In this riveting call to action by one of the leaders who managed the recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, General Russel Honoré— famously called the “John Wayne Dude” by New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin— encourages Americans to adopt a culture of disaster preparedness.

It seems as though the frequency of natural disasters occurring around the nation and the world is increasing. Every day, there are new stories about earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and forest fires ravaging some part of the globe. There’s also the threat of terrorist attacks at home and abroad. More than ever before, we need to think about the unthinkable and not depend on government to protect us from harm.

Highly regarded as a hero during the Hurricane Katrina disaster, General Russel Honoré was the right leader at the right time. Combined with his extensive and impressive military background, his rugged upbringing in rural Louisiana gave him the experience and know-how in a hurricane-prone environment to lead the Katrina recovery effort. Survival is part personal memoir and account of the events of Hurricane Katrina, but all in service to providing a useful guide filled with practical suggestions on how each of us can effectively respond to catastrophic events.

The potentially devastating effects of natural disasters and terrorist attacks should not be taken lightly, and General Honoré explains how our culture has moved far away from a mind-set to protect our communities from the harm that nature and our fellow humans can do. But we can learn from our experience and history and change our culture into one of preparedness—as long as we have the will.