What are the most important things a survivor needs to think about?
Adam Montella: In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, several things are important for survival: air, food, water, safety and security are the most crucial. An individual can survive for about four minutes without air, four days without water and 40 days without food, depending on the stress and the amount of energy the body’s consuming. Question: Do people respond differently to disasters? Adam Montella: The individual goes into taking care of primal needs and taking care of themselves first initially. Depending on the individual, people respond to stress and disasters differently. Some people crumble immediately under pressure, and some people rise to the top and actually surprise themselves and others with their abilities to keep their focus and keep the mission in the forefront. Question: How important is preparedness? Adam Montella: Preparedness does many things for individuals and communities in preparing for disaster. First, it mitigates the effects of a disaster. A person th