The Emergency Playbook: A Bunker-Free Guide to Disaster Preparation

by Amy Edelman, Chris Begley

A comprehensive, commonsense guide to preparing for and surviving emergency situations, from wildfires, flash floods, and extreme heat to power outages, social unrest, and the next pandemic--no bunkers or weapons required.

Unlike traditional prepper books that focus on doom and the darker side of survival, what most of us really need is a straightforward guide to getting through a disaster safely and with our mental health intact. Because chances are you or someone you know has been affected by one of the many extreme weather events and their aftermath in the last few years—not to mention the pandemic.

In The Emergency Playbook, author Amy Edelman and survival expert Chris Begley help you—and your family, friends, neighbors, and pets—get through a range of bad situations safely, and then rebuild afterwards, no matter where you live or what your circumstances.

With step-by-step checklists and plentiful tips, this fact-filled handbook prepares you for disrupted access to food and clean water, lengthy power outages, downed communication, housing loss, and much more. It also emphasizes the importance of positive thinking and community-building—because when disaster strikes, we'll have to lean on each other and work together.

Featuring instructions on packing a go-bag, storing food and water in small spaces, and useful skills to learn ahead of time (first aid, self-defense), The Emergency Playbook is the practical guide you need to read before things go sideways.

Genres: Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

Published June 23, 2026

Reviews

[Tammy]

This book has strong ideas and clearly comes from experienced voices in emergency management. The authors cover preparation, communication, and leadership in a way that feels grounded in real world situations, and the core message is practical and relevant for anyone involved in crisis planning or response.

Unfortunately, the presentation makes it harder to fully benefit from the content. The book relies on constant changes in font, size, bold text, and italics, which quickly becomes distracting. There are no usable charts or lists, and what could have been helpful visual breakdowns are instead poorly structured and difficult to follow. Because of this, the book really needs reformatting to improve clarity and readability. As a reference style resource, it feels more exhausting than efficient.

Overall, the ideas are solid, but the layout works against them. With cleaner formatting and clearly organized lists or charts, this could be a much more effective and reader friendly guide.

★★★

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon link, small commission may apply Release date June 23, 2026
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[2raccoonsinacoat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This presents a crash course in preparing for a wide range of emergency situations with a good amount of discourse interspersed.

For a lot of people, I’m sure this topic could be overwhelming or intimidating to think about. This book reads like “Emergency 101” and would make a great beginner book or gift to someone just moving out in their own. I appreciated the wide range of topics covered (economic disaster, civil unrest) and the packing and supply lists were a good start. I’m moderately familiar with outdoor survival and preparedness and didn’t find much to add to my repertoire here. A lot of this felt like common sense (to me) but I understand that won’t be the case for everyone. The author mentions several times that this book could be included in emergency kits, but I don’t think that would be a valuable use of space given how much is devoted to general discourse. I don’t think the commentary is bad, but in a fast-acting situation it would be frustrating to have to flip through.

Overall, a great book for beginners but there are much more practical guides/reference books out there for anyone looking to really act on the suggestions in this book.

Thank you to Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Melodie Coulter-Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

The doomsday manuals of yesteryear are fine for folks ready to go off the grid, but the Emergency Playbook is a practical guide for homes that participate in the modern world and want to be prepared for the real emergencies that happen here.

Instead of assuming all is lost the moment disaster strikes, there is advice on how to survive until things can normalize - power gets restored, the weather changes, emergency aid arrives, etc. this isn't a book about wasteland survival. It's what it says it is: a playbook for getting through and emergency.

There are a lot of links in the kindle version - rather than wait for an emergency, readers should read and work on the preparedness pillars in the book soon. Set up your home, get to know the actions, and grab the reference materials to put in a go bag...unless you're really good about charging your device!

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for an advance copy of this handbook to surviving many of the things that 21st century decides to throw at us, a book full of practical advice, suggestions and none of the usual baggage that many survival prep books usually have.

