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Safety should always come first, right? After all, everyone has seen the posters and heard the mantras that teach us to drive safe, keep away from hostile situations, and always be alert to our surroundings. But no matter how smart we are, no matter the amount of information we try to absorb, it’s impossible to know everything.

But fear not! A few months ago, Redditor drjallz rolled up their sleeves and set out on a mission to learn some of the best potentially life-saving tips everyone should know. Fellow members of the Ask Reddit community wasted no time in sharing their precious wisdom on how to act in some of the most dangerous situations. So if you ever pictured a harrowing incident and asked yourself "What if?", we bet this thread has the answer.

We at Bored Panda scrolled through the responses and wrapped up a collection of the most practical and informative replies for times you have to enter into survival mode. Hit upvote on the ones you found useful, and be sure to share your own advice with us in the comments below!

Psst! If you’re eager to learn even more safety tricks, check out our earlier posts about them right here and here.

#1

"Don’t Expect It To Look Like The Movies": 30 Lifesaving Tips That Might Save Your Life One Day If a service dog comes up to you, *follow them*. Service dogs will only leave their owners as a last ditch effort for help.

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Chris Jones
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or, as in a colleague's case, their guide dog was being naughty. Either way, he needed his dog back!

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#2

If you get caught in avalanche and not sure which way you’re facing create space around your head and spit. Gravity pulls it down and you know which way to dig.

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#3

"Don’t Expect It To Look Like The Movies": 30 Lifesaving Tips That Might Save Your Life One Day You should have a fire extinguisher in your home. You won’t need it until you really really do. 25 years ago my dad saved our house from burning down (and maybe our lives) because we had a fire extinguisher and when I moved out on my own he insisted that I get one which I’ve hauled around for years thinking I’d probably never need it.

Last weekend an electrical fire started in my building and I was the only one with an extinguisher. The fire department got there quickly so I probably didn’t save any lives, but I was able to keep it under control until they arrived. Buy one, know exactly where it is, and cut the safety tag off of it now so you don’t have to find something to cut it with in an emergency. You never know.

justntimejustin , Nothing Ahead Report

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Alex Bailey
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Going to repeat this as it is so worth it - get a fire blanket and a fire extinguisher for your kitchen. The advice to use a damp tea towel is NOT recommended by the UK Fire Brigade anymore so please don't rely on it! It is not easy to get the tea towel exactly the right level of dampness in a hurry. Too damp and it reacts with the grease, not damp enough it will just catch fire too. I know it might have saved someone but that was just luck, you don't always have time for judgement. Get the right tools for the job!

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Who Panda 420
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also guys, stop drop and roll really works. I had an extra big shirt on one time and the fan blew it into a candle and before I knew it my whole back was on fire. I stop dropped and rolled to put it out. The emergency room doctor said it saved me from any further injuries. As it was it was second degree burns but I got away with no scarring and it's completely healed now.

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Robert Davis
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Remember PASS: Pull pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze handle, Sweep the extinguisher side to side. .

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Jovita A
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Safety tags are ment to be there, to keep the pin in place and keep the extinguisher functional. They are very easy to break off, by simply pulling the pin out.

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Vesna
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Have a couple in my house and 1 in a car. We live in a dry California, and most fires start from a burning car - the stats are crazy. Also there are several types of extinguishers - for chemical fire, electrical and other. Make sure to check the labels and read it twice on how to use it.

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Sue
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And if something's on fire in the oven, just close it until it dies down. If it's on the stove, turn it off. DO NOT PUT WATER ON AN OIL FIRE.

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Snorkeldorf
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

After I attempted to "soften up" stale chocolate chip cookies in the microwave, I apparently set the timer for far too long. Who knew cookies could actually catch fire? Purchased them at the grocery store bakery but lord knows what was in those cookies. All contained to the microwave. No permanent damage other than to the cookies. My best friend found the story hysterical and bought me a fire extinguisher to be on the safe side for the future. It was, and is, greatly appreciated.

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Dill
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I do remember when there were a lot of fires caused by people heating up their Christmas Puddings for too long and they'd catch fire - when microwaves were new. These were mainly those 'dial' style timers. Digital ones tended to be more accurate!

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Kathryn Baylis
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But be sure it’s still functional if you’ve had it a while.

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Bret Sander
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are now spray paint sized extinguishers that often come in double packs for around 25 dollars.

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C Cat
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I came to comment about this! I bought one from Amazon to keep in my kitchen and move the big one to the garage. I feel like I'll be a lot less hesitant to use the small one inside

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Scagsy
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The fire department has already confirmed that they have eliminated Billy Joel from their inquiry.

