The Emergency Survival Manual: 294 Life-Saving Skills
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About this ebook
Who’s better suited to write a book about handling emergencies than an Emergency and Risk Management Consultant and the CEO of Mutual Aid Response Services (MARS)? Joseph Pred is the go-to-guy for assessing and handling emergencies. When you combine his knowledge with that of the experts at Outdoor Life magazine, what do you get? An epic book filled with lifesaving skills. This book also covers what to do before the first responders arrive…or if they never do.
Basic Tools & Skills: Everything you need to know to assess and start handling an emergency. From stocking a first aid kit and treating burns, cuts and broken bones, to protecting yourself when using pepper spray and performing CPR.
Home and Family Safety: Protect your house and keep you and your family safe. Learn how to deal with a lost child, handle house fires, public transit scares, car accidents, and help a sick or hurt pet.
Community Safety: All the ways to help your neighbors and keep your community safe. From what to do if you see a house being broken into and dealing with school tragedies, to coping with a major natural disaster and handling a toxic spill—and everything in between.
When disaster strikes you want to be ready, and you can be with the Emergency Survival Manual.
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The Emergency Survival Manual - Joseph Pred
JOSEPH PRED
AND THE EDITORS OF OUTDOOR LIFE
CONTENTS
SKILL
1 Get the Right Mindset
2 Practice Your Awareness
3 Color Your Perceptions
4 Sharpen Your Senses
5 Shake Your Tail
6 Avoid Automatic Behavior
7 Keep Yourself in the Loop
8 Perfect Awareness Through Practice
9 Adapt and Overcome
10 Call Emergency Services
11 Dial Direct
12 Handle It Yourself
13 Get Professional Help
14 Understand and Accept Stress
15 Recognize Signs of Stress
16 Tend to Vicarious Trauma
17 Manage Your Mental Health
18 Suit Up for Safety
19 Mask Up
20 Wear It Properly
21 Put the Right One On
22 Get Good Gloves
23 Change Gloves Often
24 Don’t Be a Hero
25 PREPARED VS IMPROVISED: Protect Yourself
26 Get It on Tape
27 Tool Up with Tape
28 Be a Duct Tape Doctor
29 Escape Duct Tape Handcuffs
30 Keep Paracord Handy
31 Lift and Lower Loads (Not People)
32 Become a String Surgeon
33 Tie Three Useful Knots
34 Defend Yourself
35 Get Schooled
36 Try Krav Maga
37 Keep At It
38 Use Your Imagination
39 Do What It Takes
40 Avoid Knife Fights
41 Hit Where It Counts
42 Throw a Power Punch
43 Shout It Out
44 Stock Your Toolshed
45 Fill Your Household Tool Kit
46 Choose a Basic Self-Protection Gun
47 Handle Guns Safely
48 Carry Responsibly
49 Zap a Bad Guy
50 Wield Pepper Spray
51 ESSENTIAL GEAR: Light It Up
52 Shine Bright
53 Get a Headlight
54 Ward Off Water
55 Run on Sunlight
56 Get Power in Your Pocket
57 Hack a Vehicle Battery for Power
58 Understand Battery Capacity
59 Improvise a First Aid Kit
60 Go to Bedroom, Bathroom, and Beyond
61 Raid Your Kitchen
62 PREPARED VS IMPROVISED: Fill Up Your First Aid Kit
63 Be Safe on the Scene
64 Get Educated
65 Get Some Serious Training
66 Treat Your Patients Right
67 Build Your First Aid Kit
68 Take It to the Next Level
69 Use Your OTC Meds
70 Use Antibiotics Wisely
71 Know Common Prescription Meds
72 Know Common Allergies
73 Prepare for Anaphylaxis
74 Employ an Epipen
75 Look for a Medic Alert
76 Call for Medevac
77 Open an Airway
78 Breathe for Them
79 Control Bleeding
80 Put on the Pressure
81 Use a Tourniquet Properly
82 Rig a Tourniquet
83 Help Someone Who Has Been Impaled
84 Deal with a Gunshot Wound
85 Administer CPR
86 Use an AED
87 Help a Choking Victim
88 Save Yourself
LIFE SAFETY APP: FIRST AID
89 Know Injury Types
90 Spot an Infection
91 Bandage a Wound
92 Superglue It
93 Handle a Heart Attack
94 Recognize a Stroke
95 Address an Anxiety Attack
96 Help Them Calm Down
97 Help a Seizure Victim
98 Protect a Patient’s Spine
99 Help a Victim Recover
100 Treat for Shock
101 Recognize a Hairline Fracture
102 Stabilize a Fracture
103 Sling an Injured Arm
104 Splint a Limb
105 Identify and Treat Burns
106 Care for Chemical Burns
