When disasters occur, we learn the “what”: the details of how many died and how many survived. Surviving Disaster with Amanda Ripley provides the research and insight into the “why” behind the numbers—proving that our fates are determined by more than luck, age or economic status.

Sociologists, neuroscientists, psychologists and survivors have found that the way that people behave  in a crisis is very predictable. By combining the stories of survivors with research into how the brain works under extreme duress, Surviving Disaster with Amanda Ripley brings light into civilization’s darkest moments.

Why do we freeze in the middle of a fire? Why do our senses of sight and hearing change during a crisis? Why do things seem to move more slowly? And most importantly, how do we override these instincts to help us survive and thrive? Surviving Disaster with Amanda Ripley reveals how human fear functions, why our instincts sometimes misfire in modern calamities and how we can all do much, much better.

Federal agencies, police, firefighters and the Red Cross have spent billions of dollars to educate the public about the need for every citizen to be prepared–and yet millions of people are not. Surviving Disaster replaces the typical media messages of fear and terror with the latest science , revealing the clear and real benefits of rehearsal, preparedness, empowerment and resilience.