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Blackheart
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Have a couple of them! There are different types. Chemical, electrical, kitchen, etc.

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The IRS
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Get a fire extinguisher and be very familiar with how it works - buying one does only 25% of the job - read the instructions - and perhaps get a couple and test one.

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Lane Smith
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If a grease fire starts on your stove, you'll be glad you keep a box of baking soda nearby to smother it.

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Jaguarundi
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a fire extinguisher on each end of each floor of my home. You never know when you'll need it and you hope that you never will.

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Giobemo
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lucky it still worked after hauling it around for years! Keep an eye on those expiration dates, and get it refreshed or buy a new one when it's time.

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TexMex
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would not recommend cutting the safety tab off unless you feel like cleaning up fine powder from accidentally triggering the extinguisher. The tab only takes about 15 pounds of pressure to break, most kids over the age of 8 can do this. Little trick is to twist the pull pin, super simple.

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Rannveig Ess
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Never, ever, ever put water on a grease fire! It will explode! Throw a towel over the fire to smother it, or pour baking soda or flour on it. This video shows what happens. Scroll to 0:44 if you want to skip the talking part https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlgCTmMGK9U

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Hugendubel
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

also : fire extingusher have expirey date -they need to be serviced

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Deep One
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have one in my kitchen, one in the garage and one in the door of my truck. (Twice I've seen cars on fire on the freeway. I didn't have an extinguisher for the first one and didn't save it. I did save the second one!)

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mrmrsmays
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And don't store your extinguisher next to your stove. You might not be able to retrieve it in case of fire.

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Lavender Oak
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think they're mandatory in my county or state, every apartment/rental property has to have them either in each unit or one per X units and located in the corridor outside the main unit doors. At least in my experience lately. The place I currently live has them under the kitchen sink in every unit, they're kinda medium sized. Then in the corridors there are huge ones. They do annual inspections and sign off that the extinguisher is up to date, in the right location, and functional while they check the sprinkler heads and change all the smoke detector batteries. It's an open plan 2 bed 2 bath and there are 6 smoke detectors, it's insane. If I set the oven over 400 they go off 😂 Then there's the building alarm that connects all units. I definitely feel fire safe in this building! Even on the 3rd floor I think we'd get ample evacuation time and hopefully early containment.

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Marilyn Russell
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes I have been meaning to get one and I have a wood/oil furnace. Years ago, when I lived in a city and went to a laundromat, a dryer suddenly caught on fire and neither the attendant nor an extinguisher were anywhere to be found. My sister was with me and she ran to the next door clothing business and asked for theirs and the chickie poo didn’t want to give it since it costs money to refill it! Uh, if that place burns down honey, it’s taking yours with it.

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Mary Hiers
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Seriously, this is excellent advice. A fire extinguisher can also be a great housewarming gift. We have never used ours in our house, but one time a guy stopped on the road in front of our house with his car on fire, and we were able to put it out. You just never know!

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bexxms
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And if you have an extinguisher, have it serviced regularly, It won't do you any good in an emergency if you press the lever and it just fizzles out.

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Amy Stone-Chandler
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've had one in my kitchen since my very first apartment at 15. Btw, they DO expire in most places! Make sure canister is in good shape etc

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Jo Davies
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have 3. Luckily escaped from an oil fire in the kitchen and will not go through that again

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Ashley Deane
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

THIS IS YOUR SIGN, BUY A FIRE EXTINGUISHER!! It's so insane to see this rn. My dad literally saved ant and probably more, just 2 days ago. If he didn't have a fire extinguisher the fire definitely would have spread to other apartments. He lives in an apartment building for elderly and handicapped and welfare people. There's more than 400 apartments. There's 7 floors. IF HE DIDN'T HAVE THE EXTINGUISHER IT WOULD HAVE SPREAD TO AT LEAST 3 APARTMENTS. That came from the fire chief himself.

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Laura Pantazis
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I didn't feel safe in my house without a fire extinguisher. I bought one for the kitchen and a mini one for my bedroom. It is small enough to fit in the dresser drawer. It gave me comfort knowing I had it in case of an emergency.

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Carol Emory
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We had some people that lived in a home next to our apartment complex. Idiots threw a bbq with hot charcoal embers in the bushes between their house and our corner building. Bushes went up in flames and started melting the siding on our buildings. One of the kids yelled fire and my neighbors kids ran to every fire extinguisher in the complex, tore them off the wall and used them to hold back the flames until the fire department arrived. Without them, the fire department would have had more to handle and probably would have had more damage to the complex.

