Information can save your life in the event of a disaster, according to a disaster researcher. Having the knowledge to plan, prepare, and, most importantly, react to a disaster can save your own life. People tend to react differently in a disaster, and our governments provide certain policies and guidelines on how to respond if a disaster strikes… like when I was growing up in Vancouver and learning how to crawl under my desk and hold for 60 seconds when there was a earthquake drill. While being prepared is necessary, the researcher says that having the right kind of information and being able to think for ourselves is as important.
Here are the five disaster survival tips given in the article…
1. Learn how to text message. Oftentimes, as in Katrina, text messages will go through when cell phone calls won’t.
2. Expect smoke. If you’re in an airplane, know how many rows are between you and the exits. If you’re at home, know your way to the door without the lights on. Most fire deaths are due to smoke.
3. Get to know your neighbors. They may be your key to survival. The stronger your community is, the better equipped you will be to survive a disaster.
4. Practice. Many people who survived the WTC attacks knew where the staircases were because they did lots of fire drills. Children especially should know where to go in case of emergency, and walk that route until they are familiar with it.
5. Lose weight. Overweight people often are less able to move quickly in escape situations that call for speed.
You can find the full article and interview here.