September 7, 1999
Web posted at: 2:57 p.m. EDT (1857 GMT)

(CNN) -- If you buy into the old adage "Better safe than sorry," you may want to check out "The Complete Y2K Home Preparation Guide." This 350-plus-page book is a survivalist's guide to the approaching millennium.

While many have said Y2K won't have a huge impact on daily life, others continue to predict days or weeks of no electricity, no distribution services, and little to no medical services.

"The Complete Y2K" gives guidance on preparing home and family for these possibilities.

Areas touched on include food storage; water treatment and storage; heating, lighting and cooking without electricity; staying clean, safe and healthy; communications; transportation; finances and important papers; and getting your PC ready for the millennium.

Published by Prentice Hall, "The Complete Y2K" was written by Ed Yourdon, author of "Time Bomb 2000," and Robert Roskind, president and founder of Y2K Solutions Group Inc.

Some of the suggestions are reminiscent of the 1950s guides to building a bomb shelter. For instance, the book suggests you store your own grains, canned goods, freeze-dried and dehydrated foods, and provides a checklist for food and utensils.

Under the heading "Locating and Treating Water," the authors write, "If a disaster catches you without a stored supply of clean water, you can use water in your hot-water tank, in your plumbing and in ice cubes. As a last resort, you can use water in the reservoir tank of your toilet (not the bowl), but purify it first."

Yourdon and Roskind also recommend running through some possible problems before January 1. They suggest turning off the power at home and making sure you have everything you might need. They also suggest spending three days eating from food stockpiles to be sure that what you have selected is what you need and like.