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Heidi
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had to get one for a home chemistry kit I used for a class, and it makes me feel better to have it on hand.

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Kathy Loman
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had 6 fire extinguishers in my home because it was an old trailer. Also kept one in my vehicle too.

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Ivana Bašić
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Buildings in the US aren't supposed to have fire extinguishers? Ours has one on every floor, building property. Yes, we have one, too, if course, but they're required by law to have them.

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Jen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Public buildings and apartment/condo buildings with more than a certain number of units need to have a built in fire suppression system. Single family homes, duplexes, and other smaller buildings dont. There are a lot of converted victorian and colonial houses that now have 4-6 apartments in them and they dont need a built in system, but most landlords Ive had (all the good ones) will keep a single use one maintained in each kitchen.

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Steve Barnett
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As someone that's been in a similar situation. Chip pan fire, wooden house, not brick. Would’ve burnt the house down in minutes. My girlfriend was clever. She dampened a towel and covered the chip pan. Fortunately, my other friend, was persuaded not to pick up the pan and try and throw it out of the house. I therefore also have a fire extinguisher, plus numerous fire alarms. Never underestimate the quickness and devastation of fire.

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Alex Bailey
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sorry, but no. She was lucky. Honestly, this advice gets repeated a lot. It is NOT recommended by the Fire Brigade of the UK anymore. As it is really hard to get the dampness of the towel exactly right to extinguish the flames - often the tea towel catches fire as well or the water reacts with the grease. Please, please everyone get two things for your kitchen. Do it today! A fire extinguisher and a fire blanket. We had both of these when we had a kitchen fire. We got the fire under control and the Fire Brigade sorted out the rest.

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Mental Liberals
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1 year ago (edited)

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

You should have a firearm in your home, and know how to use it. You won’t need it until you really really do. When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.

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L̸1̶z̵
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No thank you. I'll stay here in Canada where we have strict gun control laws and practically no gun violence.

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#4

"Don’t Expect It To Look Like The Movies": 30 Lifesaving Tips That Might Save Your Life One Day A person who is drowning doesn’t look like people drowning on TV. When someone is drowning, they rarely cry out, can’t wave their arms around, and will often just bob/sink at the surface for a very little while, often gasping, before submerging. Don’t expect it to look like the movies when you’re keeping an eye on swimmers.

mnschu67 , Luca Nardone Report

#5

"Don’t Expect It To Look Like The Movies": 30 Lifesaving Tips That Might Save Your Life One Day If you think you’re being followed, turn right four times. Since you’ll get to the same place, they shouldn’t be following you anymore. If they do, you might be in trouble. Since it’s a common warning that you shouldn’t go home when you think someone is following you, the smartest is to go to a police station.

mnschu67 , Erik Mclean Report

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Wondering Alice
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In my teens, long before mobiles, I was in a car with 2 other girls and we were being followed by a car with 4 boys. We tried a few turns, panicked a lot trying to think up what to do. Thought about hitting a motor way and speeding but realized scared inexperienced driver should not do this. We remembered local college had a manned security gate so headed there. Turned out the boys had been trying to tell us about a broken light. The lovely college security gave them a long lecture in what not to do.

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#6

"Don’t Expect It To Look Like The Movies": 30 Lifesaving Tips That Might Save Your Life One Day If you go on a long, overnight hike, take a jar of peanut butter. If you get lost, that can keep you alive if you’ve already finished your food. Also, take a BLUE tarp. It’s the only color that doesn’t mesh with the environment and can make air search easier.

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#7

"Don’t Expect It To Look Like The Movies": 30 Lifesaving Tips That Might Save Your Life One Day If you or a person you’re with hits their head, briefly loses consciousness, but then becomes awake and alert again GO TO THE HOSPITAL ASAP.

You could have what’s called an epidural bleed in your brain, which classically presents as loss of consciousness followed by lucidity.

If you go home and just try to sleep it off, you likely won’t wake up.

whor3moans , RODNAE Productions Report

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LeighAnne Brown-Pedersen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It’s more important for someone else to watch you. I’ve seen small concussions get more and more confused. In the hospital, we wake people and do a basic neuro check every 4 hours for 24h.

