| | |  | Terrorism | Home » » Crisis Preparedness Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Home Storage and Physical Survival | | | | | | | Description: | | A complete guide to emergency preparedness for our uncertain times. Virtually an encyclopedia of food storage and personal preparedness, it covers topics from exactly how to design a food storage program tailored for your particular family to growing and preserving food, storing fuel, alternate energy, emergency evacuation kits, medical and dental, surviving biological, chemical and nuclear terrorism, communications, selection of firearms and other survival tools, and preparing for earthquakes. Dozens of detailed, expert checklists and tables with photographs and index. Extensive book and resource lists with regular and Internet addresses. An absolute must for those serious about preparing for and surviving during our dangerous times. | | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| Jack A. Spigarelli | | Paperback:
| 320 pages | | Publisher:
| Cross-Current Pub. | | Publication Date:
| 2002-04 | | ISBN:
| 0936348070 | | Package Length:
| 8.9 inches | | Package Width:
| 6.0 inches | | Package Height:
| 0.7 inches | | Package Weight:
| 0.95 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 78 reviews |
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| $19.95 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $19.95 | New | | | $19.95 | New | | | $19.95 | New | | | $19.95 | New | | | $23.83 | New | | | $28.70 | New | | | $39.56 | New | | | $59.05 | New | |
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| $15.83 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $15.83 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $15.99 | Used
- Mint | | | $16.00 | Used
- Good | | | $16.37 | Used
- Good | | | $23.49 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $23.83 | Used
- Mint | | | $28.70 | Used
- Mint | | | $30.56 | Used
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- Good | | | $33.25 | Used
- Mint | | | $35.00 | Used
- Mint | | | $56.71 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $57.87 | Used
- Mint | | | $999.00 | Used
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Average Customer Review:
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1908 of 1926 found the following review helpful:
Disaster Preparedness BooksOct 05, 2006
By Arthur Bradley
"Arthur Bradley"
If you're like I was, you're looking through the various disaster preparedness books wondering which one is best. I have worked my way through many of the most popular books and offer a shared review of all of them here. I hope this comparison helps you make a decision. I should also point out that I researched nearly every disaster book out there and recently published the Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family. If interested, search Amazon for the title. Onward with the reviews!
Book 1: Crisis Preparedness by Jack A. Spigarelli
Like many of the disaster preparedness books, this one begins by answering the question, "Why bother being prepared?" It also outlines a framework for being prepared that includes accumulating supplies, getting mentally and physically prepared, and having your finances in order. One thing I particularly liked was the emphasis on the importance of knowledge. It wasn't just about what items you need, but also what skills and knowledge you should develop. But this book is mostly about food preparation for a major disaster, with emphasis on having a year's food storage, milling your own grain, growing sprouts, home canning, dehydrating, freeze-drying, etc. There are detailed tables showing the calories of various foods including their protein, fat, and carbs. The final third of the book offers advice on other topics, including weapons, hand tools, clothing, energy, medical, sanitation, transportation, communications, and home preparation. The book concludes with a list of recommended books and a brief listing of companies that sell disaster preparation items. Overall, this is a very good preparedness book. I probably should have given it 5 stars, but I thought it went a bit overboard on the food plan. That said, it is the most comprehensive of the preparedness books.
Book 2: Preparedness Now! By Aton Edwards
This is another thorough disaster preparedness book, one that focuses more on emergency situations (fire, chemical attack, etc.). It is organized into brief chapters (some only a few pages) on a variety of important topics, including: water, food, shelter, sanitation, communication, transportation, and protection. It is also filled with many packing lists detailing what you should get in preparation. It introduces the e-kit (a very lightweight kit to keep with you) and grab-n-go bag with more extensive items. Final chapters of the book discuss various possible disasters, including earthquakes, tsunami, infectious diseases, chemical and bio warfare, crime, fire, and extreme weather. Some of the commentary is a bit questionable, but the technical content is good. Note the deficiency with this book is that it does not offer any detail on food storage.
Book 3: Disaster Preparedness for Dummies
First of all, this isn't a book. It's a DVD video. I wasn't paying attention when I bought it, and was a bit surprised when it arrived. I generally like the Dummies series. They are well researched and serve as a good summary. This DVD offers a lengthy video discussing many disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, etc.), briefly outlining how you might prepare for them. It also has an overview of how you should react in case of a terrorist attack (nuclear, chemical, and biological). But the advice is all very general, and is more like what you'd expect to hear from your local weather station. For example, the video repeatedly advises you to "stay calm" and "evaucate in an orderly fashion." The videos are high quality, but don't expect detailed outdoor survival tips or food storage suggestions. Everything presented is relevant and useful, but it feels more like a FEMA public service announcement.
Book 4: Emergency Food Storage and Survival Handbook by Peggy Layton
This book is broken into six main sections. The first section offers decent but very incomplete summaries on preparing for short-term emergencies. The second section discusses how to store and purify water. The third part talks about the logistics of setting up a food-storage program, and has some suggestions on how to store food. The fourth section details what types of foods you should store. The fifth section has blank inventory planning pages. And finally the last section has some recipes. About half of the 285 page book is either blank planning pages or simple recipes. The first half of the book is pretty good stuff, but I found this book to be incomplete. It does however offer some good advice on food storage.
Book 5: Organize for Disaster by Judith Kolberg
This book goes an entirely different direction than the other preparedness books. Emphasis is on understanding the federal resources (i.e. FEMA, Red Cross, etc.) available, creating a personal intelligence network, organizing essential documents, maintaining insurance coverage, listing a home inventory, preparing your house for disaster, basic first aid, and having a good family communication plan. There is also a good list of necessary items to have on hand that would suit many common disaster. I recommend this book for its common-sense look at disaster preparedness. However, it is not the only book you would need, because it doesn't detail food storage, water purification, heating, etc.. That said, it covers some topics that the other books overlook.
