This encyclopedia primarily serves as a “memory upgrade” for those of us survivors without photographic retention. To properly prepare for a disaster, survive it, and then thrive afterwards, you need to know a lot of detailed facts and figures. (What’s the shelf life of kerosene? How many servings of beans do you get out of a 5 pound bag? At what temperature is melted paraffin ready to pour to make a candle?) I certainly cannot remember even a fraction of this stuff, and I figure neither can you. So, I felt compelled to write it all down in one handy location, for all of our sakes.

From the Back Cover

Dying sucks, so let’s avoid it. This greatly expanded second edition of the Emergency Preparedness Reference Encyclopedia is the ultimate reference handbook for us determined survivors. Over 1,250 entries – from “amateur radio” to “zeer refrigeration” – are presented alphabetically for easy lookup. They are chock full of nitty-gritty details: definitions and descriptions, formulas and conversions, codes and symbols, checklists and reminders, tips and tricks. All the crucial topics are covered: food, water, shelter, first-aid kits, go-bags, gear, clothing, pet care, fuel, transportation, and many more that you haven’t thought of but are incredibly important.

• What’s the shelf life of kerosene?
• How many servings of beans do you get out of a 5-pound bag?
• How much water can I boil with the energy contained in a 1-pound disposable propane tank?
• What’s the difference between a CB radio and a GMRS radio?
• What does maintaining OPSEC mean, and why is it so important?
• How many drops of chlorine bleach does it take to purify a gallon of water?
• How deep into the ground should a typical latrine be dug?
• What are the myriad uses for apple cider vinegar and bacon grease, besides cooking?
• How does an Israeli bandage differ from a tourniquet?
• Why is normalcy bias so insidious to the prepper psyche?

Any question you have regarding the what’s-what of emergency preparedness, chances are it’s covered in this go-to manual. It will quickly become the most dog-eared book in your preparedness library. So, get your copy today. After all, what have you got to lose? It’s only your life at stake, and the lives of your loved ones…

My Philosophy for Deciding What to Put in this Book

Survival Mode — First priority went to information that is useful to be reminded about at the time of a disaster. For the articles of this type, it was assumed that the reader is already familiar with the subject matter, but needs help remembering the details. These articles are short on explanation and long on the dos and don’ts. For example, whole books have been written on the subject of water purification, alone. So, this handbook assumes you know why water needs to be purified and jumps right in with reminders of exactly how to go about it with whatever materials are at hand.
Stockpiling Mode — Second priority went to information that is useful in the hands-on act of preparing for disaster. These articles are loaded with checklists and charts (conversion factors, expiry information, etc.). Many of them include selection criteria tips.
Learning Mode — Third priority went to information that is useful in coming up to speed in the world of preparedness (i.e. before even entering stockpiling mode). These articles tend to be short and pithy (definitions, tips, warnings), usually with references on where to learn more. With so much jargon flying around, it’s sometimes even hard for seasoned survivors to remember what the acronyms stand for, or exactly when a particular term should be applied, so this handbook helps with that, as well.
Thriving Mode — Fourth priority went to information that might be useful long-term in a grid-down economy. You are not going to become a world-class candlemaker or leather worker just by reading this handbook, but you very well might glean enough of the basics to get started in the right direction (assuming you can scrounge up the supplies and tools you’ll need, of course).
Not Reinventing the Wheel: There are two other pocket-size references on the market that are preparedness essentials, and this book was designed to complement them without reinventing the wheel.
Encyclopedia Format: This book was designed, first and foremost, as a reference to answer your questions quickly. So, the information is divided up in to small articles organized alphabetically by topic. (The one exception to this is that the all-important article on first aid essentials is positioned at the very back of the book for urgent retrieval.) Browsing is also encouraged. To assist with that, there are a generous number of “see also” cross-references between articles, and you’ll find a number of indexes in the appendices to augment the browsing experience.
Some Fun Stuff Thrown In: Disaster planning can be depressing if you let it, so this book includes a few articles that address that concern head on (e.g. mindset). Some fun stuff has also been thrown into the mix to help lighten the mood. See the Fun Fact Index, for starters.

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