Introduction 1 About This Book 2 Foolish Assumptions 3 Icons Used in This Book 3 Beyond the Book 4 Where to Go from Here 4 Part 1: Preparing for Prepping 5 Chapter 1: Preparing for the Worst or Something Less 7 Prepping 8 Understanding the threat 8 Surviving with the basics: Air, water, food, septic, and medical 8 Sheltering in place: Staying connected, powered, and protected 9 Evacuating: When, how, and with what 10 Achieving independence from municipal infrastructure 10 Having some fun while prepping 11 Developing a Survival Mindset 12 Surviving an apocalyptic disaster 12 Mind: Learning to "MacGyver" 13 Attitude 14 MacGyvering 14 Humor 14 Body: Evaluating Your Physical Condition 15 Medication 15 Fitness 15 Spirit: Understanding the Impact of Spiritual Outlook 16 Chapter 2: Identifying the Top Potential Global Disasters 19 Ranking by Probability and Consequence 20 1: Asteroids/comets: Increasing odds of a catastrophic impact 20 2: Artificial general intelligence: Arriving sooner than you think 26 3: Global war: Growing international tension and rogue states 30 4: Biological threat: Expanding biotechnology and pandemics 31 5: Solar superstorm: Taking out the global power grid 33 6: Super volcano: Exploding cubic miles of ash 35 7: Climate change: Growing superstorms and a slow-motion train wreck 38 Estimating the Odds of Global Disasters 39 Table of Contents iii Chapter 3: Identifying Local Disasters and Their Impacts 41 Evaluating Vulnerability 42 Hurricanes/Typhoons: Surging Water Carries Away Houses, Cars, and People 43 Classifying hurricanes 43 Considering storm surge 44 Assessing risk 45 Taking immediate action 46 Preparing 46 Heat Waves: Overheating Is the #1 Cause of Weather-Related Fatalities 46 Assessing risk 47 Taking immediate action 47 Preparing 47 Floods: Drowning Is the #1 Cause of Storm-Related Fatalities 48 Assessing risk 48 Taking immediate action 49 Preparing 49 Tornadoes: Blowing Away Structures and Creating Deadly Projectiles 49 Assessing risk 50 Taking immediate action 51 Preparing 51 Wildfires: Driving Winds Push Fires and Kill by Smoke Inhalation 51 Assessing risk 51 Taking immediate action 52 Preparing 52 Earthquakes: Collapsing Roofs and Walls Cause Most Fatalities 52 Assessing risk 52 Taking immediate action 53 Preparing 53 Industrial/Nuclear Accidents: Poisoning the Air You Breathe 53 Assessing risk 53 Taking immediate action 54 Preparing 54 Blizzards/Ice Storms: Freezing without the Power Grid 54 Assessing risk 54 Taking immediate action 55 Preparing 55 Active Shooter: Running, Hiding, Attacking 55 Assessing risk 55 Taking immediate action 55 Preparing 56 Cyberattack: Shutting Down the Digital Economy and Your Bank 57 Assessing risk 57 Taking immediate action 57 Preparing 57 Chapter 4: Avoiding Personal Disasters 59 Evaluating Your Vulnerability 59 Avoiding Fraud, Identity Theft, and Cyberattacks 60 Losing Your Job 62 Spiraling Debt 63 Suffering a serious injury or illness 65 Losing your significant other 66 Part 2: Surviving -- Basic Life Support 67 Chapter 5: Breathing When the Air Is Toxic 69 Level 1: Protecting Yourself from Toxic Gases, Bacteria, and Viruses 70 Stocking N95 masks and knowing their limitations 70 Upgrading to a paint respirator for better filtering and dual use 71 Escaping with small cans of pressurized oxygen 72 Improving air filtration with central air HVAC systems 74 Improving air filtration if you don''t have central air 75 Level 2: Securing the Air in Your Home for Longer-Term Disasters 75 Upgrading to a gas mask 75 Sealing doors and windows to reduce air infiltration 76 Installing an ultraviolet air purifier 77 Buying a standalone air purifier 78 Expanding your portable oxygen supply 79 Considering your vehicle''s need for air 80 Chapter 6: Drinking When the Faucets Run Dry 81 Determining How Much Water You Need 82 Calculating water for drinking 82 Calculating water for flushing 82 Calculating water for cleaning 83 Calculating water example and worksheet 84 Acquiring Immediate Water When Water Pressure Is Lost (Level 1) 85 Accessing water that you may already have 85 Stockpiling water 87 Treating contaminated water 90 Securing Water for Longer Duration Disasters (Level 2) 94 