Concise, clear, simple
I liked this checklist for several reasons. Firstly, it's spiral bound in list form, no filler. Secondly, it covered the stuff you really need and will use as a family. Thirdly, it doesn't have an agenda other than getting some good preparedness under your belt as opposed to some resources that want you to get ready for anarchy in our time. Preparedness is, or should be, a way to take care of ourselves and our families so those who truly need help can get it. If Haiti didn't inspire you to get ready for a natural disaster, maybe Chile's recent quake will. This is the list you would spend hours on the internet compiling. Just add pencil.
Amy Gillespie (Oregon USA) March 2, 2010
A Checklist for Family Emergencies
Nancy Overton has created a very useful resource in A Checklist: Making A Family Plan for Emergencies. How many of us have said over time that we need to have a plan, but we never follow through and complete one? Well, this booklet (in a great format: 4 X 8 spiralbound) provides the opportunity to not only make a plan but it provides the checklist to make sure you can "gain a new sense of security and self-reliance."
Our families and homes are the most precious things to us, but too often we don't take/make the time to plan for the family's safety. We seem to often put it on the "back burner" and as we all know, leaving something on the back burner can create disaster. So, I encourage all families to get A Checklist: Making A Family Plan For Emergencies and get right to work to make every member of the family feel safe since knowledge is so essential in helping everyone to feeling secure. I will be recommending this book to all families attending my parenting courses. It is that important.
Joyce M. Gilmour "Copy Editor and Book Reviewer" (Brooklyn, WI USA), July 4, 2010
Every Family Should Have This!
I LOVE this handy little booklet - it is practical and user-friendly, and filled with great lists and ideas to equip families to be prepared for emergency situations. I especially like the page on things to do and say in a "Family Meeting" so parents can involve and prepare their children, and the "To Go" bag list. I also love the shopping lists! I think every family should have one of these books!
Liana Lowenstein "Author of, "Creative In... (Toronto, Canada), June 20, 2010
Practical and Comprehensive
The checklist format is excellent if you're looking for a quick start to emergency preparedness. Simple, bold, easy-to-reference drawings also help. Useful regardless of jurisdiction.
M. Poore (Canberra, Australia), June 6, 2010
Nursing approved
A Checklist/ Making A Family Plan For Emergencies by Nancy Overton is a wonderful resource for families. This conveniently sized (think grocery list, or to-do list) is perfect for on the go planning. The book is spiral bound making it very easy to work on each check list and keep up each preparedness activity. The book is compact, concise and quick to read and understand. There is no extraneous information, just great checklists.
This book of checklists would be great as a gift for a newly married couple or even a stocking stuffer. Everyone needs information on emergency preparedness and this little gem makes it super easy. It doesn't happen overnight, but Nancy shows us how to work on our emergency plan on a continual basis. The checklists are so simple that even young children can help.
As a member of the medical field, I highly recommend this book for every family home. Don't wait for disaster to strike. Get prepared now.
Victoria Powell "VP Medical Consulting" (Benton, AR, June 5, 2010
Wonderful Actionable Family Book for Being Prepared
Nancy's checklist book is fantastic for getting organized for the whole family. We are sitting down together and going through each item, talking about it and making up a family plan. Living in California we have been meaning to do this for years-- now we are. It is a great discussion builder as well with kids to talk about all contingency planning and how to be prepared.
Fantastic book and I highly recommend it.
Suzanne Saxe-Roux, Ed.D. "Suzanne" (Tiburon, CA, US), June 3, 2010
Handy book to have
This little book is full of good information. A useful resource to make sure all the little details have been covered. Easy to read, easy to use. A great gift for families or kids going off to college.
C. Born, May 21, 2010
A Checklist: Making a Family Plan for Emergencies
A Checklist: Making a Family Plan for Emergencies by Nancy Overton covers every possible aspect of preparedness. Its step-by-step approach makes preparing for disasters less overwhelming.
The book's convenient 3½ X 8½ -inch size allows the reader to slip it into a pocket or purse to take to the store for reference. You can set the book down and its spiral binding allows the book to lay flat and open.
The book's format is a series of check-off items sorted under the appropriate possible disaster such as fire, earthquake, flood, hurricane, tornado. It delves into home safety features for utilities, safe water, adequate non-perishable food, personal comfort, sanitation, first aid supplies, etc.
Overton emphasizes that adequate preparedness won't happen overnight-it's a goal to work toward. Further, she suggests that people can help make preparedness more affordable by going in with neighbors and shopping in bulk for emergency food items. She suggests scouring garage sales and second-hand stores for items like tents and tools.
According to A Checklist, collecting items is only the beginning. Emergency items must be organized and accessible in the home, car and workplace. Lists should be made so that in an emergency supplies can be gathered quickly in the event the family needs to evacuate the home.
Besides purchased goods, other preparations are essential such as copies of important documents to use for personal identification, proof of ownership for car and home, copies of driver's licenses and insurance.
Other important items are lists for children with family and out-of-area contact information; and lists for parents with the same contact information, plus attorney, insurance companies, etc.
By following the essential steps Overton suggests, you will increase your family's self-reliance, be more knowledgeable about what you need to do in an emergency, feel confident about being prepared and know your family is safer because of your preparedness.
Mary E. Trimble, author of Tenderfoot, and American Red Cross volunteer (Camano Island, WA USA), May 6, 2010
A Checklist: Making A Family Plan For Emergencies
Do you know what to do if an emergency happened right now? Most people don't even think about preparing for that disaster that might occur at any time or moment. Well if you bought this book, you would know exactly what to have on hand in case of catastrophic emergency. The author has done a phenomenal job of listing the steps to take to avoid not being prepared. On a scale of 1 to 5, I will give this checklist book a 10. Stop procrastinating about getting your emergency supplies in order to protect you and your loved ones for that unthinkable disaster that could happen. We all live from day to day, but why wait until a disaster happens. Be prepared for that emergency, buy this book.
Great job Nancy for writing this valuable book.
Michael Monji, Author of Tree Whisperer (Bakersfield, CA), April 30, 2010
The checklist format is so easy to use!
I found this book to be well organized and easy to use. The checklist format is very convenient. A variety of emergency types (earthquake, flood, hurricane, fire, tornado, etc) are covered and the coverage is very thorough including basic safety information for kids. Until I got this book I had not thought of having pictures of the inside and outside of my home for insurance purposes or having a 'grab and go' kit with my insurance info and my pets medical histories handy as well as copies of other important documents. Kids and pets are covered and there are some checklists that are devoted specially for them. There are also some good references in the back for further reading and research.
No one wants to think about evacuating their home or living without electricity or running water for a week, but it can happen and this book makes it possible to be prepared.
Mindy's Mom (North Carolina), April 29, 2010
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