TIME Mag: How to Survive a Disaster
June 2, 2008 at 4:20 PM |
11 comments
An adaptation of the book is running in TIME this week. One of the many cool things about this is that TIME included a photograph of Kent Härstedt, who survived the sinking of the Estonia ferry in 1994. I had not photographed him for the book, though I wish I had. A very thoughtful, interesting guy who is now a member of Sweden’s parliament.
Also, the print edition includes a fetching news-you-can-use sidebar about 5 ways to boost your survival IQ. Always nice to have sparkly accessories next to your story, if I do say so myself.
Jack said on June 05, 2008 at 11:26 am
very interesting article....I agree that there are ways people can improve their chances of surviving disasters, and that a lot of military, police and emergency management training can be along those lines....unfortunately, the online TIME did not have that “sparkly accessory” you mentioned.....
Matt said on June 12, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I found your book absolutely fascinating. You helped to crystalize my thinking about how I should act in an emergency. Perhaps someday that information will save my life.
I’m the guy that counts the seat rows on an airline so I can get out in a smoke filled cabin. I also pay attention to exits in a hotel.
The information seemed to verify what I have seen in real life. I had noticed how some people seemed to act in slow motion when a crisis hits. Each year an individual is hit with little mini-crises that are not life threatening, but may require quick action to be helpful. A child is hurt riding a bicycle. There is a water leak in the house. A spider runs across the floor. You drop a jar of something.
I had noticed how people act in these little mini-crises. They tend to be a little slow moving out of the denial and decision stages. I noticed it so much that I even starting thinking about it.
I also noticed how people tend to act like sheep in a crisis. They tend to be very slow in fire drills. So slow that I get worried about an actual fire. I’m thinking that I’ll never get out in time.
I noticed how disabled people hold up everyone in a fire drill. Yet, no one around these disabled people will help. The rest of us on higher floors are simply going to die if a major fire ever hits our building.
I run a news website called 1913 Intel. The overall idea is that today is a lot like it was right before World War I. I post daily news articles showing how the world is getting more dangerous and the possibility of nuclear war is getting much higher. The interesting thing is that when I discuss my website with someone I’ve met at a party, for example, they typically refuse to even think about it. One might disagree with the underlying theory of my website, but wouldn’t it be smarter to do a little investigating first? What if I’m really right? Or at least seriously think about what I’m saying. Instead, the overwhelming, vast majority of people immediately dismiss the idea of nuclear war.
I guess the idea of nuclear war is unthinkable.
Max D. said on June 20, 2008 at 12:28 am
(Psst. Your link to the article goes to page 4. FYI.)
I wonder how the idea of disaster preparedness relates to more intimate events like the hit-and-run in Hartford, CT, where other than a couple people dialing 911, most people just looked at the poor victim lying in the street; or just the other day in Turlock, CA, where dozens of people stood around (for at least seven minutes) watching a man beat his 2-year-old son to death.
Like Matt above, I count rows in airplanes. I also constantly run “what if?” scenarios in my mind. But I suppose the mindset of most people (and one that the authorities are complicit in perpetuating) is that “someone in a uniform will come to save the day.”
Remember: When seconds count, the police are just minutes away.
Gilbert G said on June 20, 2008 at 8:15 pm
I recently started a blog for disaster preparedness for people in the New York metro area and just added your article and book links to my site. All the best!
Tre said on July 31, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Wow, great article! Disasters are no fun, and really scary....We all need to be well prepared no matter where we are at!
Tre
President
http://www.truckmountforums.com
Nicky said on August 27, 2008 at 5:44 am
In our so difficult time we should be aware in different things; but the first thing in that list should be our health.
Well, You are great.
Go on;)
Historical-Events.org said on March 11, 2009 at 5:41 am
loved reading what you have to say, very very interesting read, great article. I agree with Nicky and that health should be the first thing on the list.
Nate
Stock Trading Tips said on May 04, 2009 at 8:18 am
Yeah, it’s good news. I prefer live in the place which safe from disasters
slab leak said on August 14, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Within the contemporary academic circle, disaster is seen as the result of unsuitably managed risk. Those risks are the product of vulnerability and hazards. Hazard that strikes in area with sufficiently lower vulnerability level is not considered a disaster, weird is it?
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best swim goggles said on February 04, 2010 at 6:22 am
In our so difficult time we should be aware in different things; but the first thing in that list should be our health.