Creating a larger water reserve 94 Collecting and treating water 94 Finding new sources of water 95 Using an atmospheric water generator 96 Chapter 7: Eating When the Grocery Stores Shut Down 99 Determining How Much and What Kind of Food You Need 100 Forget the old food pyramid; for survival, fat is your friend 100 Testing the best types of survival foods 102 Acquiring Basic Survival Foods for a Week or Two (Level 1) 102 Identifying the right types of food 103 Choosing optimum foods to fill your pantry 104 Trying a multi-day fast to learn your body''s response 109 Securing Enough Food for a Month (Level 2) 109 Stocking basic staples 109 Using powdered and freeze-dried foods 110 Expanding your nutritional supplements 111 Choosing to maintain a vegetarian or vegan diet 112 Evaluating ready-made survival foods 113 Fishing and hunting 114 Chapter 8: Pooping When the Sewer Stops Working 117 Creating a Backup Plan for When Things Back Up (Level 1) 118 Gloves 118 Trash 118 Municipal or city sewer system failure 119 Toilets to go 120 Finishing up the paperwork 121 Using Technology to Improve the "Backup" Plan (Level 2) 121 Chapter 9: Treating Injuries and Illness without Emergency Medical Services 123 Understanding Your Personal Health 124 Evaluating your medical condition and medication requirements 124 Consulting with your doctor to consolidate or eliminate medications 125 Acquiring First Aid Kits and Supplies (Level 1) 125 Getting first aid training and having a medical guide 125 Stocking over-the-counter medications 126 Stocking your prescription medications 127 Choosing or Building First Aid Kits 128 Nitrile gloves 129 Epinephrine Autoinjector 131 Venomous snake or insect bite medication 131 Radiation exposure measures 132 Expanding Your Medications and Supplies for Longer-Term Disasters (Level 2) 133 Requesting important emergency medications 133 Creating a shelter agreement with medical personnel 134 Part 3: Sheltering 135 Chapter 10: Sheltering in Place 137 Preparing to Stay (Level 1) 137 Finding immediate shelter for time-critical disasters 137 Improving Your Home''s Security (Level 2) 144 Fortifying your home from storms and intruders 145 Creating an earthquake sanctuary inside your home 149 Improving your home''s resistance to wildfires 150 Using an RV for a Backup Shelter 151 Chapter 11: Connecting without the Networks 153 Using Apps That Provide Advanced Warning 153 Wireless Emergency Alerts 154 Weather apps 154 Space weather apps 155 Wildfire apps 155 General warning apps 155 Staying Connected When the Cell Phone Network Fails (Level 1) 155 Understanding cell phone network and Internet vulnerability 156 Using radios 158 Using your cell phone without cell phone towers 160 Texting via satellite 161 Protecting electronic devices from EMPs 162 Setting up non-local emergency points of contact 164 Staying Connected Long-Term from Anywhere (Level 2) 165 Iridium satellite network phones 165 Switching your Internet to a satellite network 166 Protecting your entire home from an EMP 169 Storing and accessing digital information 169 Chapter 12: Powering without the Power Grid 171 Understanding and Prioritizing Power 172 Defining power grid limitations 172 Prioritizing power 172 Understanding how much power you need 173 Powering Communication, Lights, and Medical Equipment (Level 1) 177 Powering critical medical equipment 177 Powering communication and lighting 178 Jump-starting your car and phones with one device 181 Dealing with the loss of refrigeration, heating, or air conditioning 183 Exploring Power Options (Level 2) 184 Powering with gas generators 185 Portable power stations 189 Portable solar panels and wind turbines 190 Powering Basic Heating and Cooling (Level 2) 191 Combining a gas-powered generator with a portable power station 191 Powering Central Air and More (Level 2+) 198 Powering your home''s central air and heat 198 Bidirectional charging with an electric vehicle (EV) 200 Chapter 13: Protecting Yourself during Civil Unrest 203 Evaluating Your Self-Defense Mindset 204 Keeping a low profile 204 Listening to your gut feeling 204 Trying to be a lone wolf is dangerous 205 Observing Orienting Deciding Acting (OODA) 205 Defending w.