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The complete idiot's guide to disaster preparedness

2009

Format:	Book
Author:	Ramirez, Maurice A.
Title:	The complete idiot's guide to disaster preparedness / by Maurice A. Ramirez and John Hedtke.
Publisher, Date:	New York : Alpha, [2009] ©2009
Description:	xviii, 270 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm illustration
Subjects:	Emergency management. Survival.
Other Author:	Hedtke, John V.
Other Title:	Complete idiot's guide Disaster preparedness
Notes:	Includes bibliographical references and index.
LCCN:	2009920701
ISBN:	9781592578931 1592578934
Other Number:	268794906
System Availability:	1
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Summary

Both natural and man-made disasters seem to occur with greater frequency. While these disasters can be devastating, the vast majority of casualties are caused from not being prepared in advance. Noted international expert on disaster relief and preparedness Dr. Maurice A. Ramirez gives us practical and comprehensive guide to solving this serious problem in The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Disaster Preparedness. Building upon his vast experience, his book show how to-

Learn to anticipate disasters most likely to occur in an individual's location or life. Steps to take to evaluate one's most vulnerable points in any disaster. Steps to take to prepare home and office for a disaster. Steps to take to prepare emotionally for a disaster. Steps to take to surviving post disaster problems. Issues relating to insurance, evacuation plans and building an emergency 'go pack .

Dr. Maurice A. Ramirez , DO, is the founder and president of the consulting firm High Alert, LLC, dedicated to making individuals, families, businesses, healthcare providers, and communities more aware of the need for disaster planning, education, and preparedness. In addition, he has served on expert panels for pandemic preparedness and healthcare surge planning with congressional and Cabinet members. Dr. Ramirez is the founding chairperson of the American Board of Disaster Medicine and the first physician in the world to receive certification as a Disaster Medicine Specialist.

John Hedtke is a fellow of the Society for Technical Communication. The award-winning author of 25 books and close to 200 magazine articles, Mr. Hedtke has been a writer on high tech, management, and business topics for over 25 years. His writing has received 26 regional and international writing awards to date.

