Extra Space Storage Inc., a publicly traded self-storage real estate investment trust (REIT) and third-party management firm, has released a video titled “Six Tips for Surviving the Coming Apocalypse.” The video includes interviews with “survivors” who offer advice on persevering through major life events. The interviews, which include adults and children and range in tone from serious to lighthearted, were shot inside a storage unit filled with survival gear.

The stories featured in the video include a Somalian refugee who recalls the initial explosions in Mogadishu, a bank manager who recounts the shock of losing her career, a mountain climber's description of surviving the recent earthquake in Nepal while climbing Mt. Everest, and a mother and her 8-year-old daughter discussing the aftermath of an auto-pedestrian accident that left the child an amputee.

"Through the years, we've noticed many of our customers, for one reason or another, are experiencing a life transition. Sometimes it's a crisis, sometimes it's just a change," said James Overturf, executive vice president of marketing for Extra Space. "For a lot of people, renting self-storage is that first step in moving forward. It's not leaving the past behind, it's giving the past its own space."

The video can be viewed on YouTube. In conjunction with its release, the REIT created social media hashtag #GettingToTomorrow “in an effort to open a dialogue about hope in the face of the unexpected,” according to a press release.

The tips conveyed in the video include having a plan, keeping a cool head and never losing hope. The survivors also encourage viewers to draw strength from loved ones, take crisis situations one day at a time and recognize their own inner strength during difficult situations. "We don't know our strength until we're put in a difficult situation," Overturf said. "We want our customers to know there's a light at the end of the tunnel, and we're here to help them get to a better future."

In April, Extra Space released a video titled "10 Things I Wish I'd Known Before Having a Baby," which received coverage from several media outlets including Buzzfeed, Fitpregnancy.com, the Huffington Post and Mashable. The video has more than 1.7 million views on YouTube.

Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Extra Space owns or operates 1,335 self-storage properties in 36 states; Washington, D.C.; and Puerto Rico. The company’s properties comprise approximately 885,000 units and 99.8 million square feet of rentable space.

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