Introduction

Disaster preparedness isn’t about being in the mountains with a stockpile geared up for the worse. It’s about knowing what has to be done during the worst of times. Whether it’s a natural disaster, a recession or a sudden lack of supplies in regard to food, gas and energy, are you ready?

How long would you survive without your cell phone or television? If there was an unexpected shortage of meat, what would your next step be? Where would you go if you had to leave your home tonight to avoid an earthquake or flood? In case of an emergency, are you food prepped?

We currently live in an age where our latest generation has no idea what life would be like without a communication device on their person. It’s gotten so invasive even our senior citizens — usually resistant to new technology — have these phones and tablets and their like. Research teams have performed extensive experiments, taking away phones, Blackberries and other personal devices, and within hours the participants couldn’t function.

We’re not even leaving our homes to socialize anymore. Our lives are wrapped in social media and tweets. We’re actually calling thousands of people we’ve never met “friends”. We’re sitting on park benches enjoying movies and watching some cat play the piano half a world away.

We’re not different from any other generation. Not too long ago, the television dominated our lives. Before that, going to the movies was common entertainment and the radio kept us occupied at home. Once upon a time, it was unfathomable that we ever survived without lanterns and horse drawn carriages. Every generation, for generations, has indulged itself in the latest technologies. Often, we’ve let ourselves be led by the nose, embracing advancements that made our lives easier.

In the digital age, it’s truly gotten worse. The more time we’re spending with technology, the less dependent we’re becoming on accomplishing things ourselves. We have computers in our cars, homes, handbags, pockets. We’re plugged in 24/7. We’re using them to take care of our finances, for maintaining contact, for entertainment and to get from Point A to Point B with GPS.

What are we going to do when we can’t depend on technology?

We might make fun of that guy who stays off the grid or who keeps emergency supplies in a sealed room in their basement, but if there were a natural disaster or a blackout, who would be better off, you or them?

This book is about supplying information to those that believe that technology may be an important part of our lives, but we can’t lazily accept it as all that we need. One of the most important things we must never forget is surviving on our wits, through the use of our own two hands. It’s not simply about surviving tsunamis and volcano activity. It’s about knowing how to garden, surviving in the outdoors or the many benefits of Epsom salts.

We’re looking to provide any and all disaster preparedness guidance we can help you with.  If you are fortunate enough to attend a Super Bowl game, and a blackout occurs, be prepared by bringing a cooler with plenty of beer and a flashlight.