Customer Reviews

Plan... Not Panic: 72 Hour Survival/Emergency Evacuation Manual

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I loved how easy to read and understand this book on preparedness is. Barbara made me feel like I could take care of myself and my family in an emergency. Even if the situation is bad, I can be prepared so we can at least cope. There were some ideas I'd never even considered before, that certainly made a lot of sense. I highly recommend this book.

After all of the recent natural disasters, I thought it would be a good idea to prepare a little. This book really opened my eyes! It isn't so much about surviving natural disasters as it is about facing evacuation. Apparently there is a minimum of three days from the time something happens and when the Red Cross and National Guard get there to start helping people. After hurricane Katrina, they admit that the three day estimate might be a bit of an understatement . . . after a large disaster, you might be on your own up to two weeks without outside help.

Even if you don't live in an area at risk for earthquakes or hurricanes, there are plenty of smaller disasters that trigger evacuations: fire at a chemical plant; a truck (or train) crashing and spilling dangerous contents; a dam breaking. Hurricanes and wildfires might leave you more time to prepare, but a lot of smaller disasters don't. These things are more common than you'd imagine, and once I started paying attention to the news, I noticed that small scale evacuations are happening all the time. You often get only a couple of minutes to gather your family and get out, which leaves no time to pack or gather supplies.

"Plan . . . Not Panic" teaches you how to prepare an evacuation kit for your family--something to keep packed and stored in a safe, easily accessible place, so that you need only grab it and go in an emergency.

Every time I re-read the book, I discover some new piece of advice. It's easy to read, easy to understand, and it has scattered bits of humor and personal experiences throughout, so you learn what you need to know without being overwhelmed. It prepares you for what it would be like to stay in an emergency shelter, so that when faced with an evacuation you aren't as stressed. In particular, I like that she says to be sure to pack entertainment . . . books, crossword puzzles, a deck of cards, anything compact that you can use to take your mind off the situation. Also, she says to include comfort items, little things that will ease your stress. All very good ideas!

I loaned my copy to my mother, who actually began preparing the family's kits before I got around to making ours! I bought a second copy and sent it to a friend in California, and she was quite impressed as well. Now I'm buying a third, to send to my mother-in-law. It makes a perfect gift for loved ones, and I cannot recommend it enough!

(Note: This is an older edition of the book. The newer edition has a red and white cover, and contains a few changes. (The revised title is "It's Time to Plan, Not Panic") Mainly, it points out that the lag time before help arrives might be longer than just 72 hours.)

A friend recommended that I get this book. I really like the outline format that showed me how to go from one subject to the next as I tried to figure out what our family would need. All of the news headlines have been frightening. This book showed me that I could at least try to do something to help myself. I also liked the fact that it gave me choices and I could work it into my budget.