Table of Contents

Part 1	Disaster Preparedness: The Basics	p. 1
1	When Needs Exceed Resources	p. 3
	Disaster Preparedness: The New CPR	p. 4
	Parameters of Disaster	p. 5
	Definition of Disaster	p. 6
	Definition of Catastrophe	p. 6
	Great Disasters in Recent History	p. 7
	The Southern California Wildfires	p. 7
	The Hundred-Year Flood	p. 8
	The Six-Minute Earthquake	p. 9
	Fourteen Months of Hurricane Horror	p. 10
	Disaster Vulnerability	p. 11
	The "Footprint" of Disaster	p. 11
	Risk and Outrage	p. 11
	Calculating Your Risks	p. 12
	All Disasters Are Local	p. 15
	Neighbors Helping Neighbors	p. 15
	Hand, Heart, and Cross	p. 16
	I'm from the Government	p. 16
2	One Size Fits All Disasters	p. 19
	Keeping It Simple	p. 20
	Preserving the Processes of Life	p. 20
	Disaster-Specific Plans	p. 20
	Needs-Based Planning	p. 21
	Goals of Needs-Based Plans	p. 22
	Protect	p. 22
	Provide	p. 23
	Unite	p. 23
	Inform	p. 25
	Act	p. 26
	Twenty-First-Century Disaster Preparedness	p. 26
	Special Preparedness Technology	p. 26
	Wireless and Internet Resources	p. 28
	Social Networking and Mass Communications	p. 30
3	Packing a Personal Go-Pak	p. 31
	What Is a Go-Pak?	p. 32
	Safety Supplies	p. 33
	Personal Clothing	p. 33
	Miscellaneous Items	p. 34
	Sustenance Supplies	p. 34
	Personal Gear	p. 34
	Medications	p. 36
	Miscellaneous Items	p. 36
	Communication Supplies	p. 37
	Information and Important Papers	p. 37
	Other Financial Concerns	p. 40
	Additional Considerations for Children	p. 40
4	Special Needs	p. 41
	Getting Information	p. 42
	News	p. 42
	Public Warning Systems	p. 42
	Kids Can Be Fragile	p. 43
	Watch for Behaviors	p. 43
	Help Them Process What's Happening	p. 44
	Seniors Can Be Fragile, Too	p. 45
	Planning's Even More Important!	p. 46
	Packing Two Weeks of Meds	p. 46
	Caretaking Requirements	p. 47
	Service Animals and Pets	p. 47
	Food	p. 48
	Shelter	p. 48
	Toys and Supplies	p. 49
	Disabilities Can Aftect Your Planning	p. 49
	Caretakers	p. 49
	Wheelchairs and Other Adaptive Equipment	p. 50
	Transportation Needs	p. 50
	Planning for Service Animals	p. 51
	Dealing with the Homeless	p. 51
5	Safety Isn't Just Good Preparation	p. 53
	Sheltering in Place	p. 54
	What Shelter Is Right?	p. 54
	Food, Water, and Air	p. 55
	Building a Safe Room	p. 57
	The Evacuation	p. 57
	Gassed Up and Ready to Go	p. 58
	Map Your Evacuation Routes	p. 58
	Shut Down, Lock Up, Get Out	p. 58
	Tell People Where You're Going	p. 59
	Follow Directions: No Shortcuts!	p. 60
	Know Where You're Going	p. 60
	Life in the Shelter	p. 60
	What to Bring	p. 61
	What Not to Bring	p. 61
	Getting Along with People	p. 61
	Dealing with Boredom	p. 62
	Safety in the Shelter	p. 62
	Time to Go Home	p. 63
	Returning Home	p. 63
	Unlock, Unseal, Turn On, Unpack	p. 63
	Clean Up and Repair	p. 65
	Return to Normal Life	p. 65
6	Preparing Your Business	p. 61
	Business Continuity and Beyond	p. 68
	Getting Ready for Disaster	p. 69
	Creating an All-Hazards Business-Continuity Plan	p. 71
	IT Considerations	p. 74
	Plan for the Employees, Too	p. 75
	Insurance, Assurance, Peace of Mind	p. 76
Part 2	Detailing the Disasters	p. 77
7	Floods	p. 79
	What's a Flood?	p. 80
	Groundwater	p. 80
	Surface Water	p. 80
	Surges and Waves	p. 80
	When and Where the Waters Rise	p. 82
	Flood Seasons	p. 82
	Flood Reasons	p. 82
	Flood Places and Paces	p. 83
	Pre-Season Preparations in Detail	p. 84
	Build Up and Build High	p. 84
	Levees and Dikes	p. 84
	Sandbags	p. 86
	Waterproofing	p. 86
	First Warning and Tracking the Flood	p. 87
	Final Warning and Evacuation Issues	p. 87
	Get Out of the Way	p. 87
	Grab and Go	p. 88
	When the Flood Hits	p. 89
	Related Hazards	p. 89
	Swift Waters	p. 89
	Floating Hazards	p. 90
	Shocking Stuff	p. 91
	Bad Waters	p. 92
	Post Flood Issues	p. 92
	Drying Out	p. 92
	Cleaning Up	p. 93
	Clearing Out	p. 93
8	Hurricanes	p. 95
	What Are Hurricanes?	p. 95
	Before the Storm	p. 97
	Boarding Up	p. 97
	Making Your Roof Safe	p. 98
	Securing Loose Items	p. 99
	Tidying Up Before the Storm	p. 99
	Watches and Warnings	p. 100
	Listen to News Bulletins	p. 101
	Prep Your Pool	p. 101
	Prep Your Boat	p. 102
	The Final 24 Hours	p. 102
	Evacuation Issues	p. 103
	Shelter in Place	p. 104
	During the Storm	p. 104
	Related Hazards	p. 105
	Flooding and Storm Surges	p. 105
	Tornadoes	p. 106
	Lightning	p. 106
	Not So Calm After the Storm	p. 106
	Storm Damage to Roofs and Houses	p. 107
	Drinking Water Safety	p. 108
9	Tornadoes	p. 109
	What Is a Tornado?	p. 110
	Touring Tornado Alley	p. 112
	Storm Shelters and Safe Rooms	p. 113
	Warnings	p. 114
	Sirens	p. 115
	Seconds to Shelter	p. 116
	No Time to Evacuate	p. 117
	Related Hazards	p. 118
	Flying Debris	p. 118
	Falling Flotsam	p. 118
	Lightning	p. 119
	Following the Funnel	p. 119
10	Wildfires	p. 121
	What's a Wildfire?	p. 122
	Brush Fires	p. 122
	Forest Fires	p. 123