If as humans have been slow to learn something that has been obvious for quite a while. There is nobody coming to our rescue. Our society has been trained by social media to be unsocial in almost everyway. Order food and supplies from your couch, watch movies from home, vote by mail, oh wait that is still being discussed. Our cities burn, our hospitals charge for parking, while giving little care, our water is going bad, or going away. Even today a major city is under threat from a chemical explosion, something few know what to do about. We are on our own, as the parents have left the discussions, leaving reality stars and other troubled types in power. Thankfully there is a book to at least get a start for what might be as the Chinese like to say interesting times. The Emergency Playbook: A Bunker-Free Guide to Disaster Preparation by Amy Edelman and Chris Begley is a practical how-to, a useful checklist, and a calming reminder that things go bad quickly, but being prepared might keep one alive, and those one cares about.

The writers of this book come from different backgrounds, but have both dealt with unexpected difficulties, which gives them an insight that is very helpful in this book. One is a writer who has gone through some tough times, the other a archeologist and an outdoor survival expert. The book lists some of the things that can, and will probably happen with examples from the recent past. Fire as in the California fires, climate disruption, both heat waves and cold snaps, that could shut down power. Disease of which is again in the news. And government which is getting to be more an more real. The book looks at all this, stating that being prepared is at least a start, and a plan can save a life. The book shows how to keep track of information, documents, medical history. What to save for insurance reasons. The decision to stay, or the decision to run. More importantly what to do to recover and go on.

This book is more than helpful, it can really save lives. What I enjoyed was unlike most prepper or survivalist books, there isn't a feeling like, won't this be cool. Or I can't wait to shoot my neighbors and take their supplies. A lot of those books while helpful, seem creepy. This book is honest. The world is falling, and failing on so many levels. Here is what one can do. Much of this is working with others. Family, friends, and neighbors. Find out how your neighbors are, and what they might be good at. Or what they might keep them here, if things go bad. Make a deal to help, and maybe expand that circle. There is lot here that is about helping others, and not the Mad Max Badlands world so many other books seem to revel in.

I am sure people will comment on this book, saying this is wrong, that is wrong, but I found his quite interesting, and even more, hopeful. Things might go bad, and probably will, but maybe somehow we can look past the petty and help each other. One of the better books I have read of this kind.

[James W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like many homeowners/parents, it's difficult to get through a week without at least a passing "what if?" The steady stream of headlines are a constant reminder that it's often not a matter of 'if' something is going to go wrong, but when.

Knock on wood, my family has been fortunate so far. That said, I certainly don't come from an Eagle Scout background, and I'd be lying if I said I always knew the right thing to do in an emergency (or even when the power goes out). I know it's easy to think, 'I'll just look it up on my phone,' but they only stay charged for so long, you know?

I've read a number of prepper (for lack of a better term) books over the years, and they often fall into one of two categories: 'too much' or 'too scary.' Like, it's either an overstuffed technical manual complete with blueprints for a two-story bunker or it's a doom-laden playbook for a post-apocalyptic future that's scheduled to start tomorrow.

With a subtitle promising a "Bunker-Free Guide to Disaster Preparation," The Emergency Playbook felt like it might strike a better balance. For me, it's absolutely the best of all worlds.

What impressed me most was how accessible this book is. Yes, the information is comprehensive, but the presentation deserves just as much credit. The layout is just excellent. Checklists, illustrations, sidebars, and visual callouts make it super easy to browse, revisit, and reference later.

I also appreciated how grounded the advice feels. Rather than assuming you're preparing for the collapse of civilization, Edelman and Begley focus on the kinds of disruptions ordinary people are actually likely to face: severe weather, power outages, communication failures, supply shortages, and other situations where a little 'common sense' prep-work can make a stressful experience wayyy more manageable.

