Living Safe in an Unsafe World The Complete Guide to Family Preparedness

by Kelly, Kate; Duncan, Randall C.

• ISBN13: 9780451409324
• ISBN10: 0451409329
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-08-01
• Publisher: NAL Trade

Summary

Whatever emergency comes your way, Living Safe in an Unsafe World is your guidebook on how your family can survive it. You'll read about how to prepare for emergencies by developing "situational awareness," investigating insurance coverage, posting emergency numbers, designating family "safety spots," traveling safely, and more....

"The American Red Cross believes that everyone should be prepared for any possible disruption in their daily lives that may be caused by disasters, from a home fire to something that affects the entire community. The content of this book can help you and your family be more prepared and safer should disaster strike. Most steps recommended in this book are simple and easy to do with little time and effort, yet will result in greater peace of mind for everyone in the family."
--Rocky Lopes, Ph.D., Sr. Associate for Disaster EducationAmerican Red Cross Headquarters

Author Biography

Kate Kelly is a staff reporter for The Wall Street Journal and a former reporter for Time magazine and the New York Observer. She attracted international attention for her three-part series of articles on Bear Stearns, which ran on the front pages of The Wall Street Journal in May 2008. This is her first book. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Table of Contents

A Personal Note from the Author	1	(2)
How to Use this Book	3	(2)
Introduction: Certified Emergency Manager Randall C. Duncan Addresses Family Safety	5	(6)
Part One: General Family Preparedness
Simple Steps Families Can Take to Prepare	11	(5)
Emergencies: Getting Organized	16	(8)
Create a Disaster Plan for Your Family	24	(8)
Your Disaster Supplies Kit(s)	32	(9)
Insuring Against Disaster	41	(14)
Part Two: Safety Specifics
Home Dangers	55	(44)
Fire Safety	56	(11)
Preventing Accidental Poisonings and Falls	67	(4)
Chemical Emergencies	71	(7)
Carbon Monoxide and Radon	78	(4)
Lead-based Paint	82	(4)
Your Water Supply	86	(8)
Waste Management	94	(2)
Systemic and Technological Breakdowns: What to Do in a Major Systems Outage	96	(3)
Travel Dangers	99	(48)
Air Safety	99	(9)
Car Safety	108	(5)
Vital Information about Car Restraint Systems	113	(10)
Defensive Driving	123	(16)
Rail Safety	139	(5)
School Bus Safety	144	(3)
Public Dangers	147	(16)
Crowds	147	(3)
Elevators	150	(2)
Personal Safety	152	(3)
School Violence	155	(8)
Food-Related Dangers	163	(28)
General Food Safety	164	(6)
Botulism	170	(2)
E. Coli	172	(4)
Listeria	176	(2)
``Mad Cow'' Disease---Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy	178	(2)
Salmonella	180	(4)
Typhoid Fever	184	(1)
The Safety of the Food You Buy	185	(6)
Dangerous Encounters with Animals and Insects	191	(73)
Alligators	193	(5)
Bats	198	(4)
Bears	202	(7)
Cockroaches, Mice, and Rats	209	(5)
Cougars (Mountain Lions)	214	(4)
Coyotes	218	(3)
Dogs	221	(8)
Killer Bees and Other Stinging Insects	229	(8)
Sharks	237	(4)
Snakes	241	(6)
Spiders	247	(3)
Encephalitis and West Nile-like Virus	250	(2)
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome	252	(2)
Lyme Disease	254	(4)
Rabies	258	(6)
Weather-Related Disasters	264	(103)
Avalanches	267	(7)
Earthquakes	274	(11)
Extreme Heat: The Stealth Health Threat	285	(9)
Floods and Flash Floods	294	(6)
Hurricanes	300	(12)
Landslides	312	(5)
Lightning and Severe Thunderstorms	317	(9)
The Ozone Layer and the Sun	326	(8)
Tornadoes	334	(11)
Tsunamis	345	(5)
Volcanic Eruptions	350	(5)
Winter Storms	355	(12)
Appendix: Hands-on Emergency Information	367	(6)
---Shutting Off Utilities	367	(2)
---Creating a Temporary Toilet	369	(1)
---To Contact for Additional Help	370	(3)
Further Reading	373	(1)
Index	374