One of the first priorities when a disaster hits is maintaining some open avenues of communication, and making sure your family, home and neighborhoods are kept safe and secure. A Ham or CB radio, walkie talkies, GPS, home security cameras and emergency weather radio bands are all a good start.
You cannot prevent most natural disasters, or be able to predict a crime spree or financial breakdown, but you can at least be prepared to protect that which is yours, and connect to a known network of like-minded individuals.