Survival is not just a product of luck. We can do far more than we think to improve our odds of preventing and surviving even the most horrendous of catastrophes. It's a matter of preparation, like bolting down your water heater before an earthquake or actually reading the in-flight safety card before takeoff.

It also about mental conditioning. Each of us has what is call a "disaster personality", a state of being that takes over in a crisis. It is at the core of who we are. The fact is, we can refine that personality and teach our brains to work more quickly, maybe even more wisely.

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