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 A Book Everyone Can Use May 7, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
All of us, no matter where we live in the US or Canada, are vulnerable to some type of natural disaster - hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, floods, mudslides, tornadoes, blizzards, etc. - as well as the possibility of terrorist attacks. And now we also have to worry about the possibility of the avian flu.
In her introduction, Ms. Kolberg presents research that indicates a very large gap between our awareness of the need to be prepared for a disaster and our implementation of the steps necessary to meet that need. "What accounts for this gap between awareness and implementation? Two things: instruction and organization."
The first chapter, It Could Never Happen to Me, sets the stage for the rest of the book. As we all saw post-Katrina, first responders can be overwhelmed for days or even weeks after a disaster. It is up to each of us to not be a victim.
Each chapter of the book begins with a short If I Only Knew Then What I know Now.... story by disaster survivors and ends with a box entitled What Kids Can Do. The information Ms. Kolberg provides is concise, specific, and covers such topics as hunkering down, what to pack in a grab-n-go bag, family communication, first aid and protecting your home and its contents. An entire chapter is devoted to documents - what's important, what's essential, what to have copies of, where to store originals. There are nine forms and checklists (e.g. vital contacts, home inventory) in the appendix.
This is a book everyone should read. Even if you don't implement all of the suggestions, you will achieve a good deal of peace of mind for each item you do implement!
Disaster Preparedness Books October 5, 2006
159 out of 159 found this review helpful
If you're like I was, you're looking through the various disaster preparedness books wondering which one is best. I have worked my way through 7 of the most popular books and offer a shared review of all of them here. I hope this comparison helps you make a decision.
Book 1: Crisis Preparedness by Jack A. Spigarelli
Like many of the disaster preparedness books, this one begins by answering the question, "Why bother being prepared?" It also outlines a framework for being prepared that includes accumulating supplies, getting mentally and physically prepared, and having your finances in order. One thing I particularly liked was the emphasis on the importance of knowledge. It wasn't just about what items you need, but also what skills and knowledge you should develop. But this book is mostly about food preparation for a major disaster, with emphasis on having a year's food storage, milling your own grain, growing sprouts, home canning, dehydrating, freeze-drying, etc. There are detailed tables showing the calories of various foods including their protein, fat, and carbs. The final third of the book offers advice on other topics, including weapons, hand tools, clothing, energy, medical, sanitation, transportation, communications, and home preparation. The book concludes with a list of recommended books and a brief listing of companies that sell disaster preparation items. Overall, this is a very good preparedness book. I probably should have given it 5 stars, but I thought it went a bit overboard on the food plan. That said, it is the most comprehensive of the preparedness books.
Book 2: Preparedness Now! By Aton Edwards
This is another thorough disaster preparedness book, one that focuses more on emergency situations (fire, chemical attack, etc.). It is organized into brief chapters (some only a few pages) on a variety of important topics, including: water, food, shelter, sanitation, communication, transportation, and protection. It is also filled with many packing lists detailing what you should get in preparation. It introduces the e-kit (a very lightweight kit to keep with you) and grab-n-go bag with more extensive items. Final chapters of the book discuss various possible disasters, including earthquakes, tsunami, infectious diseases, chemical and bio warfare, crime, fire, and extreme weather. Some of the commentary is a bit questionable, but the technical content is good. Note the deficiency with this book is that it does not offer any detail on food storage.
Book 3: Disaster Preparedness for Dummies
First of all, this isn't a book. It's a DVD video. I wasn't paying attention when I bought it, and was a bit surprised when it arrived. I generally like the Dummies series. They are well researched and serve as a good summary. This DVD offers a lengthy video discussing many disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, etc.), briefly outlining how you might prepare for them. It also has an overview of how you should react in case of a terrorist attack (nuclear, chemical, and biological). But the advice is all very general, and is more like what you'd expect to hear from your local weather station. For example, the video repeatedly advises you to "stay calm" and "evaucate in an orderly fashion." The videos are high quality, but don't expect detailed outdoor survival tips or food storage suggestions. Everything presented is relevant and useful, but it feels more like a FEMA public service announcement.
Book 4: Emergency Food Storage and Survival Handbook by Peggy Layton
This book is broken into six main sections. The first section offers decent but very incomplete summaries on preparing for short-term emergencies. The second section discusses how to store and purify water. The third part talks about the logistics of setting up a food-storage program, and has some suggestions on how to store food. The fourth section details what types of foods you should store. The fifth section has blank inventory planning pages. And finally the last section has some recipes. About half of the 285 page book is either blank planning pages or simple recipes. The first half of the book is pretty good stuff, but I found this book to be incomplete. It does however offer some good advice on food storage.
Book 5: Organize for Disaster by Judith Kolberg
This book goes an entirely different direction than the other preparedness books. Emphasis is on understanding the federal resources (i.e. FEMA, Red Cross, etc.) available, creating a personal intelligence network, organizing essential documents, maintaining insurance coverage, listing a home inventory, preparing your house for disaster, basic first aid, and having a good family communication plan. There is also a good list of necessary items to have on hand that would suit many common disaster. I recommend this book for its common-sense look at disaster preparedness. However, it is not the only book you would need, because it doesn't detail food storage, water purification, heating, etc.. That said, it covers some topics that the other books overlook.
