Book excerpt: The next severe storm, power outage, or financial meltdown could hit at any time. Having a household contingency plan and being part of a strong, resilient community could mean the difference between life and death. This friendly and highly accessible guide introduces the most important, practical steps your whole family can take to ensure survival in short- or long-term emergencies. The critical information is presented in 40 achievable tasks, ranging from simpler ones such as creating a preparedness notebook and repackaging store-bought food for storage to more involved preparations like learning to collect rainwater and building a solar oven.