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#8

"Don’t Expect It To Look Like The Movies": 30 Lifesaving Tips That Might Save Your Life One Day In a nuclear explosion, most of the damage and death is caused by the shockwave the blast creates, not the fireball which has a comparatively small radius. One day you may find yourself outside or looking out a window to see an extremely bright flash. As bright as if you were staring straight at the sun. Do not attempt to locate the source of the flash. You have maybe 8-10 seconds to respond if you’re far enough away from the fireball. Lay face down on the ground and put your thumbs in your ears and fingers over your eyes. Breathe through your teeth. Since you’re laying face down the shockwave will mostly pass over you. (If you’re standing up it can cause your lungs, eardrums, and other organs to explode.) Once the shockwave passes over you, you need to find shelter immediately. I said before that most death from the explosion is caused by the shockwave. Well, FAR more death is subsequently caused by nuclear fallout AFTER the blast. Do not attempt to travel anywhere. Just get underground. If you’re next to a complete stranger’s house or a business, don’t hesitate to go inside and hide out under as much concrete and steel as possible. You need to remain in this location for the next 48 hours. This is critical. Even if you survive the blast if you attempt to go home and spend just 20 minutes outside traveling you will more than likely die of radiation sickness. Radioactive material after a blast decays exponentially, and you will be safe to try and find your loved ones after 48 hours. If you don’t wait this out, you definitely won’t be alive to find them. When you’re ready, you need to leave the city and get as far from the fallout as you can.

mnschu67 , Wikipedia Report

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Kate Micheals
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think I'd rather die in the initial shockwave then diary of radiation sickness which is bound to happen in the next few days after experiencing something like this.

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#9

If you get caught up in an undercurrent and notice you’re getting dragged slowly out to sea, do not swim directly toward shore. Swim parallel to the shore until you don’t feel yourself being pulled out, then swim directly toward the shore.

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#10

Get a Carbon Monoxide detector with a ppm meter on it.

Recently, I was experiencing intermittent bouts of nausea and lethargy, so I suspected CO poisoning despite my detectors being up to code. I bought a new one with a meter to check if there were trace amounts in my apartment.

I discovered that my oven has a leak, so whenever I cook I get exposed to CO ranging from 35 to 90 ppm, which is pretty high. How come the detectors didn’t go off? Turns out that they only beep when there’s 50ppm for 8 hours, or 150 ppm for 5 to 10 minutes——I was just below the threshold while still getting smashed with carbon monoxide.

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#11

"Don’t Expect It To Look Like The Movies": 30 Lifesaving Tips That Might Save Your Life One Day Expired epinephrine (epi pen) is better than no epinephrine

Studies show, if properly cared for, epi retains full practical potency for up to 5 years past expiration. Just dont leave it sit in sunlight, freeze, or heat it. All those things speed up its breakdown.

This is especially important to know these days, with epi being $600+, a lot of poor people with serious allergies may be throwing out epi that is in fact still good. When you dont need to replace it every year, its a huge game changer when youre poor and uninsured.

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Kinga Paździorko
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just to let people know: epi pen costs 56 USD in Poland..... HOW 600+ USD is even legal?

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#12

"Don’t Expect It To Look Like The Movies": 30 Lifesaving Tips That Might Save Your Life One Day If you see someone who may be unconscious and looks like they're about to vomit ROLL THEM ONTO THEIR SIDE. Also do this if someone passes out drunk.

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#13

If you are alone and start choking, you can use the back of a chair or sofa to perform the Heimlich Maneuver on yourself. Source: had to do it to myself when I was about 15

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#14

Pressure on the wound is more important than covering it. Ice can also stem blood flow.

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Britt Massez
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also, don't pull any object out of a wound, it is better to stabilize it than bleeding out when you pull it out. Leave the removing part to the doctors

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#15

If you've swallowed something wrong in a restaurant and it's blocked your throat, even if you aren't technically "choking" yet, do NOT go to the bathroom out of embarrassment. The majority of female choking deaths occur in the restroom because they excused themselves out of embarrassment for "making a scene"


Edit: the advice of 'don't go to the bathroom or isolate yourself when choking' obviously applies to both genders. I just don't know the statistics for where men are more likely to die when choking or why it's different than women. But I would imagine it has to do with: as women, we are more likely to stupidly be embarrassed and try to hide than men are.

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censor
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I saved myself and my kid with this advice recently. If you get soemthing stuck in your throat, CALM DOWN and STOP breathing. do NOT inhale, that sucks it in further. Try breathe in, slowly, through your nose. Sometimes the air can get past the block that way. Once you have managed to get some air in, cough outwards as hard as you can, but do it facing downwards, e.g. sloping down from a bed or couch, so that the whatever object gets help from gravity as well. Inhaling in a panic is what kills you.