Book 6: Making the Best of Basics, Family Preparedness Handbook by James Talmage Stevens
This book is almost completely about in-home food storage and preparation. There is little discussion outside that (except for basic water issues). Many chapters discuss food in significant detail, to include things like grains, recipes, preparing sourdough breads/biscuits, dairy products, honey, sprouting, drying of fruits/vegetables. At the end of this book is a huge compendium of preparedness resources, telling where things can be purchased in every US state.
Book 7: No Such Thing as Doomsday, by Philip L. Hoag, revised in 2001
This book offers well-researched insights into disaster preparedness. Topics include water, food, heating/cooking, light, power, communications, medical, sanitation, and security. Those subjects are well done. However, much of the book reads like a bit of doomsday prediction, with many pages devoted to scaring the heck out of the reader... focusing on missile attacks, chemical dangers, nuclear war, radiation, decontamination, communist threat, etc. For me personally, I would have like to see more pages devoted to likely threats (e.g. hurricanes, floods, earthquake, blackout, fire, etc.). Also note that Amazon may not carry the latest version (updated in 2001), so you may want to buy directly from the author.
Overall, if you can only purchase three books, I would recommend Book 5, Book 6, and either Book 1, 2 or 7. With those three, you should have a balanced look at common sense organizing, food storage, and emergency items to have on hand. If you can buy only one book, I recommend Book 1.
I've created a useful disaster preparedness list for your automobile on my Amazon author blog (just click on my name above the review). Also, you'll find a link to purchase a fully assembled auto kit.
Written by Arthur Bradley, author of "Process of Elimination" - an intense thriller in which a martial artist, a greedy corporate attorney, and a conspiracy theorist try to stop a world-class sniper out to shape the next Presidential election.
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A Book That Could Save Your Life April 18, 2006
82 out of 83 found this review helpful
CHAPTER 1: IT COULD NEVER HAPPEN TO ME -- examines the state of denial most of us live in regarding disasters, whether or not you can really prepare for the unknown, the types of disasters that you might experience in your life (natural emergencies, man-made disasters, and acts of terrorism), and the role that local disaster agencies provide during an emergency
CHAPTER 2: YOUR PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORK -- takes a look at the importance of communication during an emergency and the many obstacles that can keep you from receiving important information duringa crisis...plus tips for understanding the broadcasts from traditional warning systems, an list of actions that are warranted by each level of terrorist threat (green, blue, yellow, orange, red), how to make the best use of your local social network, and how technology can keep you informed
CHAPTER 3: ORGANIZE YOUR ESSENTIAL AND IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS -- provides a list of essential documents that you should have access to during a disaster, discusses accepted methods of proving your identity, and outlines vital contacts and codse you may need on hand...plus a listing of other important documents that you should be able to access if your property is destroyed, setting up a virtual safe deposit box, protecting business records, and preventing identity theft
CHAPTER 4: AVOID THE DISASTER AFTER THE DISASTER -- discusses methods for maximizing your homeowners protection, steps you can take before disaster strikes to protect your interests, what to do in case of emergency, and how to document the disaster...plus special tips for renters, dealing with trees, earthquake and flood insurance, automobile coverage, terrorism insurance, and life insurance
CHAPTER 5: PROTECT THE CONTENTS OF YOUR HOME -- outlines the steps you should take to get your household belongings in order prior to a disaster...including decluttering your home, protecting your computer and electronics, preparing a home inventory, and protecting memorabilia
CHAPTER 6: PREPARING YOUR HOUSE TO WITHSTAND DISASTER -- takes a look at steps that will help your home weather an emergency like fire damage, trees and wind damage, lightning, electrocution, flood, earthquakes...plus creating a "safety zone" around your house, controlling your utilities, protecting against carbon monoxide, and performing a "home hazard" hunt
CHAPTER 7: YOUR FAMILY COMMUNICATION PLAN -- helps you determine in advance how you will reconnect with family during an emergency...including choosing a reunion spot, establishing phone contact, having a plan when you are out of town, and the ways that various communication technologies may be affected by a large-scale disaster
CHAPTER 8: FAMILY-FRIENDLY FIRST AID -- outlines some common disaster-related injuries and the appropriate first aid techniques for each, teaching first aid to your kids, donating blood...plus instructions for putting together a first aid kit and preparing a personal medical form / medical release
CHAPTER 9: HUNKERING DOWN -- guides you through the process of seeking shelter in your home for an extended period of time...including finding a safe place, making sure you have enough of the right kind of provisions, storing your provisions, and preparing a "grab and go" bag...plus coping with a power outage, cooking alternatives, water purification, sanitation, heat and light sources
CHAPTER 10: SAFELY EVACUATING AND ESCAPING FROM YOUR HOME -- leads you through the process of preparing an evacuation plan for your home and escpae plans for different types of attacks and emergencies...including where to go, what to bring, creating a vehicle disaster kit, mapping your route, evacuating with pets, and what to do when you return home
CHAPTER 11: THE ESSENTIALS -- outlines your list of disaster preparedness tasks in priority order...an excellent action checklist
APPENDIX: FORMS -- includes reproducible forms for recording:
vital contacts
vital codes
work authorizations
home inventory
mitigation checklist
family communication plan
first aid kit contents
personal medical form
evacuation checklist
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