Survival Tips Every Woman Needs to Know

March 21, 2007 — -- What would you do if something horrible suddenly happened?

Thinking about an intruder invading your home, your car breaking down on a deserted road or an attacker physically threatening you can be terrifying. But being prepared is necessary to ensure your personal safety.

This month, O, the Oprah Magazine, covers everything you need to know about dangerous situations in O's "Be-Prepared, You're-Tougher-Than-You-Thought, We've-Got-You-Covered Guide to Saving Yourself from Every Imaginable Disaster."

The title may be long but the guide is comprehensive, covering everything from preventing violence to handling natural disasters.

Gayle King, O's editor at large, shared a few of the tips from the guide on "Good Morning America."

Keep Your Cell Phone Close

Cell phones are just like safety lines -- they're a way to reach help at all times. Always carry one in the car, on the street, while running errands.

King keeps her cell phone nearby at night.

"Not only do I sleep with my cell phone by my bed, I have 911 programmed and ready to send," she said.

Have an 'If … Then' Plan

Coming up with an "if this happens … then I'll do this" plan makes it easy to think through worst-case scenarios.

For example: "If there's a fire in my bedroom, then I'll escape through this window." Think of it as "stop, drop and roll" or "duck and cover" -- reviewing safety plans in your mind so that they almost become second nature.

Trust Your Gut

King believes that your gut never leads you wrong. She urged women to trust their intuition.

"You kick yourself later for not following and not paying attention to the whisper, or paying attention to the gut, or paying attention to your intuition," she said.