5 Ways to improve your Disaster Personality
In last weeks Time Magazine (cover date June 9) there is an article on surviving disasters by Amanda Ripley. Ms Ripley has been studying disaster survivors for many years and has come up with 5 ways to improve your “Disaster Personality”. I have paraphrased the findings of her list.
- Attitude: Having a attitude that is positive and able to learn from both positive and negative experiences are important. A “Can Do” proactive attitude will greatly increase your survival chances
- Knowledge: By having knowledge of survivability, the person can tap into their reserves to overcome obstacles – according to Ms. Ripley, 56% of airplane accidents are survivable. I would like to see the numbers behind those statistics, but the premise is correct. Having enough of the right knowledge can tip the scales in your favor.
- Anxiety Level: Anxiety levels that are too high can kill! First Responders under duress can suck down a 30 minute air tank in less than ten. Too much anxiety creates stress levels which will cause an individual to make poor choices. By taking a second to take a deep breath and consider what you are doing will greatly increase your odds.
- Body Weight: If you are too heavy, your odds go down. Your body burns energy and you tire quickly. As mentioned in the article, the 9/11 survivors had a higher likelihood of injury than those who were in shape. Since the majority of
- Training: Practice does not make perfect. Perfect Practice makes perfect. No matter where you live, can you prepare for disaster. From quickly packing an escape bag/suitcase to getting ready for a disaster, getting yourself primed for disaster action is critical. Make sure you know your escape routes and practice using them several times of the year. When I was a manager for a global company, we did our emergency drills when the weather was nice so that when crap hit the fan, we were ready.
These 5 ways to improve your survivability are important for the long term. Truth is, if you do not take action by getting prepared, your chances go down drastically. Massive action is not needed, but steps to get yourself ready are important.