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#16

If you get stabbed, do everything in your power to keep the knife in. The knife is acting as a makeshift seal and it’s the only thing keeping you from bleeding out. Keep it in and get to a hospital immediately.

Plus, if it hurts like a b***h going in, it’ll hurt like a b***h going out.

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Ranger Kanootsen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yup. I've accidentally punctured, definitely best to leave it in until a professional gets it out.

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#17

If you are lost in the desert, or a lot of places for that matter, the number one thing you can carry to increase your chances of being found is a small reflective mirror. Anytime a plane flies overhead you can reflect light towards them, and you greatly increase your chances of being found. This seriously is more important than carrying more water with you (not that water doesn’t help, it’s just not realistic to carry that much water on your back). Furthermore, if you get stranded in the desert with a vehicle, do not leave your vehicle to find people. You are a lot harder to see than your vehicle, and your car can provide shelter (your car has some good reflective mirrors to signal with, especially the rearview mirror). Finally, the universal sign for needing to be rescued is waving two arms up and down. If you can’t use both of your arms, there is another universal way to signal for help that is more versatile. The way I can best describe it is three of anything quick signal. Three gunshots, three whistle blows, three flashes of a flashlight, three flashes from a reflective mirror, etc. Just make sure they are spaced widely enough (at least one second) and that you spend a considerable time before making your next three signals.

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Mindghost
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pilot: " i see a person with ripped clothes waving like a maniac, but only with one arm. I guess he's just friendly :) *waves back and flys on*"

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#18

If you’re being tied up, puff yourself out as much as possible so it’ll be easier to wiggle out of. Tense muscles, inhale deep and stretch out your arms and legs to make more space.

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Anonymousplease
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Me and my sister sometimes play a game where we blindfold and tie eachother to a chair and have to escape (it's fun and good practice with knot tying and escaping) and I have tried this and it makes a big difference in getting out

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#19

"Don’t Expect It To Look Like The Movies": 30 Lifesaving Tips That Might Save Your Life One Day If your car gets stuck on snow and your tire(s) just spin, you can take out your floor mats and stuff them under the wheel that spins when you press the gas. This will hopefully give the car enough traction to get itself rolling so you can be on your way again.

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Lane Smith
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is one of those "lifehacks" that works way better in theory than in actual practice.

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#20

Learn how to stay calm, breathe and assess situations. This will help in so many future surprise situations. Be aware of your surroundings, exits, bathrooms and where medical/fire kits, where land-line phones are if they are around.

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Barbara L Bristow
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Listen to the stewardess telling you where the exits are, etc. It could save your life

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#21

If someone has a seizure around you get them on their side, start timing their seizure, then protect their head as best you can, if you know they are epileptic and have emergency meds give EXACTLY how the bottle states, NEVER RESTRAIN, NEVER EVER INSERT SOMETHING IN THE MOUTH (yes they will likely bite their tongue, yes it'll probably bleed, no we can't swallow our tongues.) If this is the first seizure that they have ever had call paramedics and ESPECIALLY if the seizure lasts longer than 5 mins (regardless if they have epilepsy or not) call paramedic. Inform the professionals of any meds/drugs the person has taken(if you gave emergency meds) stay with person till help arrives.


Seizures/epilepsy affects millions of people and they can absolutely result in death sometimes. Especially from choking due to poor help from bystanders. Please help us stay alive

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RenaMoonlight
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I worked in France and had first aid training I was told to never give a person their meds, not even feed them water, if they can't take the meds or drink the water on their own. If anything happens to that person you may be held responsible. So, always check the laws of a country. In some countries, if you refuse to help them, and something happens to them, you will also be held responsible for denying help.

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#22

If you’re ever feeling lightheaded and seeing stars, and just a general feeling of thinking you’re going to pass out. Lay on your back and put your legs in the air and take deep breaths in and out. The blood from your brain rushed down to your feet and doing this will rush it back to your head.

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Strawberry Pizza
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or sit on a chair and put your head between your knees if lying down isn't possible. That also helps.

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#23

Embassies/consulates have emergency numbers they answer 24 hours a day. Save (on your phone) the phone number of your nearest embassy/consulate when abroad. If you get in many kinds of trouble (with the police, other legal issues, medical stuff, if you’re a victim of a crime, lost your passport, etc.), they can help you much more effectively than your family/friends back home can.