	Dry in the High Chaparral	p. 123
	Before the Blaze	p. 124
	Cutting Back Brush	p. 125
	Preventive Landscaping	p. 125
	What's Wet Doesn't Burn	p. 126
	Fireproof Materials on New Construction	p. 126
	Smoke Signals	p. 127
	Feeling the Heat	p. 129
	Stay, Spray, and Pray	p. 129
	One Last Pass for Prevention	p. 129
	Too Close for Comfort	p. 130
	Grab-and-Go Evacuation	p. 131
	When Leaving It All Behind	p. 131
	Related Hazards	p. 132
	Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust	p. 133
	A Life in Ashes	p. 133
	A Phoenix Rising	p. 134
11	Earthquakes	p. 135
	What's an Earthquake?	p. 136
	Bump and Grind	p. 136
	Mountains from Molehills	p. 136
	Liquid Assets	p. 137
	Measuring Quakes	p. 137
	We're Gonna Rock This Town	p. 138
	Batten Down the Hatches	p. 138
	Bolts, Straps, and Retrofits	p. 138
	Quakeproofing Your Utilities	p. 140
	Little or No Warning	p. 141
	Seismic Activity or Lack Thereof	p. 141
	High-Tech Home Tech	p. 141
	Evacuation Issues	p. 142
	Finding a Safe Haven	p. 142
	The Security of the Street	p. 143
	Related Hazards	p. 144
	Getting Trapped and Getting Free	p. 145
	After the Shock	p. 147
	Aftershocks	p. 147
	Building Safety	p. 147
	Restoring Utilities	p. 148
	Drinking Water Safety	p. 148
12	Blizzards	p. 149
	What's a Blizzard?	p. 150
	Snow	p. 150
	Ice	p. 151
	Wrapping Up in Cold Weather	p. 151
	Insulation	p. 151
	Windows	p. 152
	Fuel	p. 153
	Clothing	p. 154
	Weatherize the Car	p. 155
	Snow Removal Equipment	p. 156
	Winter Weather Warnings	p. 157
	Evacuation Issues	p. 157
	Sharing Houses	p. 158
	Shelters	p. 158
	Waiting Too Long	p. 158
	Related Hazards	p. 159
	Frozen Pipes	p. 159
	Frostbite and Cold Injuries	p. 160
	Post-Blizzard Issues	p. 161
	Digging Out	p. 161
	Flooding When It Thaws	p. 162
	Ice Damage	p. 162
13	Pandemics	p. 163
	What's a Pandemic?	p. 164
	The Day the Earth Coughed	p. 165
	Not If, but When	p. 165
	Not Who, But How Bad	p. 166
	Only One Risk Factor: Living on Planet Earth	p. 167
	Hygiene and Sanitation Are Key	p. 168
	The Danger Is in the Dose	p. 169
	An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Tamiflu	p. 170
	Flu Shots	p. 170
	Hygiene Habits	p. 171
	The Real Deal on Drug Therapy	p. 173
	Warnings	p. 173
	News Reports	p. 173
	Public Health Announcements	p. 174
	Related Hazards	p. 174
	Loss of Public Services	p. 174
	Medical Care Shortages	p. 175
	Mortuary Care Shortages	p. 175
	Social Breakdown	p. 176
	Post-Pandemic Issues	p. 177
	Reconstitution of the Family	p. 177
	Reconstitution of the Community	p. 177
14	Toxic Spills	p. 179
	What Is a Toxic Spill?	p. 180
	Spills on Water	p. 180
	Spills on Land	p. 181
	Spills Underground	p. 181
	Everytown, USA	p. 182
	What's in Your Community?	p. 183
	What's Passing Through Your Community?	p. 183
	Information is the Only Preparation	p. 183
	Warnings	p. 184
	Radio and TV	p. 184
	Sirens and Alarms	p. 185
	When the Alarm Sounds	p. 185
	It Is Never Soon Enough	p. 185
	Know Where to Go	p. 186
	Listen to the Pros	p. 186
Related Hazards		p. 187
	Vapors, Clouds, Fogs, and Flows	p. 187
	Toxidromes: Signs of Trouble	p. 187
	After the Spill	p. 189
	Home Decontamination	p. 189
	Scrap and Bury-Reclaiming the Land	p. 190
	Lingering Medical Effects	p. 190
Part 3	Poster Disaster	p. 191
15	Getting Back to Work	p. 193
	Business During a Disaster	p. 194
	Safeguarding and Sustaining	p. 195
	Ensuring Emotional and Spiritual Comfort	p. 197
	Maintaining Interpersonal Connections	p. 198
	Building for Tactical and Intellectual Success	p. 198
	Restoring the Community	p. 199
	Volunteering vs. Business	p. 199
	Ethical Business Practices	p. 200
	Going from "Free" to "Fee"	p. 201
16	Claiming Your Due-Doing Your Best	p. 203
	Information Without Overload	p. 204
	FEMA, Forms, and Funds	p. 204
	Local Assistance	p. 205
	State Assistance	p. 206
	Federal Assistance	p. 206
	The Disaster Relief Process	p. 207
	The Disaster Recovery Center	p. 209
	You Paid for It, Now They Should Pay You	p. 209
	Documenting for Insurance Claims	p. 210
	Mitigating Losses to Maximize Payouts	p. 212
	When Friendly Insurance Isn't So Friendly	p. 214
17	If You Failed to Plan	p. 217
	Business That Fail to Plan	p. 218
	Don't Panic	p. 218
	Strategic Thinking	p. 218
	Gather Information	p. 219
	Use Common Sense	p. 221
	Work Smarter, Not Harder	p. 222
	Pattern Recognition	p. 223
	Heuristic Deduction	p. 223
	Don't Wander	p. 224
	Short-Term vs. Long-Term	p. 225
	Bull's-Eyes, Budgets, and Boundaries	p. 226
	Seek Help	p. 227
	Mitigate Outrage	p. 227
18	Putting It All Together	p. 229
	Practice the Way You Will Play	p. 229
	Play the Way You Will Play	p. 231
	Appendixes
A	Additional Resources	p. 233
B	Go-Pak Checklists	p. 249
C	Writing Your Family Disaster Plan	p. 253
D	Evacuation/Sheltering in Place Checklists	p. 257
	Index	p. 261

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