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Although it's impossible to predict every emergency situation, knowing how to effectively respond to them can be critical in surviving them.
We recently stumbled across a post on r/AskReddit where user u/luciflerfather3 asked people to share some tips that could potentially save a person's life.
After a quick scroll through the comments, we realized it would be a good idea to take a deeper dive and hand-pick the ones that sounded useful.
Here's what we came up with.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Maybe it won't save your life in all situations where you could use it, but if you're starting to feel really depressed, remember HALT.
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired
Ask yourself if you've covered those bases. Eat a good meal and drink water. Step away from a stressful situation to decompress for a bit. Phone a friend, maybe ask for them to come over. Take a nap. HALT helps me a lot with stress management. Hope it helps someone.
NotTodaySatan!! 3 years ago
This sounds good in principle, but once you're in the black hole of depression you aren't logically thinking of anything, sadly.
RELATED:
#2
If you're ever stuck in quicksand, lie down. It's like floating on water, the dispersion of your weight will make you float.
Though I admit this isn't as common a problem as I was led to believe as a child.
#3
If someone ever approaches you and tries to force you into a car, do whatever it takes to stay out of the vehicle! Your odds of ending up dead are largely increased if they manage to move you somewhere else. Fight to stay out of the vehicle like your life depends on it -- because it probably does.
My cousin is in law enforcement and always tells us if someone points a gun at you and tells you to get in the car, your odds of survival are actually higher if you risk taking the bullet!
Luther von Wolfen 3 years ago
A friend of mine is alive because she fought like hell and didn't get in the car. She later found out that there had been several murders in the area. The killer abducted the women into his car first.
#4
There is a time to leave. To stop. To walk away.
It can save your life. Listen to your gut.
Sheila McEnany Markowitz 3 years ago
Always listen to your gut. It will never steer you wrong.
#5
If you're on an airplane that crashes into water, don't inflate your life-vest until after you have swum out of the plane. If you inflate your flotation device before escaping you are much more likely to get trapped in the fuselage as water levels inside the plane rise and you get pushed towards the ceiling.
Find your life jacket, get out of the plane, then inflate it.
#6
Some winter advice. If you are homeless, or for whatever reason have to sleep outside, find something to put between you and the ground. Cardboard works great but find something. All your energy will not warm the Earth and many people have frozen this way as the ground absorbs more and more energy.
#7
There is a cycle of violence when it comes to domestics. It starts with a build-up, where tension and aggression are escalating. This moves to an explosion, where the abuser releases tension. Following this, there will be remorse and pursuit. The abuser will start to tell. You how sorry they are, then start to try and charm you. This is where they blame something for their anger (usually you) and try to win you back. Once they have won you over, you will experience a short honeymoon stage, where they are on their best behavior. After this, is again the build-up.
The cycle just continues. It can end with you being killed. If this is happening to you, please do some reading (if it's safe). Seek some help through your friends or family (an abuser is likely to have isolated you, but they do still care and will help). If you are being abused, there are people and services that can help. You may not feel like it, but you are worth something, and you are much better than they are making you feel. Get out before it gets worse.
NotTodaySatan!! 3 years ago
My stepdad was an abusive alcoholic and this pattern was our lives. When I married, my husband and I were having issues and in talking to my mom I learned my husband wasn't abusive like my dad (thank goodness) but I was so used to the pattern, I NEEDED it to feel normal. When my husband didn't get angry and blow up so I could have the calm after the storm when I knew everything would be good for a few weeks I would create arguments to get the calm. I didn't realize what I was doing and felt horrible. It took years and my husband being aware so he could point it out when I was doing it. It was always petty things. We really haven't had many *true* arguments in the 20 years we've been married. My point? Being aware you were abused isn't always enough to keep you from continuing a cycle.
#8
That a wagging tail does NOT always mean that the dog is friendly.
Mazer 3 years ago
It just means the dog is excited. There are a number of ways to read body language of a dog, it can be very empowering. If you have a fear of dogs you need to 1 - stand still (resist the urge to run), 2 - ignore the dog. Don’t pull away from it or try to pet it, pretend you are s tree, in most cases the dog will realize you are not a prey item and once it’s curiosity is satisfied, they will usually just leave. I have worked with people fearful of dogs, these are good tools. There are many more but it would take too much time to write
#9
If you're near the ocean and all that water suddenly dissappears/recedes unexpectedly then get out of there and get to high ground because that's a tsunami.
#10
If you or someone else is having a heart attack, take aspirin. Chew it tho, don’t swallow it whole.
