Classic self-reliance book, revised and updated

In the wake of a natural disaster or other widespread catastrophe, firefighters, police, and paramedics quickly become swamped with aid calls and are often unavailable to assist when you need them most. That is why veteran firefighter George Bradford wrote—and now has revised and updated—his classic preparedness guidebook, Self-Reliance during Natural Disasters and Civil Unrest.

This unique book is not another manual on stockpiling food and water and living without electricity. Rather, it teaches ordinary citizens how to put out fires, rescue people from the rubble, control damaged utilities before they become a further danger, and perform other critical emergency-response skills themselves, without having to wait for overburdened professional crews to arrive. The updated edition contains new material on sandbagging to prevent flooding, civilian search and rescue techniques, post-disaster communications, and more.

Bradford also develops two important themes that he hopes will take civilian self-sufficiency to the next level. He explores the notion of the citizen "Immediate Responder"—ordinary individuals (virtually always the first to arrive on a disaster scene) who have the skills and determination to respond without waiting for guidance or permission from government officials. And he details how civilian volunteers and local governments can coordinate their damage-control efforts in the days and weeks following an event.

This sort of self-sufficient mindset already exists in our country. For an inspiring real-life example of Immediate Responders in action, check out this recent episode in Utah. For proof that local governments and citizens can work together effectively to repair ravaged communities, read about how Vermonters did just that following Tropical Storm Irene.

George Bradford has established an organization, Neighborhood Preparedness Solutions, dedicated to promoting these two important concepts. If you are a member of an online preparedness discussion group, please help pass the word.