Plan, plan, plan

Get ahead of the next storm, power outage or zombie herd by knowing your risks. “If it rains where you are, it can flood,” says Angela Gladwell, BSPA98M, an acting associate director with FEMA. Pack a to-go bag with enough supplies for 72 hours (food and water, sure, but don’t forget games to occupy the kids—or yourself).

Get awkward

Build out a social network. Meet your neighbors, and ask them to discuss potential disaster scenarios with you. Loop in Great Uncle Bert if your evacuation plan involves his apartment. These conversations can be uncomfortable, but “having that awkwardness now can save you trouble down the road,” says Anthropology Professor Jennifer Trivedi.

Skill up

Josh Kelly, AS10, UD’s associate director of emergency management, recommends taking a basic lifesaving class: “In emergencies, the first people on the scene are citizens.” At UD, members of the community can learn CPR and light search and rescue from the University’s office of Environmental Health and Safety. Check out the American Red Cross or a state fire school for more.   

Be informed

Resist the urge to turn off the emergency alert feature on your iPhone. And register for notices from your local emergency management office. (At the University, sign up for UD Alerts and download the Livesafe app.) If you’re getting your news from social media, “read but verify,” advises Spencer Schargorodski, AS11, of FEMA.

Go old school

Have printed copies of all your important documents: passports, birth certificates, prescriptions, insurance paperwork, proof of mortgage. And never be caught without some actual, paper cash. In other words, “the exact things society tells you not to bother with anymore are key for a disaster setting,” says James Kendra of the DRC.

Role play

At least annually, practice putting your plans into place. “Muscle memory is key,” says Austin Barlow, AS12, an emergency consultant for Hagerty. Come up with a disaster scenario and act it out to discover any weak points—does that flashlight actually work? Do the kids remember your post-hazard meeting place?

Prep the pets

Notice where your dog or cat hides when scared of the mailman, in case you need to locate them in an emergency. Keep your to-go crate off the ground in case of flooding, and have an updated picture on hand for reunification purposes, advises Sarah DeYoung, sociology professor who co-authored a book on pets in disasters.

Keep PACE

Justin Kates, AS10, the man responsible for keeping the WAWA brand up and running during any crisis situation, recommends backup communication systems. Remember the acronym PACE, which may play out something like this: Primary (say, your cell phone); Alternate (a friend’s cell with a different carrier); Contingency (landline); Emergency (ham radio).

Embrace the apocalypse

Sure, consuming zombie—or any end-of-world—entertainment is good for a thrill. But did you know it’s also productive? Research published in the Personality and Individual Differences journal confirms: These movies, books and video games bolster mental fortitude when actual disaster strikes. Safe streaming!