This booklet draws heavily from the first-hand experiences of survivors who lived through and faced the physical, emotional and social devastation of major disasters. We emphasize the word "survivors" because anyone who has experienced either the immediate threat or actuality of disaster deserves to be called a survivor, not a victim. We also use that term in referring to people who experienced direct property lossor damage, as well as people living in the wider neighborhood or community affected by the disaster. The survivors who contributed to this body of knowledge found themselves driven by circumstances to step up and help themselves and their fellow citizens to recover, rebuild and reclaim a sense of community. They did not wait around hoping for rescue, certainly not for long. They acted. They created survivor-focused, citizen-led recovery and rebuilding groups, which they used as hubs of caring and concern and as springboards for concrete action toward restoring what was lost.