About Prep in the Heart of TX
With main information provided by TexasReady.org, Prep in the Heart of TX is a series of guides focused on emergency preparedness for natural disasters common to the state. It is designed for an older audience out of school since most prep knowledge is shared to students and seldom repeated in adulthood. Content is presented with a touch of Texas humor for a more inviting, approachable experience around an often daunting topic.
The publication consists of three guides with information on tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods. Facts on the disaster, what to do before, during, and after, and resources for the aftermath are all shared. A set of 16.5” by 12” posters with an abridged version of the content accompanies the books as an indoor use reference.
Typography
Display
Italian Plate No7, Playtype
Body
Idealista, Suitcase Type Foundry
Chosen for their similarities to the type and iconography used by weather services and government documentation. The boldness of the display type emphasizes the importance of these emergencies.
Production
Format & Distribution
With dimensions of 5” by 3.5”, each guide is designed for ease of transport and to remain with the reader, such as in a pocket or bag, in the event of an emergency. In the back pocket is a 8.5” by 11” foldout checklist for a disaster supply kit. The binding is saddle stitched with staples to reference the style used by government documents. All materials for construction are color-coordinated and meant to be printed on by a Risograph to allow for mass production.
To reach a local Texas community, 50 guides were bound in a paper belly band and were distributed in the library of Buda’s City Hall.
Poster Series
After the release of the guides, a matching set of posters was designed to hang indoors for private and public use. Content is derived from the books and highlights the main steps to do during each natural disaster.
To aid the goal of creating an approachable learning experience, illustrations accompany the text in a comic-like fashion inspired by similar government-issued posters.