking tire pressure, and having basic emergency supplies in the trunk can make an unexpected trip much easier.
3. They Practice Using Their Emergency Equipment
Buying an emergency radio, portable generator, or water filter is one thing, but knowing how to use it is another. People who take preparedness seriously test their equipment, learn the safety instructions, and make sure everything works before an emergency happens.
4. They Have More Than One Way to Communicate
Most households depend almost entirely on cell phones, even though cellular networks can become overloaded or damaged during major emergencies. A family communication plan, a printed contact list, and an alternative way to receive emergency information mean you’re not relying on one device for everything.
5. They Know Their Neighborhood Better Than Most People
Knowing which roads flood, where evacuation routes lead, and which nearby locations could provide shelter can be useful when something goes wrong. People who prepare often pay attention to local hazards and familiarize themselves with alternative routes instead of depending entirely on GPS.
Related: Why Knowing Your Neighbors Matters If a Disaster Were to Strike
6. They Build Relationships With Their Neighbors
Emergency preparedness isn’t always about handling everything alone. Knowing your neighbors, checking on people who may need extra help, and having someone nearby you can communicate with can make a difficult situation easier for everyone.
7. They Keep Important Information Somewhere Other Than Their Phones
It’s convenient to store everything digitally, but a dead phone or lost internet connection can make important information difficult to access. Keeping printed emergency contacts, medication details, insurance information, and copies of essential documents in a safe place provides another option when technology isn’t cooperating.
8. They Pay Attention to the Emergencies Most Likely to Affect Them
Someone living in a hurricane-prone area has different concerns than someone dealing with wildfires, earthquakes, or winter storms. Instead of preparing for every imaginable disaster, practical preparedness starts with understanding local risks and planning for the situations most likely to affect your household.
9. They Make Emergency Preparedness Part of Their Regular Routine
Being prepared isn’t something you do once and forget about for the next five years. Checking batteries, rotating pantry supplies, updating emergency contacts, and reviewing family plans a couple of times a year helps keep everything useful when you actually need it.