Also, when performing CPR, people don’t usually come back to life like in the movies. If done correctly, CPR can keep people alive for hours, so keep going until help arrives
Caro Caro 3 years ago (edited)
Place your hands in the center of the chest, between the nipples. Push in the sternum 5 to 6 centimeters. Do this 30 times at a rate of 100-120 times per minute (2 x per second). Do the chin lift and pinch the nose. Breathe 2 times. Inhale normally and exhale evenly into the victim's mouth for 1 second. Look out of the corner of your eye to see if the victim's chest rises. Never interrupt the chest compressions for more than 10 seconds. Continue CPR, alternating 30 chest compressions with 2 rescue breaths.
#11
If there's heavy bleeding or a partial/full amputation throw a f**king tourniquet on that limb as close to the torso as you can. Write the time on their forehead and DO NOT EVER LOOSEN IT. Everything you've been taught about tourniquets is wrong. They can be on for 6 hours with no worry of nerve damage, the limb will not need to be amputated, I say again, THE PLACEMENT OF A CAT-T WILL NOT DECIDE AMPUTATION. Crank that s**t harder than you think necessary and then let the doctor deal with it.
1: Major arteries are closer to the skin near the torso, giving you a better chance of clamping them.
2: It will stop any secondary wounds you potentially missed.
3: My training was for combat trauma / triage first, I then got civilian training later. I was never a practicing civilian EMT. If a paramedic has better info please PM me any inconsistencies and Ill correct them.
4: It looks like there's many different standards for potential nerve damage time limits, the lowest I've seen is 3 from someone claiming to work in Orthopedic surgery. Either way, having a derpy limb is better than no limb.
#12
How to recognise when someone is drowning:
Silence - while someone who is shouting is on the verge of drowning (and will likely need rescuing), it's the person thrashing about in the water not making any vocal sounds you need to worry about.
When someone is actually drowning, their lungs are filling up with water inhibiting their inability to call for help.
Hairy face - anyone who has long hair knows that when it gets wet and it sticks to your face, the immediate reaction is to swipe it away. Not for a drowning person
When someone is actually drowning, all power is devoted to saving themselves. The issue of wet hair across the face is not a priority. Keep an eye out for someone in the water splashing about but not immediately reaching to remove their hair from their eyes.
#13
Don't be silent for extended periods of time if you are hiking in the wilderness. Contrary to popular belief, bears would prefer to not get into confrontations and would most likely avoid you if you notify them of your presence in the area.
With that said, if you do stumble across a bear, don't run away. Contrary to their size, bears are f**king fast.
Grizzly bears are brown and have a trademark hump of muscle on their back. They are aggressive. Your best bet is to get into the fetal position (covering neck and stomach) and play dead. They will only leave once they are absolutely sure the threat is gone, so don't stop playing dead even after you sense the bear leave.
Black bears, contrary to their name, come in various colors, including Brown. They are more slender than grizzly bears. Your best bet with a black bear is to be as aggressive as possible, making as much noise, looking as big as possible, throwing stones and large sticks, etc. Don't bother to climb a tree, since they are excellent climbers.
In the event a bear starts attacking, go HAM. Punch it, kick it, try to gouge out its eyes, etc.
If you happened to be in the Arctic and stumble upon a polar bear, then pray to the Almighty that it hits one of your vital points and kills you quickly, because there is practically nothing you can do against them. They are much bigger than both black and grizzly bears, and do not fear humans.
#14
If someone points a gun at you, maintain eye contact with the person.
Eye contact makes it harder to pull the trigger.
#15
If your car's accelerator pedal gets stuck or something else is causing unintended acceleration. Put it in neutral.
It sounds obvious but it's hard to remember when it happens and it won't be instinct. Turning the key off works but could cause the steering to lock or loss of breaks.
#16
If you get lost in the woods, stay where you are! The chances of finding the way out on your own are pretty slim and you’re just creating a larger search area for SAR.
Also, tell people exactly where you’re going and when you’ll be home. If you’re not home by X time, instruct someone to call for help.
#17
SLEEP WITH THE DOOR CLOSED. Fires, while you sleep, can leave your room almost completely untouched if closed.
#18
In the event you need to break a car door window don't try to smash the window dead center. Car door windows should be tempered glass which is much more brittle along their edges so strike there instead.
Dave van Es 3 years ago
If you don't have a hammer to break the glass, use the headrest of your seat.
#19
If a guard dog comes at you, look to one side and slowly turn around. Then walk away.
If a dog hunts you, scream before it reaches you and fight if it didn't scare.
The first has saved me from two rottweilers once.
Burs 3 years ago (edited)
If a gard dog comes to you avoid eye contact or sudden movements like running but do not turn your back on them! Just move slowly backwards. If one jumps to try to bite you close your fist and put it in the mouth. It will hurt like hell but it will be way less deadly than if they bite the neck or legs
#20
Chemical burns are not like fire or heat burns.
Many will not immediately trigger a reflex action of pain.
I lost a chunk of skin under my armpit because an industrial cleaner dripped under my rain suit. I had rinsed off my arm and didn't receive so much redness, but 30 minutes later I noticed my shirt was soaked in blood. No pain till the next day and by then a quarter size piece of skin had fallen off.
