Product Description

We have been repeatedly warned by leading medical professionals and government health officials that a severe influenza pandemic is a very real possibility, with potential global death tolls exceeding 100 million. We are told that a pandemic will likely last 12-18 months in multiple waves, and to expect widespread social disruption. We are told that we need to stockpile non-perishable food and water, as our food supply chain and utilities may become severely degraded or completely inoperative. Yet there is little information available from them on how families can prepare for such a long term traumatic event.

This book lays out in detail the planning, preparation, and actions to take to avoid an inevitable mass scramble for suppliers' small and increasingly backlogged inventories of storable food, water storage and purification equipment, emergency lighting and communications, alternative transportation, and a host of other important necessities. The book provides planning guidelines and practical how-to for the;

• type, quantity, and source of non-perishable food
• techniques for collecting, storing, and purifying water
• approaches for reliable lighting and staying informed in the event of a electrical grid collapse
• formulas for sizing a solar PV system for backup (or everyday) power
• ways to keep your house warm in the winter
• measures to protect your family from public unrest
• procedures to treat sick family members when hospitals are overwhelmed
• approaches to simple cleaning and sanitation
• and a host of other preparations needed for families to stay healthy and safe during a serious influenza pandemic.
  
  Reviews
  
  “The book is crammed with lots of very valuable information on preparing for this emergency with the focus on the needs of the family. I found it very informative and helpful for making and improving the quality of my family’s plan. This is a unique and very timely contribution to the preparedness literature that is long overdue. It is a must read and reference text for anyone who is serious about preparing their home and family for the possibility of a severe influenza pandemic.”
  -- Dr. Grattan Woodson, MD, author The Bird Flu Preparedness Planner, The Bird Flu Manual
  
  “An intensively researched, user-friendly, and imminently practical crash course in surviving on limited resources. Whether coming as a pandemic, hurricane, or ice storm, disaster-induced disruption of societal support systems is increasingly inevitable, and this guide is a must-have to help you and your loved ones plan to survive.”
  -- Thomas Honey, owner of Honey Electric Solar Inc.
  
  “William Stewart’s How to Prepare for a Pandemic covers the breadth of disaster planning and is an important, comprehensive contribution to the literature of pandemic preparation.”
  -- Melanie Mattson, risk communicator, publisher The Flu Wiki
  

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #530760 in Books
• Published on: 2006-07-05
• Released on: 2006-07-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

About the Author
William (Will) Stewart obtained his first degree in Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology at Old Dominion University, including energy systems controls and solar engineering. He soon followed this by a degree in Computer Science. His professional accomplishments range from highly complex engineering tasks (i.e., International Space Station robotics, Joint Command and Control systems, Joint Strike Fighter, etc.) to sustainability projects such as residential solar photovoltaic design, passive solar design, and a myriad of small-scale agricultural and horticultural activities. Presently he works at an R&D firm on advanced technology and concept exploration projects, and lives with his wife Ann and two children on a small sheep farm in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

Customer Reviews

Excellent resource
I thought about this for a long time, and could not come up with an adjective that was enough.
Every household should have this book if they have no other. It is an excellent resource for getting your home and family ready for the imminent future.

Maybe good for people with no idea where to start...
This book...not much more than a "thick pamphlet," is basically a collection of web links and numerous quotes of warning from a variety of sources. The same information, in more depth, can be found very easily on the web for free. ([...] is such a site focusing on avian flu...and preparing for it.)

Overall, if you really have no idea what to do but you want to try getting prepared, this might help. But if you already realize that you'll need heat, shelter, food, water...this will be redundant to what seems to be common knowledge.

Essential Reading
Year after year, we Americans face numerous threats that could adversely impact our lifestyles. These threats include natural, medical, and man-made disasters--any one of which could bring about immediate and long-lasting hardships to our friends and families. In anticipation that each of us will eventually face some sort of disaster, William Stewart has written a common-sense guide to help us survive as comfortably as possible for as long as necessary. His approach is quite thorough and detailed, yet it is very easy to follow. Item by item, he addresses how we can prepare to cope with disruptions of food, water, energy, safety, medical services, and transportation. Each subject discussion is broad enough to encompass most domestic situations, yet each one is also filled with direct and practical advice that you can use right away. Since disasters are always looming on the horizon, this book should be considered essential reading for everyone.