How Do We Survive Disasters?

1. Instinct

1.1. It is an impulse or powerful motivation from a subconscious source

1.2. Allows one to react before the danger even registers with the conscious mind

1.3. Commonly called 'Fight or Flight' mode

1.4. we are born to survive

1.5. This survival nature drives us to be 'natural born heroes'

1.6. It is proven that more genes we share, the more our instinct will put us in danger to help them

2. Key things you need to know to stay alive

2.1. Every second counts

2.2. A pre-planned escape route is vital

2.3. The failure to react can prove fatal

2.4. People don't often react to alarms due to peer pressure - if surrounding people don't react then they are less likely to react

2.5. BE PREPARED - for example, buy a smoke hood?

3. Know what your doing

3.1. Preparation is key

3.2. Training exercises allow the brain to develop plans and store them for real disasters.

3.3. When fire occurs, fire drills often prove to be life saving.

3.4. Emergency Plans are nothing without the will to implement them

3.5. Be confident in taking control

3.6. Your own actions can make a great difference in your survival

4. How do you increase your chance of survival?

4.1. There is no time to be scared

4.2. Often tunnel vision occurs and your focused on getting out and nothing else

4.3. Time distortion often occurs and the situation seems to last forever

4.4. These changes on the brain however only last for a limited amount of time, they cannot be relied upon

5. Chances of survival

5.1. Relatively few people cope well in disasters

5.2. People are often 'rooted' to the spot

5.3. 75% of people involved in disasters become stunned and not very helpful in survival situations

5.4. Only about 12-15% of people will know what they are doing.