Read the labels and remove any chemical as quickly as possible using the recommended method. Water is not always the best way.
#21
F.A.S.T. which is a way to help you detect the early signs of a stroke on yourself or others
FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?
TIME: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.
PenitentEyeball 3 years ago (edited)
Thank you for your generosity, (I asked if it was for strokes and got answers). Even though some were sarcastic
#22
If an armed person tries to rob you, give them your money, phone, whatever. In fact, take it out slowly and carefully, drop it, and back away. Then, if you can run. If they try to force you to go with them, put up a massive fight and yell fire fire fire.
People will generally run to help fight a fire. They are not so keen to intervene when you are shouting murder.
NEVER go to the secondary location with a robber. That is where you get murdered or raped, or both.
#23
If your car is skidding on an icy or wet road, steer in the direction of the skid rather than against it. You have a better chance of regaining control of the car and you avoid the risk of flipping your car over.
Most importantly do not slam the brakes.
Bob Stuart 3 years ago
Practice all this stuff where it is safe, like an empty parking lot. You need to develop fairly accurate reflexes, not just remember instructions. I've avoided two big wrecks on black ice through instant familiarity with a skid.
#24
911 is not the emergency number in most countries. Find out what the emergency number is in whichever country you’re planning to visit.
Philippe Guibert 3 years ago
In Europe, this was not the case, 112 is the emergency number. But if you call 911 in Europe, you will be directed to an english-speaking operator.
#25
Former 911 operator here. DON'T FEEL BAD ABOUT CALLING 911! Unless it's very stupid like McDonald's screwed up your order. If it's not an emergency, they'll tell you to call non-emerg. An emergency is not just a violent crime, it's a crime or potential crime in progress, an issue affecting safety (or medical emergency or fire department issue too)
Also, teach your non-English speaking family the word for their language in English in case they need to call 911.
#26
If you're ever in a situation where your partner chokes you, get out of there as soon as you safely can. This is the number one indicator that they will in fact kill you.
#27
"flammable" and "inflammable" mean the same thing!!!!
Flammable things burn very easily, like a candle wick. Inflammable things need not be easy to ignite, like magnesium, but once ignited, will burn rapidly.
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
The confusion seems even to exist in translations. I looked it up for Dutch and some sites translate inflammable in Dutch to "onbrandbaar" which means "non-combustible".
#28
Purple flags at the beach mean dangerous sea life in the area. Most people understand the other flags, but purple can be confusing.
#29
Most drunk driving deaths occur on Saturday night between 1 and 3 am. Avoid the roads during these times if you can help it.
NotTodaySatan!! 3 years ago
And most regular vehicle accidents occur within 10 miles of your home/work as it is the area with which we are most comfortable and our attention is lower.
#30
You can give yourself the Heimlich Maneuver.
What do you think ?
Toby Flenderson 3 years ago
If you're ever chasing a roadrunner in the southwest, and accidentally run off the edge of a cliff, don't look down; gravity only works when you realize there's no ground underfoot.
Buren 3 years ago
Don't get too engrossed with your phone in the public. Watch the road, fellow people, traffics, manhole, sinkhole, incoming attacking goose..
Mazer 3 years ago
Situational awareness, learning to read people, following your instincts (gut feelings) are a big part of keeping safe. Filling your tool box (brain) with practical information, learning First Aid and CPR, taking a CERT class. When going out in nature, no matter if it is for a day trip, a run or multi-day hike, learn what you can about where you are going, weather, terrain etc. take the basics, map, whistle, water, snack, jacket, pocket flashlight or headlamp, insulated SOL blanket, knife, some 550 paracord. I live where hikers have gone out to watch the moon rise and ended up in the field unprepared for 4 days. So let people know your plans, pack a small pack and be safe while enjoying the world
Toby Flenderson 3 years ago
If you're ever chasing a roadrunner in the southwest, and accidentally run off the edge of a cliff, don't look down; gravity only works when you realize there's no ground underfoot.
Buren 3 years ago
Don't get too engrossed with your phone in the public. Watch the road, fellow people, traffics, manhole, sinkhole, incoming attacking goose..
Mazer 3 years ago
Situational awareness, learning to read people, following your instincts (gut feelings) are a big part of keeping safe. Filling your tool box (brain) with practical information, learning First Aid and CPR, taking a CERT class. When going out in nature, no matter if it is for a day trip, a run or multi-day hike, learn what you can about where you are going, weather, terrain etc. take the basics, map, whistle, water, snack, jacket, pocket flashlight or headlamp, insulated SOL blanket, knife, some 550 paracord. I live where hikers have gone out to watch the moon rise and ended up in the field unprepared for 4 days. So let people know your plans, pack a small pack and be safe while enjoying the world
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