When Everything Fails: Surviving Any Disaster

Course Overview

Course No. 9794

Be the calmest person in any crisis with this practical disaster survival guide from Professor Stephen Owen. This 14-lecture course teaches:

✔ How to assess risks and create preparedness plans
✔ Essential life-saving skills for emergencies
✔ Response strategies for different disaster types
✔ Community recovery and coordination systems

Key survival topics:

• Fire safety and earthquake preparedness
• Weather emergencies (hurricanes, floods, blizzards)
• Active shooter situations
• First aid and utility management
• Incident Command Systems

Video Lectures

01: How Prepared Are You for a Disaster?

Duration: 31 min
Conduct a self-assessment of your disaster readiness for shelter, evacuation, and communication plans.

02: Developing a Preparedness Plan

Duration: 31 min
Learn to build comprehensive “go kits” and understand disaster vs emergency vs catastrophe distinctions.

03: Identifying Hazards and Responses

Duration: 31 min
Apply FEMA’s National Preparedness Goal framework to potential threats in your area.

04: Making Decisions in a Disaster

Duration: 32 min
Overcome normalcy bias and develop crisis decision-making skills for high-stress situations.

05: Essential Lifesaving Skills

Duration: 30 min
Master critical skills including CPR, AED use, first aid, and utility shut-off procedures.

06: What to Do in a Fire

Duration: 32 min
Fire safety fundamentals covering home escape plans, flashovers, and backdraft prevention.

07: When the Earth Shakes or Opens

Duration: 31 min
Earthquake survival tactics plus volcano and sinkhole preparedness strategies.

08: Surviving Hurricanes and Other Storms

Duration: 33 min
Weather emergency protocols for hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and blizzards.

09: Coping in an Active Shooter Situation

Duration: 31 min
Situational awareness training and the “run, fight, hide” response methodology.

10: Helping Others in a Disaster

Duration: 33 min
Community altruism strategies including effective volunteering and donation practices.

11: First Responders and How They Work

Duration: 33 min
Real-world operations of police, firefighters and EMS beyond media portrayals.

12: The First Responders Many Never See

Duration: 33 min
Behind-the-scenes disaster professionals from public works to health officials.

13: How Disaster Response Is Coordinated

Duration: 31 min
Incident Command System (ICS) protocols developed post-9/11 and Katrina.

14: The Challenges of Disaster Recovery

Duration: 34 min
Short and long-term community rebuilding strategies after catastrophic events.