Ready for the big one

Nonfiction

Matthew Stein, owner of a design and construction business, lives near Lake Tahoe. He’s had to deal with power outages, “snowmageddons,” forest fires and roads clogged with tourists. When it comes to being prepared, he is an expert on taking care of oneself and family, and When Disaster Strikes: A Comprehensive Guide For Emergency Planning and Crisis Survival is one of those books that you wish you didn’t have to read—it can be depressing and scary—but you’re also darn glad to have read. If all you want is the basics, the first section is about general disaster readiness and planning— where your family is going to meet up and who to contact out-of-state for information. But there’s much, much more here, like emergency medical information and disaster specific (earthquake, flood, fire, tornadoes and more) plans. This book is more than worth its price, considering where we live.