Book 6: Making the Best of Basics, Family Preparedness Handbook by James Talmage Stevens
This book is almost completely about in-home food storage and preparation. There is little discussion outside that (except for basic water issues). Many chapters discuss food in significant detail, to include things like grains, recipes, preparing sourdough breads/biscuits, dairy products, honey, sprouting, drying of fruits/vegetables. At the end of this book is a huge compendium of preparedness resources, telling where things can be purchased in every US state.
Book 7: No Such Thing as Doomsday, by Philip L. Hoag, revised in 2001
This book offers well-researched insights into disaster preparedness. Topics include water, food, heating/cooking, light, power, communications, medical, sanitation, and security. Those subjects are well done. However, much of the book reads like a bit of doomsday prediction, with many pages devoted to scaring the heck out of the reader... focusing on missile attacks, chemical dangers, nuclear war, radiation, decontamination, communist threat, etc. For me personally, I would have like to see more pages devoted to likely threats (e.g. hurricanes, floods, earthquake, blackout, fire, etc.). Also note that Amazon may not carry the latest version (updated in 2001), so you may want to buy directly from the author.
Book 8: When All Hell Breaks Loose, by Cody Lundin
This book falls somewhere between doomsday survivalism and practical disaster preparedness. It is a high quality publication, filled with illustrations and a color insert. My prediction is that you will either love this book or hate it. It does cover many of the basic topics (food, shelter, water, sanitation, light, first aid, self-defense, communications, and transportation). But the material is presented in such a way that it is very chaotic and difficult to read. There are distracting quotes and cartoons, as well as advice that is targeted more towards the end of civilization scenario. For example, he discusses how to wipe your bottom with a stick or other foreign object, how to cook up a rat, how to compost your poop, etc. It's all very interesting, but not particularly useful for say preparing for a harsh winter storm.
Overall, if you can only purchase three books, I would recommend Book 5, Book 6, and either Book 1, 2, 7 or 8. With those three, you should have a balanced look at common sense organizing, food storage, and emergency items to have on hand. If you can buy only one book, I recommend Book 1.
Written by Arthur Bradley, author of "Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family" - just coming available on Amazon (July 2010).
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281 of 284 found the following review helpful:
 Best book on the subject.Oct 24, 2004
By Kristin Belko
This book covers all aspects of preparedness, from food storage to weapons caching. Extensive source material is provided, including web addresses, stores and books for further study. Spigarelli does not preach or lecture. Unlike many other books on the subject, there is no overt religious point of view or political agenda. Spigarelli merely suggests that it is sensible to prepare for whatever eventualities the reader expects and provides the tools to do so. This is a book to read thoroughly and keep as a reference. The details on food storage alone are well worth the price.
211 of 213 found the following review helpful:
A solid, fact-filled, potentially live saving guideAug 04, 2002
By Midwest Book Review
Now in an updated second edition, Crisis Preparedness Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide To Home Storage And Physical Survival by Jack A. Spigarelli is a solid, practical, no-nonsense, but completely "user friendly" reference for the selection and acquisition of stockpiled food and water for emergencies; growing, raising, and finding food; preserving food at home by means such as home canning and dehydrating; emergency evacuation in a crisis; and other preparation safeguards for weathering a natural or man-made crisis. From clothing issues to transportation needs and communication alternatives, the Crisis Preparedness Handbook is a solid, fact-filled, potentially live saving guide, and especially recommended reading for anyone seeking to protect themselves and their loved ones in times of local, regional, national, or international calamity.
84 of 84 found the following review helpful:
The One Book to Buy--Be Ready to Work HardFeb 17, 2007
By Robert D. Steele
This is quite an extraordinary book. I read a lot, mostly non-fiction, and I give this author credit for doing an absolutely tremendous job of research, of book construction, and of presentation.
THe bulk of the book is about food and water--stockpiling, production, and preservation are the three largest chapters--but the rest of it is completely useful as well.
The resources section is lengthy, explicit, diverse, and totally helpful.
I put the book down with a comment to my wife that survival is very hard work, and preparing for survival is almost as hard. This book does everything possible to help you get started. It is chock full of gems, for example, plan on 26 rolls of toilet paper per person per year. I had no idea!
I also admire the author for being blunt about not favoring "retreat homes." His common sense view is that you have two choices: move now, or prepare your existing home for survival. His thinking, that it may be impossible to GET to your retreat home (or, I would add, once you get there, take it back from the armed strangers that have broken in and will kill you on sight) makes perfect sense.
This is not the only book you want. I admire the two spotlighted reviews very much, and have kept my own review short because of the excellence of the other reviews. Let there be no doubt: this book is worth every penny, and every minute of your time.
I recommend a four-part approach to preparedness: a below-ground safe room and iodine pills, train the kids to go deep and sit for three days in case of a nuclear event; a 3-4 week supply of water, food, and essentials that assumes NO ELECTRICITY; a one-year rudimentary supply kit; and a neighbohood association to study and prepare for survival as a group.
65 of 65 found the following review helpful:
Money well spent!Mar 20, 2006
By E. Cunningham
"nofur4me"
Having just started 'stockpiling' and emergency preparedness, this book has been our bible. It is comprehensive, informative, and easy to follow, even (especially??) for newbies like us. The advice is practical and never preachy. It can be read cover-to-cover or as a guide by just going to specific chapters that you need info on. It is not, like so many other resources on the subject, doomsday oriented; and it works well for disasters and the like or just helping one to prepare for the leaner times that sometimes arise in life.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the subject matter as well as for people you'd like to 'gently' introduce to it. I'm buying several copies for friends and family.
Definitely 2 thumbs up!
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