Susanne A. is a writer who moved to Asheville, North Carolina from coastal Washington state.
She relocated to the mountains specifically to escape extreme weather, and Asheville was supposed to be safe.
It was in the mountains, protected by elevation, a place people called a climate haven.
Susanne and her husband had been there six months when Hurricane Helene hit on September 27, 2024.
They thought they’d be fine.
On the night Helene arrived, Susanne and Bruce half-slept through the pounding rain and raging wind.
Alerts blasted from their smartphones about trees down and flooding across Asheville.
By the morning of September 28, the alerts had silenced.
But not because the worst was over, it was because their phones were dead.
Just half a mile below their street, the French Broad River, normally a foot and a half high, crested at nearly 25 feet and looked like boiling chocolate.
The swollen river spread 30 to 40 feet beyond its normal bounds.
For days, Susanne and Bruce had no cell service and no running water.
They relied on bottled water for drinking and cooking.
Most importantly, they learned that moving to a different area without understanding the local disaster risks can put you at a disadvantage when a crisis strikes.
This shows why researching the specific hazards in the city you’re moving to is one of the most important things you can do before—or right after—moving.
The reality is that every region has different disaster risks.
What you prepared for in your old location might be useless in your next one.
When you move, you need to start your preparedness planning from scratch based on local threats.
So, these are ways to prepare for disasters when you move to a different city.
Identify local disaster risks:
Your first job is figuring out what disasters are most likely in your area.
Don’t assume you know.
Visit your local government website and search for emergency management or disaster preparedness pages.
Many cities publish their Emergency Operations Plans that detail the specific risks for that area.
You can also use websites to look up your zip code and see disaster history.
Learn the land and area:
Spend your first month watching your surroundings.
Drive different routes to work.
Note where the rivers, power lines, chemical plants, and railroad tracks are.
Figure out alternate routes out of town in case main roads are blocked.
Keep a paper map in your car. Don’t rely on GPS when cell towers go down.
Don’t wait until disaster strikes to figure out your evacuation route.
Practice driving different evacuation routes.
Figure out where they lead and how long they take.
Keep your gas tank above half full.
Take a CERT class:
Community Emergency Response Team classes are offered through FEMA in almost every city.
These classes teach you about major local risks, personal preparedness, and community emergency response.
You’ll meet fire marshals, FEMA representatives, and police chiefs who can answer questions about your specific area.
Even if you’ve taken CERT before, take it again in your next location.
The risks and resources are different everywhere.
Connect with your neighbors right away:
Your neighbors know things about the area that you don’t.
Long-term residents have lived through past disasters and can tell you what to expect.
These relationships are important during an emergency.
Stock up based on local threats:
Your emergency kit should match the disasters you’re most likely to face.
Don’t just copy your old prep list.
Build a dedicated one for your updated location.
Start with the basics like water, food, first aid, and flashlights.
Then add items specific to your location’s risks.
Make sure you have at least a three-day supply of everything.
Understand local water systems:
Many areas that seem safe from hurricanes can still face water problems.
Find out where your water comes from.
Store at least two weeks of water at one gallon per person each day.
Connect with local prepper groups:
Many cities have preparedness groups or neighborhood watch programs.
These people know the area and can share valuable information.
They might also know where to find emergency resources or which roads flood first.
Susanne’s community had an active Discord group.
Through their chats, she had a sense of her neighbors before the storm, even if she hadn’t met them.
Building these connections before disaster strikes gives you a ready-made support network.
Test your plans:
Don’t just write down your evacuation routes or emergency plans.
Actually test drive and time them.
Make sure everyone in your family knows what to do and where to go.
Of course, building preparedness in a different location takes time.
It can take months to fully understand local risks, build relationships, and stock proper emergency resources.
When you’re already stressed from moving, adding disaster prep research can feel overwhelming.
It’s tempting to delay it, but that’s exactly when you’re most at risk.
Start with the basics and build from there.
Moving to a different city is exciting, but it also leaves you vulnerable to danger.
Don’t make the same mistake Susanne made in Asheville.
The disasters will come.
The question is whether you’ll be ready.
Along with these steps to prep for your different city, make sure to have the right emergency resources to carry you through any disaster.