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Wondering Alice
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Erm.... Having had to call embassies and consulates, I would not advise relying on them. Family/friends back home have the luxury of time and resources to call among other places embassies on the off chance they are helpful. Of course it depends on your nationality and the country you are in. If you ever find yourself in trouble in foreign country, airports can often be helpful for advice.

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#24

If you ever lose control of your car (i.e. The rear end starts to come around on the freeway), take your foot off the gas and DO NOT hit the brakes. Take note of the direction the rear end is wanting to spin and turn into it. So if your rear end starts to spin counterclockwise you would want to turn the steering wheel clockwise opposing that spin. Do not over turn as you can cause the car to snap back too far and spin in the other direction. If you live in a snowy place you can practice this in an empty parking lot during a snowy day. Always leave room between the car in front of you!

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censor
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Similarly if you hit a puddle of water and start aquaplaning, do NOT brake, do NOT accelerate, just let the car drift to a halt and try steer to the emergency lane.

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#25

When caught in a stampede:

As soon as you get knocked down your chances decrease significantly. If this is the case, however, and you can’t get up immediately, assume a protective posture with your feet tucked up and your hands covering your head. Try to position your face in the direction the crowd is moving so you don’t get kicked and try to get back on your feet ASAP.

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Alex Bailey
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Grew up on a farm. Our 100+ herd stampeded when I was about 10 years old. Was absolutely effing terrifying. My dad shouted 'stand still they'll go around you'. Yeah, right. As if the instinct to run doesn't kick in anyway! I RAN. For anyone unsure my dad was completely wrong, they won't go round you. I threw myself over the gate to the field and looked back... they'd gone the other way. That was lucky, very lucky.

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#26

Keep your bedroom door closed at night. It could save your life in a house fire. Check your smoke alarms regularly.

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#27

If you have a cough that lasts more than 3 weeks, get it checked out by your doctor. Don't ever think you're wasting their time.

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Al Christensen
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"...get it checked out by your doctor." Doctor's Clerk: "Okay, we can fit you in in six weeks." No, go to an urgent care place or ER.

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#28

Here’s some quick nature-related ones! Primarily for hikers and people who like to mess around outside.



-If you encounter an animal that looks like it’s ready to stand its ground, do not run and do not turn your back. Doing so will likely provoke them further. No, you can’t fistfight a moose.

-If you’re ever pursued by bees/wasps, run like hell! They don’t chase you particularly far (save for killer bees) and you will likely get away with minimal stings. Don’t go into water. They’re not stupid, they will wait for you to poke your fleshy bits above the water to breathe, and you will be attacked.

-Snakes, Spiders, Scorpions. If you’re bit/stung, it may be a good idea to try and capture the animal so that it can be identified. However, only do so if you’re 100% certain that you can capture the animal quickly without further endangering yourself. Getting bit by a cobra is bad, getting bit by a cobra three times because you think you need to catch it is *REALLY* bad. Focus on getting your a*s to a hospital and if you can, keep an idea of what the animal looked like. Most hospitals are stocked with anti venom for local species, and most species are distinct enough for a description to work as an identifier.

-Bats. If you get bit by a bat, or even have cause to *believe* you were bit by a bat, immediately get a rabies series. Bats are frequent carriers, and rabies is 100% lethal if it becomes symptomatic.

-Currents. If you’re trapped in any sort of current, be it a river or the sea, do not fight it. You will tire yourself out, and you will die. You will never win against water. Instead, swim perpendicular to the current.

-Wild animals, primarily large ones. If you bump into one and it tries to back you off, get the hell away. See tip #1 for what not to do. If you get the hell away and it sticks around, stay vigilant and leave the area immediately. It’s likely a predator doing this, and it’s stalking you. It sees you as food, and wants you dead. Whatever you’re doing, drop it and GTFO.

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#29

If you ever get a tooth knocked out or pulled out, put it in milk. Depending on the roots they may be able to preserve the tooth!

If you ever cut the quik on your dogs nails, keep a bar of soap on hand and rub the paw/nail area into the soap bar to stop the bleeding.

Always keep a photo of important documents in your email or your phone. Phone is handiest - save it to a specific document. Trust me - people lose papers often, or don’t have a copy of ID readily available and if you ever had them stolen you have copies to help get the new ones, shut down old accts, etc and still have some things to use in the interim if absolutely necessary. Also - for your car - keep a photocopy of your ownership in the car and not the ACTUAL ownership (advice from an officer that I was once given).

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basil
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This might be a dumb question but why would you want to preserve the tooth?

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#30

Don't try to breath under water, you're not a fish

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