They say that hindsight is 20/20, meaning that we often don't know what we should've done in a certain situation until it is far too late. In some circumstances, this knowledge can be the difference between life and death.
A number of people recently took to Reddit to share emergency related advice that has either saved their life or could have saved the life of someone they lost. Remember these, because one day they may make all the difference.
"Know how to swim," someone writes. "You don’t need to be Michael Phelps, but it’s great to be able to swim decently and tread water."
"At all costs, don't let an attacker drag you into a vehicle," one person writes. "You never want to go to a second location."
"If you're a stabbed or impaled and the offending object is still in your body, do NOT pull it out," one comment reads. "Doing so can make you bleed out."
"Vomiting can make a potential rapist leave you alone," this person writes. "If nothing else works, put your finger down your throat, kids."
"DO NOT jump in the water to save a drowning person unless absolutely necessary," this person says. "Drowning people tend to clasp on their rescuers and drag them under with them. Find something to throw or a some sort of lifeline."
"Prop someone on their side when they're drunk and passed out," someone writes. "If they're laying on their back and start vomiting they could asphyxiate themselves."
"Don't pour water on a grease fire," one comment reads. "you'll only make the flames worse, and you won't be able to put it out."
"If you’re ever kidnapped try to leave personal items along the way, like drop a ring or earring in the car or something. It can be helpful to find you and is evidence in trial."
"If you're lost in the woods, don't leave your location. People searching for you will start at your last known location/heading, and you'll just make their job harder by expanding the search area.
If you must leave, follow water. Early cities/towns were usually founded near a source of water, if you follow a stream you're more likely to run into civilization... Usually downstream, but really depends where you are."
"If you for some reason get stabbed in the eye with a stick, cover both eyes. Moving your injured eye can cause more damage, and it's impossible to move your eyes independently — and if they aren't covered you'll instinctively look around with the uninjured one."
"If you’re in the passenger seat of a car, never put your feet on the dashboard. In the event that you’re in a car accident, knee bones into your skull won’t end well."
"If you believe someone is in your home, what ever you do, don't turn on the lights. As much as you'd feel more comforted if the lights were on, you know your house better than anyone. You would have an easy time moving around your house while the intruder would be a lot slower."
"If you're hiking/doing anything else outdoors alone, TELL SOMEONE where you're going and when you should be back. If you become incapacitated, this will increase survival chances by a lot."
"You can perform the heimlich maneuver on yourself by making a fist and pushing upword quickly on the space between your rib cage and navel. You can lean on a piece of furniture and quickly thrust your abdomen against the edge.
I've done it twice. Still alive."
"If you drop a loaded gun, DO NOT try to catch it. Let it fall. Modern firearms do not just "go off" for like no reason.
Trying to catch it makes it easier to accidentally pull the trigger."
"Don't mix household cleaners.
Especially don't mix bleach with ammonia. That'll produce a toxic gas that can kill you."
"If you’re caught in a rip tide, swim parallel to the shore until you get out of it. Don’t try to swim against the current.
Edit: Really, you should swim perpendicular to the current (which is sometimes parallel to the shore)."
"If you you have a skin mole that has blurry edges, isn't symmetrical, is a weird shade of red, weeps fluids or acts like an open wound that won't heal, you might have skin cancer. Go to a doctor IMMEDIATELY. Melanoma kills fast.
If you have benign skin moles, keep an eye on them. Get an idea of how they should normally look so you'll notice if any begin to change like I mentioned above.
Don't forget to put on sunscreen!"
"If you crash into a body of water, wait for the car to completely fill up with water then u can easily open the door."
"F.A.S.T. which is a way to identify if you or someone else is having a stroke.
Facial drooping: A section of the face, usually only on one side, that is drooping and hard to move. This can be recognized by a crooked smile.
Arm weakness: The inability to raise one's arm fully
Speech difficulties: An inability or difficulty to understand or produce speech
Time: If any of the symptoms above are showing, time is of the essence; call the emergency services or go to the hospital."
"If you get caught in a forest fire, find an area of dried grass without many trees around. Burn the grass, some how, and lay in the patch of burnt grass. It's your best chance at survival."
"On an airplane if the oxygen masks drop put yours on first then put it on the kids. It's fine for them to get light headed. But if you do then you both die."
"Pain on your right side? Push down slightly on it and cough, if pain intensifies it's most likely your appendix and you should get it checked out."
"If you hydroplane do not make any sudden inputs just keep her straight and slowly lift off the throttle."
"If a dog is going to attack you do not run. Make yourself look as big as you can and yell and snarl like a maniac, failing that kick that dog. You are smart, you have two arms two legs and a mouth. A dog only has a mouth. You can defend yourself. Believe in yourself."
"Always keep a first aid kit, some non perishable food, and a spare change of clothes in your car."
"Never search for your keys. Always have them in your hand. Before you leave one destination to go to the car, before you leave your car to go into your house. Always have the key you need in your hand."
"Calm people live, tense people die," this person writes. "The most important thing you can ever do in a potentially life threatening situation is breathe (when possible) and focus on doing things, calmly. You can always freak out later. Panic AFTER you survive."
"Unless there is a danger in doing so, stay in your car if you're stranded in the desert/snow," this person shares. "You may need to get under your car because of the heat, but don't get away from your car. Your car is easier to find than you."
Edit 2: And yes, if you know where you are and know how to get safely to a safe place, do it, but don't go to search for help without aim.
Edit 3: Don't walk on the roadside, you're gonna get hit.
