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Reading Book Guide

Surviving the Unthinkable: What Your Family Needs to Know (and Do) to Survive a Terrorist Attack, by Nicholas Maniatis

In Surviving the Unthinkable, Nicholas Maniatis, explains what everyone needs to know and do to prepare for and survive the next terrorist attack. We hope these thought-provoking questions lead to some lively book discussions.

  1. What sorts of infrastructure assets, government/military facilities, research/educational facilities, or energy/manufacturing facilities are near the area where I live and what is the likelihood these facilities or assets may be targeted by terrorists?
  2. What other factors might make the area in which I live a potential terrorist target? Do I live in an area with high population density? Do I live in a large city?
  3. Where will I go if there is an attack near to where I live and I am ordered to evacuate? How will I get there?
  4. Do I have a plan for sheltering in my home during an emergency? Do I have the necessary supplies to make my home safe from biological or chemical contaminants after an attack?
  5. How will I get in touch with family members who are not at home when an attack occurs? Do I have a family communication plan for such an event?
  6. Does my community have an emergency plan in case of terrorist attack? My child's school? My work?
  7. What sorts of supplies do I need to store in the event of an emergency? Are there members of my family with special needs who require specific supplies? Where do I keep my emergency supplies?
  8. What types of emergency supply kits should I assemble? Where should they be kept?
  9. What specific measures should I take during a conventional terror attack? A nuclear one? A chemical or biological one? Have I made specific plans for each of these scenarios?
  10. What is the likelihood of a terror attack on the U.S.? Have there been recent threats made by al-Qaeda? By Iran or its terror organization Hezbollah? By other Islamist Organizations?
  11. What type of training do I need to provide for my family's wellbeing after a terror attack? Am I first-aid and CPR certified? Do I need self defense or defensive weapons training? Are there community emergency preparedness training programs such as CERT available in my area?