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One of the common laments of preppers is they feel they are a lone wolf. In their hearts and minds they know if there is a major emergency, stored preps will be handy, but in reality, it will take teamwork to survive. We are not talking about OPSEC here. Instead, we are talking about community preparedness where neighbors help neighbors to ensure that everyone gets out of harm’s way safely.
The Neighborhood Emergency Response Handbook by Scott Finazzo is a book about community preparedness. It is a detailed guide to finding like-minded folks in your community that can band together to organize a disaster preparedness network.
While learning to put together a band of like-minded neighbors is important, this books goes far beyond that basic premise. It includes detailed disaster-specific protocols for a wide variety of disruptive events as well as sections on emergency medical response and first aid. There are checklists, illustrations, and charts to help up size up the emergency and the required action.
This is good stuff.
Today I share another exclusive interview with Scott, plus I have three copies of his book up for grabs in a giveaway. Enjoy the interview then be sure to check in below to learn about the giveaway.
An Interview with Scott Finazzo, Author of The Neighborhood Emergency Response Handbook
One question on everyone’s mind is what they would do if a disaster or even a collapse occurred in their own backyard. If that happened to you, would you bug-in or bug-out and why.
That question is, of course, situational. I think it could be dangerous for anyone to make a specific plan to either bug out or stay in. But given the choice to choose one or the other, in general terms, I would have to say staying in lends itself to a home field advantage. You know exactly what you have available to you, including everything from all of your book resources, food, water, shelter, personal security, etc.
If you did decide to hunker down and bug-in, what items would you include for comfort? Or would you?
I think mental and spiritual health can be as important as physical health when it comes to survival. Comfort food is important. I have a stash of sweets that are for just such an occasion. I also have a few non-fiction books, games, a guitar, and, of course, a notebook.
Home defense and protection from the bad guys is a big deal. That said, not everyone is prepared or even qualified to use firearms. What do you recommend in that case?
I personally think firearms offer the best defense as well as granting you food-gathering options in an extreme survival scenario. Having said that, unless you are comfortable and proficient with them, you should consider other options. Pepper spray, taser, or other non-lethal forms of defense should be accessible.
These days, it seems as though a new book about survival or preparedness is released daily. How is your book different from the others and why should we read it?
The Neighborhood Emergency Response Handbook is unique in that it combines the vast knowledge base provided by the US military with my two decades experience as a firefighter. I made a point to extract specific information and simplify it so that the book can be interesting and used as a reference without the fluff. Because of the years I’ve spent responding to calls along with conversations and research I’ve done with military sources, my book has a unique authenticity not found in other preparedness books.
What is your favorite survival, disaster, or post-apocalyptic film or TV show?
Even though, it’s not typically my style of movie, I really liked the Book of Eli. It had a great storyline, adventure, and an ending that made me want to watch it again.
It is said that everyone has a book inside them. What advice do you have for the budding author?
My advice for budding authors is to hone your craft by continually writing, but also put yourself out there. Meet people. Make connections. For some, the doors magically open, but for most people it’s a struggle to get your foot in and keep it there. Keep after it.
The Giveaway
Scott has reserved three copies of his book in this newest Book Festival Giveaway.
A special word about the giveaway question/comment: Please read the question and respond accordingly, even it the answer is “I don’t know”. This week’s question is:
You are given (or have won) a $100 gift card to purchase preps. What would you buy?
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The deadline is 6:00 PM MST Tuesday with the winners notified by email and announced on the Rafflecopter in the article. Please note that the winners must claim their book within 48 hours or an alternate will be selected.
Note: Due to customs requirements, this giveaway is only open to individuals with a mailing address in the United States.
The Final Word
A lot of books on preparedness cross my desk and over time, there is a sameness to all of them. What I like about this book is that it transcends the theoretical “what to do” that many books of this nature adopt. Written by someone who lives and breathes this stuff, there are practical, actionable steps to take to establish a community response team. First responders, after all, may take some time to arrive and even then, can only do so much.
This book is important because, at the end of the day, we all need to work together to save lives when disaster strikes.
For more information about the books in this latest book festival, visit Prepper Book Festival #13: Books to Help You Prepare.
Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye
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Spotlight: The Neighborhood Emergency Response Handbook
A COMPLETE, STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO PREPARING YOURSELF AND YOUR COMMUNITY TO AID FIRST RESPONDERS DURING A DISASTER SITUATION
Nothing brings out the best in neighbors more than facing a catastrophe together. But don’t wait till the disaster is upon you. This book shows how you can work together today to protect the lives and homes of all the families in your neighborhood tomorrow. With guidance on how you can take a leadership role, this helpful handbook details everything your community needs to be fully prepared for any natural disaster.
• Creating event-specific disaster kits for yourself and your family
• Learning about basic fire safety and fire fighting
• Establishing triage centers in the event that first responders can’t reach you
• Stabilizing disaster victims through need-to-know first aid
• Creating your own neighborhood emergency response team to keep your neighborhood safe and save lives should the worst occur
Third Edition: The SURVIVAL MEDICINE Handbook
A frequent question I get on Backdoor Survival has to do with healthcare matters when there is no doctor around. This is the definite source of survival medical information for all Prepper’s and is my go-to bible for survival medicine.
73 Responses to “Prepper Book Festival 13: Neighborhood Emergency Response Handbook”
Several different things…
I’d get a Lifestraw Family water purifier to complement the personal water purification straws.
I would spend $100 on some good quality hand operated (non-power) tools – drill, saws, etc.
With a $100 gift card, I’d put it toward two more spare filters for our Berkey.
With a guift like that I would purchase medical supplies, freeze dried food and ammo.
More protein, long term storage, food supplies. Like meats.
Food with a long storage life
I think I would get some water purification supplies.
I would probably update my medical supplies and water storage for gardening.