Most of us have been in a life-threatening situation at some point, and luckily, we made it through.
Not all emergencies are created equally, though, and it’s important to know what to do when your life is on the line.
Here are 29 hacks that may just save your life one day.
1. If you and your car happen to be sinking in water, don’t touch that car door.
After impact , undo your seat belt and roll down your window as quickly as possible. At this stage, the door is unlikely to budge.
2. When you first sit down on your flight, count how many rows separate you from the nearest exit.
In the event of a fire, you will be able to stay low and count the rows while evacuating.
3. In the event that you’re being attacked in an elevator, try to press as many buttons as possible.
Not only will this prevent your attacker from getting away, bystanders may end up noticing on other floors as well. Plus it’ll be easier to get away.
4. Even though you may want to, don’t flip the bird at that angry driver next to you.
It’s entirely possible that you are flipping off an unstable individual that may escalate violence further. Simply not worth it.
5. If a projectile or other object (knife) has been lodged into your body, don’t even think about removing it.
EMT’s are trained to stabilize the object as it may be holding off internal bleeding. Let the professionals work on it.
6. If you’re being pursued in public or even attacked, do everything you can to scatter your belongings.
While you shouldn’t ditch your phone, scattering things like ID or cards in your wallet could help determine your original location.
7. Never go up or down the stairs with your hands in your pockets. This is simply a recipe for disaster.
You have to keep those hands ready for a fall that can literally come at any second.
8. Know how to determine true north.
First , put a stick in the ground that casts a shadow and mark its location. Wait 15 minutes, and connect a line between the first and second shadow mark. Place your left foot on the original mark and right foot on the second, you will be facing north.
9. This one takes some time, but make sure your hands are strong.
Spending a few minutes a day using a hand strengthener will allow you to better do things like climb or hang in position in an emergency situation.
10. Remember that 911 is a number you can call even if you don’t have a provider.
This is why that leftover phone kicking around your bedroom drawer is useful in emergencies (given that it’s charged, of course).
11. If you’re attacked in your home, try your hardest to get to the kitchen.
There are tons of potential hiding spots, weapons, and in many cases a phone. This really where you want to be.
12. If stranded in the snow, fight the urge to eat snow to stay hydrated.
The amount of energy it takes to melt the snow in your body can put you at greater risk for hypothermia.
13. If you’re stranded in water without a flotation device, use your pants.
U.S. Marines are taught to tie the legs of the pants first and then “whip” them to fill them with air. Hold the waist closed with your hands.
14. Many people have heard this, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, right?
Always stay as low as possible if you’re in a burning building. Heat and smoke will always travel up when possible.
15. This may seem trivial, but always be ready to act to get help. Hesitation may cost you precious time.
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16. Don’t text and drive. Just don’t do it. Yeah, you’ve probably texted a few times without any problem, but just stop it.
Sure, you may have the most amazing peripheral vision in the world, but it isn’t good enough. Your reaction time is way too slow to stay safe.
17. On the road, especially if you’re a cyclist, never stay too long in another driver’s blind spot.
The area shaded gray in the picture below shows the area around another vehicle that is difficult for them to see.
18. Don’t inflate your life jacket on an airplane as soon as you put it on — this may cause more harm than good.
Always wait to inflate the jacket until after you exit the plane to prevent being trapped inside.
19. If you are caught in a rip tide, our instinct is to swim directly back to shore. This is not what you want to do.
Instead, swim diagonally to shore to get away from the rip tide .
20. You may want to hide under a bridge or overpass for shelter during a tornado, but this is a big no no.
Not only can debris be swept under this structure, the structure may also collapse on you.
21. Another myth about surviving a tornado is that you should open the windows in your home to “equalize the pressure.”Please don’t do this!
If anything, you will get dangerous debris blown into your home.
22. Believe it or not, a tampon wrapper can be exactly what you need to make a fishing bobber.
By taking the tampon out of the wrapper and tying up the open end, you may just increase your chances of survival if you’re stuck in the wilderness and need something to eat.
23. If you incur some form of scrape or cut while in the wilderness, don’t wash it in a lake or river.
The possibility of infection goes up when you introduce bacteria from these sources to your wound. Try to use purified drinking water instead.
24. If you happen to see a tsunami in the distance, it’s quite likely that it is too late for you to out run it.
You’re only option is to find higher ground as quickly as possible.
25. Yes, somewhat bizarre, but a condom can be very useful when you desperately need to store goods that have to stay dry (matches, for example).
Try not to use them all so you have a few available.
26. If you’re stranded in the wild, knowing if a storm is coming can save your life.
High pressure pushes the bubbles to the edges of a beverage (expect good weather). If they move to the middle, you might want to find cover.
27. Some people believe that birds tend to fly lower in the sky when a storm is approaching.
As barometric pressure goes down during a storm, birds may have a more difficult flying at higher altitudes. This could also help you prepare yourself in a sticky situation.
28. In the event that an explosive has gone off near you, try not to move around too much, as there may be another bomb.
Stay calm, get to safety if you must, but check your area before moving.
29. If you know there’s an explosive nearby that may go off, keep your mouth open.
This may allow pressure resulting from a shock wave to flow through your body and not damage internal organs. Odd, yes, but true.
You never know, one of these tips could very well save your life one day.
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