Most importantly, The Emergency Playbook really emphasizes mindset and community as much as gear and supplies. Super refreshing. The big takeaway here is that being 'prepared' is less about what you have and more about how you think, respond, and who you can rely on when things don't go according to plan (which is often!).

The subtitle really says it all. This is a practical, thoughtful, and surprisingly engaging guide to being better prepared for whatever life decides to throw your way.

[Yvonne Glasgow · Rating 5 out of 5]

No matter who you are, you can admit the world is changing and not in the most positive of ways. From Canadian forest fires sending hazy and smoky air into the northern U.S. to threats from other countries -- we live in some pretty scary times. It's because of these "times," and the need for knowledge on how to survive life when things don't go as planned, that Amy Edelman and Chris Begley got together to create this must-read guidebook.

Whether it's the weather you're worried about or an impending war, there are tips within this tome to help you get your sh*t together so you can, hopefully, survive another day. Begley is the survivalist of the pair, but Edelman came to him with a need to know and a want to learn -- and out of their collaboration, we all get to better prepare ourselves for whatever the future holds.

So, what's in the book?

It begins with some tips on planning for what may come, no matter what kind of catastrophe it might be. If you've ever watched any of those prepper shows that were super popular about 20 years ago, you already know what a "go bag" is... but if not, you'll learn about it here, too. Plus, the book is filled with generally good info, like keeping an inventory of your belongings (which comes in handy if you need to file an insurance claim after storm damage or a fire). Planning is about more than having things accounted for and on hand, though, and this book goes through it all, from knowing where to meet in an emergency to knowing how to survive in a tent and forage for food.

[Richard Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot of good practical advice here. And it's presented in a mostly value neutral non-scaremongering way. It would be useful as a checklist for getting prepared for emergencies and would also be good to have as a reference when the shit hits the fan, once you have a moment to breathe deep and think about what to do next. There's a lot here that I already knew or would come to intuitively without this book. That gave me some comfort.

But the sad reality is that I will do next to nothing to get prepared beyond being sure to have a few flashlights with fresh batteries. I'm not going to lay in supplies of water and MREs, not going to buy camping equipment, not buying a generator. Where would I run to anyway? I live in Los Angeles. It's pretty much ocean or scrubby mountains and deserts in every direction where it would take a lot more survival skill than I have to get by. So when things get rough, I'll probably be just another deer in the headlights victim of whatever bad thing happens. When I had young children, my parental protective urges made me much more worried about this kind of thing. For years I drove around with a backpack of emergency supplies in my trunk. But now I'll probably be another one of those jerks in the long line at the supermarket where most of the shelves are already empty. Batten down the hatches and do my best to survive in place.

[Vikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't a doomsday prepper manual—it's a practical guide to being a little more prepared for life's inevitable emergencies.

What I loved most was the balance between serious information and humor. The authors tackle everything from power outages and wildfires to evacuation planning and first aid while keeping the tone approachable and surprisingly funny. The movie references and witty commentary made what could have been an anxiety-inducing read feel engaging instead.

The biggest takeaway for me wasn't to build a bunker—it was to recognize that normalcy isn't guaranteed. The book encourages realistic preparation rather than fear, focusing on practical skills that most of us have simply forgotten over the years.

If you already struggle with anxiety, some sections may hit a little close to home, but I appreciated that the authors consistently emphasized preparedness over panic. It's informative, organized, easy to follow, and full of actionable advice for everyday people.

I finished this book with a longer to-do list, a healthier respect for emergency planning, and the realization that I should probably stop using my power banks as regular phone chargers.

[Beth Cato · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

This truly is a straightforward, common-sense guide to how to prepare for and tackle various disaster scenarios. It's quite frank about the political climate of the moment and what the risks are because of the the current administration. For example, it brings up how places have curtailed trans rights, and how and why a person may need to move in those circumstances. I like that excerpts brought up some of the two authors' personal experiences, too.

