Being Prepared

This is a disaster guide for individuals and families. It tells how to prepare for the disasters that are most likely to happen. On the Gulf Coast, these are floods and hurricanes. On the Great Plains, tornados and winter storms are the greatest risk. In California, it is earthquakes and wild fires. A heat wave or a hazardous materials spill can affect any community.

Some of the preparations are the same for everything. Some are specific to the hazard. All of them are simple and practical. There are government manuals and survival guides that tell you that you should prepare. This book provides concrete information on what to do before disaster strikes, how to respond to the disaster, and how to begin recovery.

Katharine C. Rathbun, MD, MPH, has more than thirty years of experience as a homemaker, wife and mother in addition to being a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and a Board Certified Public Health Physician. She and her family have been through several disasters, most recently Hurricane Katrina.