"You can stockpile all the rice you like ... but do you know how you're going to cook it if you're without power for months on end? If the power grid fails, it's not just your lights that go out. It's your water supply. It's your heating and cooling system. It's all your usual ways of cooking food or doing the laundry. Without the grid, life as we know it changes in an instant. Are you prepared for that?"--Back cover

Introduction -- When the grid goes down : what it means for you -- The power's out! : immediate short-term solutions -- A closer look at off-grid power -- Longer-term solutions : heating and cooling -- Longer-term solutions : lighting -- Longer-term solutions : water filtration and storage -- Longer-term solutions : food and cooking -- Longer-term solutions : Medical care -- Longer-term solutions : sanitation and hygiene -- Longer-term solutions : laundry and dishwashing -- Longer-term solutions : communication -- Longer-term solutions : security -- In the event of economic collapse -- Now for the best part! -- Conclusion.