One chapter that bugged me is how they conflated a chapter about nuclear attacks and nuclear accidents, which involve different preparation and responses in the event of a disaster (I speak from experience here, as because of my husband's work, I have lived in or near nuclear plants for much of my adult life).

That said, I think this is a good, thought-provoking book. It's not about fear-mongering, but uses a friendly, matter-of-fact tone that I think is welcome.

[Cat Hutch · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE EMERGENCY PLAYBOOK is as funny as its title would suggest. In this modern-day post-pandemic practical guide to planning for and surviving ‘the unknown’, two separate individuals, Edelman and Begley, combine their wit and well-researched wisdom to help prepare their non ‘billionaire bunker’ readers for every possible emergency, both worst case scenarios and the day-to-day. This text is for the non - ‘doomers’, for the ‘glass…half-full’ readers who want to know where to find their water, should they ever actually run out, and not just complain about not having it at all. The EMERGENCY PLAYBOOK is both a quick reference guide, split into 3 easy to navigate sections, and a ‘cover-to-cover’ pleasure to read. The writers tell us that, ‘knowing whom to listen to-and whom to ignore-could save your life’. In reading this book and thus learning how to ‘...recognize and counter normalcy bias’, the reader will hopefully save their life and their loved ones, too.

[Misty Knapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Emergency Playbook is a good book to read before emergencies happen. This isn't a prepper book telling you to go build a bunker and fill it with goods and weapons. "Only a few generations ago, our grandparents could handle almost any emergency using merely a penknife, a roll of duct tape, and a can of WD-40- and their skills were honed by more consequential issues than having to find an address without a GPS." (Amy Edelman and Chris Begley).

In today's time, we aren't prepared for much of anything. This book will help to correct that. It details what we might need in just about any given situation, from wildfires, to snowstorms, to being stranded on the 10th floor, in a power outage. It details how to find water, if we might need it, to knowing how to fix our vehicle BEFORE we might need to know/understand how to do so. It's filled with practical information that we can put into practice RIGHT NOW, today, and not in a SOME DAY manner. I HIGHLY recommend this book.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

In these current times, the fear of disasters, whether caused by climate or war, is deafening. This book is a great introduction to being prepared, and being prepared gives you security and hope!

Starting off, the author talks about how important it is to prepare for possible disasters, but also how essential it is to remain calm and positive! 
It covers many types of disasters, such as wildfires, flash floods, extreme heat, power outages, social unrest, and even pandemics. Its structure teaches you how best to prepare step-by-step with useful tips and checklists.

If the current times are stressing you out and you want to be prepared for whatever might come, this book is for you.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Kelley S · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a casual prepper, I found this book to be a great resource!! There is a lot of information I already know due to my hobby of prepping, and this book informed me that I have some work to do to fill in the gaps of preparedness.

I appreciate some of the personal touches in this book in regards to keeping the book current with the times we live in. Also, as a lowkey Swiftie, I loved the Taylor Swift lore in one of the comments.

All-in-all this is a great book to add to your bookshelf! I appreciated all the sources in the back of the book, so I can do further research. One last note, I appreciate the apps mentioned to keep track of natural disasters.

Thank you, Netgalley; Amy Edelman; Chris Begley; Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for the eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Alexander Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grateful that Edelman & Begley are writing books about emergency preparedness that actively work against the "well-stocked & well armed bunker" myth of survivalism. This book is worthwhile if only for it's introduction & refuting that myth. As a reference book there are probably better/more thorough books, and those sections are okay.

[Courtney Stearns · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ultimate common-sense guide to emergency prep without the toxic bunker culture. Instead of hoarding weapons, this book gives you realistic, stress-free advice for handling modern crises like blackouts, floods, and heatwaves. It completely skips the doom-and-gloom, focusing instead on community, mental health, and smart checklists for families and pets. It is the perfect handbook for normal people who want to be ready without losing their sanity.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC (advanced reader copy) in exchange for an honest review.