We love books and manuals, whether audio or hardcover. The United States is susceptible to various disasters, such as floods, pandemics, fires, earthquakes, and geomagnetic storms, among others. These emergencies present a substantial risk to daily life, rendering emergency preparedness an essential aspect of living in America.
In Creek Stewart’s comprehensive manual, The Disaster-Ready Home: A Step-by-Step Emergency Preparedness Manual for Sheltering in Place, every American is provided with clear, understandable guidance on how to remain prepared for such eventualities. This book serves as a literal survival guide.
A crisis is any event that disrupts access to everyday essentials. In this detailed guide, Creek Stewart addresses vital questions about securing these essentials during such critical times. The book specifically instructs on how to sustain life at home when a disaster forces you to remain indoors for days, cut off from the outside world. The Disaster-Ready Home teaches how to survive until the danger has passed.
The Importance of Food in Emergencies
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Given that food is a fundamental human need, it’s logical that Stewart dedicates the first five chapters of his book to this crucial aspect of emergency preparedness. The primary goal of any emergency-preparedness plan is to prevent starvation during a crisis.
Stewart’s expert guidelines help readers understand the importance of maintaining a sufficient food supply, how to store it, and the necessary quantity for an uncertain duration.
Dealing with food daily doesn’t equate to understanding the intricacies of building a long-term food storage pantry. The second chapter delves into what makes up an adequate amount of food for a prolonged crisis. It emphasizes the importance of being prepared for any eventuality and the goal of readiness for an extended period.
Stewart, acknowledged as an expert, is transparent about the estimates, assumptions, and generalizations presented in this chapter. He recognizes the risk of feeling prepared for a disaster, only to fall short by a month or two. This chapter aims to mitigate that risk by providing a solid foundation for starting the food storage process.
The third chapter focuses on making emergency preparedness as cost-effective as possible. It provides readers with insights into the types of food most suitable for a long-term pantry, as well as methods for preserving foods beyond just storing dried items.
This chapter particularly highlights the pros and cons of various food preservation techniques, giving readers the chance to choose the options that best suit their needs.
By the time you finish the first five chapters of this book, you will clearly understand how to set your emergency preparedness goals, determine the amount of food to store, and make regular, budget-friendly purchases for your pantry.
The book provides detailed information about the food options available in local markets, ranging from canned and bulk foods to frozen and dried varieties. However, Creek Stewart leaves the decision-making regarding purchases up to you.
Stewart’s guidance is focused on the planning stage, methods for repackaging foods, and strategies for keeping them safe. These chapters are designed to equip you with all the necessary information to build a sufficient pantry that is tailored to your specific goals, budget, needs, and the available storage space in your home.
Water Is Just as Essential as Food for Survival
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Having covered all the essentials for ensuring an adequate food supply that remains safe throughout a crisis, Creek Stewart then turns the focus of his book to another vital aspect of emergency preparedness: water. As a crucial resource for human survival, water is indispensable for all bodily functions, and securing a clean drinking water supply is central to any effective emergency preparedness plan.
Stewart acknowledges that, while people are aware of the importance of water for their bodies, they often overlook the planning needed to store water for long-term use, such as during a crisis. In the sections dedicated to water, readers will learn how to source water, keep it safe, and filter it when conventional supplies, like tap water, are unavailable because of a lack of electricity.
Unlike food, which can be compacted into small boxes and stored in a corner, water storage is more challenging. The chapter is as comprehensive as those on food, teaching readers various proven methods for storing water in different containers and ensuring it remains potable, even if stored for over five years. These methods are applicable regardless of the quantity, from a single gallon stored under a bed to a 55-gallon drum in a garage.
The chapter concludes by offering insights into identifying and setting up a renewable backup source for maintaining a safe drinking water supply. It acknowledges that sourcing water during a crisis often involves unconventional methods, and making this water safe for consumption requires detailed filtration processes.
Once again, Stewart empowers readers to take proactive steps in disaster preparation, allowing them to decide on a long-term filtration process that suits their needs. By the end of this chapter, readers will be equipped with the knowledge to find and purify water when access to tap water is unavailable.
Preparing to Survive Any Disaster
The third and final part of the book elaborates on the remaining aspects of preparing to live through any disaster. This section emphasizes heating and sanitation, which are as crucial as securing food and clean water.
Surviving a disaster often means enduring periods at home without power, and it’s essential not to succumb to the cold. The chapters provide comprehensive information on off-the-grid heating and sanitation methods. These details are tailored to assist readers in choosing the most suitable means of heating their living spaces, with a strong emphasis on safety and avoiding potential hazards like house fires.
The chapter delivers insights on how to safely heat a room without producing poisonous gases that could be more lethal than the winter cold. The section concludes by offering strategies for managing human waste in the absence of functional toilets and sewer systems.
Is the Book Worth It?
This book leaves little room for criticism. Each chapter is complete with information that is not only critical for surviving a crisis, but is also eminently practical. The content is accessible to people at all education levels.
By the end of your reading, you will clearly understand what is necessary for an emergency pantry, how to manage your budget effectively, and how to establish long-term storage for drinking water. Additionally, the book guides you on how to cook and boil water off the grid, how to heat your rooms, and how to handle sanitation to avoid illness from waste.
The Disaster-Ready Home is an indispensable resource and a trustworthy guide in your emergency preparedness journey. The information, field-tested and reliable, is designed to help you survive any crisis.