Table of Contents
Introduction 13
Chapter 1 Getting Started 17
1 De-Clutter Your Home 17
2 Get Creative About Storage Space 18
3 Rethink Your Mind-Set 20
4 Make a Written Emergency Contact List 22
5 Make a Family Emergency Plan 23
6 Make a Master List of Passwords 24
7 Assemble a 72-Hour Survival Kit 25
8 Avoid Common Preparedness Mistakes 28
9 Carry These Important Items Daily 30
Chapter 2 Financial Readiness 32
10 Create a Personal Economic Disaster Plan 33
11 Start an Emergency Savings Fund 34
12 Pay Off Debt with the Snowball Method 36
13 Review Your Insurance Coverage 37
14 Keep an Emergency Cash Stash in Your Home 38
15 Consider Investing in Precious Metals 39
Chapter 3 Water Needs 44
16 Calculate How Much Water You Need 44
17 Start Collecting Water for Emergencies 45
18 Find Hidden Backup Water Sources in Your Home 47
19 Learn to Empty Your Water Heater 48
20 Find Water Outside Your Home 50
21 Keep Contaminated Water from Entering Your Home 51
22 Learn to Filter Water 52
23 Make a Simple, Inexpensive Homemade Water Filter 53
24 Learn to Purify Water 55
25 Learn to Distill Water 57
26 Learn to Build a Solar Still 58
27 Learn to Build a Vegetation Still 60
28 Learn to Disinfect Water with Sunlight 61
29 Choose a Commercial Water Filter 62
30 Conserve Water in an Emergency 63
Chapter 4 Food Supplies 64
31 Track What You Eat 65
32 Learn Basic Cooking Skills 67
33 Start a Food Storage Plan for $5 a Week 68
34 Buy What You Eat, Eat What You Store 72
35 Stockpile Food 73
36 Rotate Your Food Supply 74
37 Know the Different Types of Expiration Dates 75
38 Consider Storing MREs 76
39 Store Dehydrated and Freeze-Dried Food 77
40 Decide How Much Food to Store 79
41 Buy Staples in Bulk 80
42 Overcome the Enemies of Food Storage 84
43 Learn to Sprout Seeds and Beans 86
44 Learn to Cook Lentils and Beans 88
45 Learn to Make Homemade Yogurt 90
46 Learn to Marinate Vegetables 92
47 Learn to Make Freezer Jam 94
48 Learn Basic Canning Methods 95
49 Try Sample Canning Recipes 99
50 Dry Herbs and Peppers without a Food Dehydrator 102
51 Make Your Own Beef Jerky 103
52 Learn to Make Bread from Scratch 105
53 Start an Inexpensive Container Garden 107
54 Start Your Own Seeds 108
55 Start a Garden in a Small Space 109
Chapter 5 Ready Your Home 112
56 Teach Children About Prepping 112
57 Don't Forget About the Pets 114
58 Keep Important Documents in One Binder 115
59 Secure Family Photos and Keepsakes 117
60 Make a Safe from a Hollowed-Out Book 118
61 Assemble a Car Emergency Kit 120
62 Assemble a Desk Emergency Kit 122
63 Assemble a Mini Survival Kit in a Mint Tin 123
64 Stock Up on Multipurpose Items 124
65 Make a Can Organizer for Your Pantry 130
66 Prepare for an Earthquake 131
67 Prepare for a Hurricane 134
68 Prepare for a Tornado 136
69 Prepare for a Flood 138
70 Prepare for an Ice Storm 141
Chapter 6 Personal Health and Safety 143
71 Follow the Number-One Safety Rule 144
72 Protect Yourself from Crime 145
73 Know Basic Fire Safety 148
74 Protect Your Family from Germs 149
75 Learn to Make a Disinfectant Cleaner from Emergency Kit Items 151
76 Take a Fitness Reality Check 152
77 Assemble an Inexpensive First Aid Kit 153
78 Assemble an Emergency Dental Kit 156
79 Make an Electrolyte Solution to Prevent Dehydration 157
80 Learn to Make a Gel Pack for Muscle Pain Relief 158
81 Learn to Make a Saline Spray for a Stuffy Nose 159
82 Get by with What You Have 160
83 Learn to Make a Temporary Toilet 164
84 Learn to Dispose of Waste Matter 165
Chapter 7 When the Power Is Out 166
85 Assemble a Power Failure Kit 167
86 Know What to Do if You Have a Power Outage 168
87 Consider Buying a Generator 169
88 Learn to Store Gasoline Safely 170
89 Learn to Cook Without Electricity 172
91 Learn to Build an Outdoor Pit Oven 173
91 Know Different Ways to Start a Fire 175
92 Consider Alternative Lighting 177
93 Learn to Make a Perfect Cup of Coffee Without Electricity 179
Chapter 8 When You Have to Get Out 184
94 Pack a Bug-Out Bag 185
95 Determine Whether You Should Stay or Go 189
96 Make an Evacuation Plan in Advance 191
97 Find Exit Routes from the City 194
98 Have the Right Footwear for Walking Out 195
99 Keep Paracord on Hand 197
100 Learn to Navigate Without a Compass 198
101 Learn to Signal for Help if You Are Stranded 200
A Final Word 203
Resources 204
Acknowledgments 211
About the Author 213
