Emergency Planning for Crises

A review by Craig Soderberg

When Disaster Strikes: A comprehensive guide for emergency planning and crisis survival

By Matthew Stein

Chelsea Green Publishing, White River Junction, Vermont

2011; softbound; 400 pp; $24.95 (US)

Why should we bother with preparedness? Here are a few reasons. First, most of our petrochemicals come from thousands of miles away from some countries that hate us in the worn-torn Middle East. It does not take much to disrupt any of that. Second, consider the disruptive effects of the Japanese tsunami of 2011, Hurricane Katrina, or 9/11. After one of these disasters hits us, all the normal supply lines, utilities, and central services are either crippled or destroyed. When the disaster is huge, most doctors, nurses, firefighters, and police officers are either injured themselves or busy caring for family members, or evacuated from the area. After Hurricane Iniki hit the Hawaiian island of Kauai, it took four weeks to restore electricity to just 20% of the island. When things get really bad, most buses, trains, trucks, and planes will stop running, bringing food and fuel deliveries to a halt. This is exactly what happened when the Spanish flu struck the United States in 1918.

Also consider the possible devastating effects of an EMP (electromagnetic pulse): above ground telephone lines knocked out, 600 miles of underground power lines knocked out, several fires caused by EMP, radios damaged up to 360 miles from the EMP detonation, radar disabled up to 600 miles from the EMP detonation, several military generators damaged, disruption to the distribution of water, food, fuel, communications, transportation system, financial system, emergency services, government services, and all other structures supporting the national economy and welfare (pp.308-309).

Does it cost a lot of money to prepare? Some aspects of preparation do not cost much. You can buy a decent water filter for $60 and a water purification kit for $14. You can also buy a bottle of chlorine for $2. This can purify hundreds of gallons of water. It does not cost much to buy a hand-crank emergency radio that can access shortwave as well as standard radio channels.

How do I start? The best place to start is with a preparedness plan. This plan should specify a local meeting place with a large open area. Part of this plan will be to ensure that all family members know how and where to turn of the water, gas, and electricity for your home in the event of emergency. Then, start to stock up and organize supplies for longer-term emergencies. Consider acquiring some survival skills, tools, and materials. The

72-hour-grab-and-go-bag should include some first aid supplies.

How long does stored food really last? Freeze-dried foods tend to be good for 20 to 30 years. Whole-grain wheat and white rice, packaged to remove oxygen and stored at room temperature or cooler, are usually good for 30-plus years. Beans, dried apples, macaroni, potato flakes, and oats are good for up to 30 years. Properly stored nonfat dried milk is good for up to 20 years. Baking powder will store for many years, and baking soda will keep indefinitely.

What other tips does Matthew Stein have? He gives a lot of advice on camping equipment, tents, camping clothing, insulated sleeping bags, backpacks, camp stoves, cookware, footgear, backup sources for heating and cooking, backup light sources, and sanitation notes. He listed out what we should consider having in our compact survival kit (pp.144-147). He also had some helpful advice related to wild edible herbs, building a fire, building a shelter, water purification and storage, communications equipment, tips of self-defense and personal protection. Stein had additional chapters related to how to prepare for fire, earthquake, hurricanes and floods, tornadoes, how to handle the cold without power, how to survive electromagnetic pulses and solar storms, and how to survive the unthinkable- nuclear disaster.

I do not agree with all of the author’s claims (i.e. man-made global warming, p.14). I also don’t agree with his recommendation for using a bank safety deposit box (p.30) because when the banking system collapses, there is a good chance that the banks will confiscate all the contents in the safety deposit boxes just like the depositors in Cypress lost 47.5% of their savings.¹ However, these minor issues do not negate the importance of preparedness.

This book is recommended for your preparedness library.