Non-Fiction/Self Help Review

Dare To Prepare..... 2nd Edition
by Holly Drennan Deyo
ISBN-10: 0908477066
Review by: Heather Froeschl

Emergency situations arise every day and, quite often, we are not prepared for them. From earthquakes to terrorist attacks, tornadoes to blizzards, we all could use some guidance in how to be prepared. You may recall laughing at your neighbors when in December of 1999 they went out and bought a generator in preparation for Y2K, or you may have been one of those mindful folks who emptied the shelves of home improvement depots of their generators. Whichever the case may be, there are things you could be doing to be prepared for any kind of threat, hyped up or not.

My great grandmother always had a basement stocked with canned goods. She lived through the depression and never forgot what it felt like to have empty cupboards. My grandmother always made sure her heating oil tank was topped off in November in preparation for the winter. We all know folks who seem to be prepared for anything that comes their way and we also know people who always seem to have to rush out to the grocery store when a storm is predicted.

Holly Drennan Deyo reminds us of all of the possible emergencies we might encounter, from flood warnings to nuclear war. She gives a guide for every situation and what you can do for yourself, your family and even your pets to stay safe. A lot of research has gone into this guide and Holly shares it all with us. Here you will find lists of items to pack in emergency kits of all kinds, tips on purifying water, heating your shelter, and building underground supply cellars. There are lists of how long you can store emergency supplies and when they expire, lists of handyman items that should be stored for use, lists of how to decipher codes on packaged foods and so much more.

Deyo has not left a single situation out of her guide to being prepared for disasters of all sorts. This is truly the modern person's resource for being prepared, whether we think the neighbors will laugh at us or not. If perchance you have a household member who is resistant to stocking up on food, water and supplies and storing them away, this book might just be the tool to sway them into thinking twice.

The text is introduced in a friendly, straightforward voice. The book is a must have for every mindful family. My only problem with it is the occasional suggestion that the Bible be in the emergency tool kit. Religion shouldn't be involved with this practical guide to survival, as it is purely a personal choice. Mention of prayer and dedication to her god only detracts from the guide that should be intended for folks of every religion. However it is a minor thing when compared to the abundance of good advice within the pages of the book.