107 Avoid Live Wires
108 Help a Shocked Person
109 Handle Hypothermia
110 Avoid Frostbite
111 Survive Heat Illness
112 Defeat Dehydration
113 Beware Common Poisons
114 Know Signs of Poisoning
115 Treat a Poisoning Victim
116 Don’t Panic over Pregnancy
117 Deal with Labor
118 Deliver a Baby
119 Perform Infant CPR
120 Have a Helper
121 Be a Helpful Parent
122 Be Patient with Little Patients
FAMILY
123 Grab Your Go Bag
124 Keep It in Your Pocket
125 Assemble an EDC
126 Ride It Out at Home
127 Avoid a Riot
128 Be School Safe
LIFE SAFETY APP: SOCIAL MEDIA
129 Anticipate Emergencies at Work
130 Survive Being Stuck in an Elevator
131 Have a Commute Backup Plan
132 Be Ready for Travel Troubles
133 Get a New Passport
134 Spot a Pickpocket
135 Avoid Being a Victim
136 Use a Decoy Wallet
137 ESSENTIAL GEAR: Pack Lifeboat Rations
138 Get the Right Rations
139 Add Protein
140 Signal for Help
141 Identify Disaster Risks and Needs
142 Prepare for a Zombie Attack
143 Develop a Plan
144 Check Out Your Plan
LIFE SAFETY APP: KIDS’ SAFETY
145 Keep in Contact
146 Communicate in a Disaster
147 Be Aware of ICE
148 Carry a Card
149 Mitigate Home Disaster
150 Keep It Together
151 Fuel Up
152 Keep a 72-Hour Supply
153 Stock the Right Supplies
154 Consider Emergency Alternatives
155 Hold Your Water
156 Keep Caffeine On Hand
157 Test Your Kit
158 PREPARED VS IMPROVISED: Stock Food and Water
159 Get Ready for Lights Out
160 Guard the Neighborhood
161 Eat Right in an Outage
162 Throw It Out if It’s Thawed
163 ESSENTIAL GEAR: Communicate Clearly
164 Keep Your Home Secure
165 Step Up Your Security
166 Let Fido Help Out
167 Handle a Home Invasion
168 Use Force Judiciously
169 Install Smoke Detectors
170 Detect Carbon Monoxide
171 Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
172 Don’t Rely on the Sticker
173 Use a Fire Extinguisher
174 Fight a Fire Right
175 Know When to Flee
176 ESSENTIAL GEAR: Climb to Safety
177 Hold Your Breath
178 Stop, Drop, and Roll
179 Escape a Burning House
180 Smother a Fire
181 PREPARED VS IMPROVISED: Respond to Fires
182 Fix a Flooded Basement
183 Build a Wall
184 Make a Pyramid
185 Fill Sandbags Correctly
186 Get Kids Ready
187 Explain Clearly
188 Prepare Online
189 Teach Your Kids to Be Safe
190 Spot a Potential Runaway
191 Convince a Teen to Stay
192 Handle a Missing Teen
193 Help a Lost Child
194 Childproof Your Home
195 Don’t Have a Hot Dog
196 Give the Right Medicines
197 Handle an Injured Pet
LIFE SAFETY APP: DRUG REFERENCES
198 Give a Pet CPR
199 Run Off a Raccoon
200 Know When to Go to the Vet
201 Transport Your Pet Safely
202 Avoid a Dog Attack
203 Understand Aggression
204 Recognize Warning Signs
205 Fight Off an Attacking Dog
206 Teach Your Child Dog Safety
207 Read MSDS
208 Meet Mr. Yuk
209 Read the Fire Diamond
210 Drive Defensively
211 Charge It Yourself
212 Get Out of a Skid
213 Steer with Blown Tires
214 Deal with Brake Failure
215 Drive Safely on Flooded Roads
216 Tend to a Traffic Accident
217 Shoot the Scene
218 Help a Downed Rider
219 Stay Safe in Transit
220 Handle Hassle Discreetly
221 Don’t Be a Bystander
LIFE SAFETY APP: GPS
222 Survive a Sinking Ship
223 Get Through a Plane Crash
LIFE SAFETY : CLOUD STORAGE
224 Bucket Up
225 Address Book It
226 Make a Date to Prepare
COMMUNITY
227 Avoid a World of Trouble
228 Chart Your Priorities
229 Take Only What You Can
230 Decide Whether to Stay (or Go)
231 Evacuate Early
232 Signal for Help
233 Wave for Help
LIFE SAFETY APP: AMERICAN RED CROSS
234 Know Your Weather Alerts
235 Categorize Weather Alerts
236 Heed Warning Flags
237 Store Food for the Long Term
238 Pack It Up Right
239 Cook in a Disaster
240 Keep Your Stash Fresh
241 Purify Water
242 Try Solar Disinfection
243 Distill Water Properly
244 ESSENTIAL GEAR: Use a SteriPEN
245 Make Normal Saline
246 Disinfect with Bleach
247 Get Out of the Mud
248 Cross Fast-Moving Water
249 Assess Your Home After a Flood
250 Scale It Up
251 Prepare for the Tempest
252 Handle a Hurricane
253 Beware the Eye of the Storm
254 Tell When a Twister Is Coming
255 Judge a Tornado’s Course
256 Stay Safe in a Tornado
257 PREPARED VS IMPROVISED: Pack Your Go Bag
258 Survive Being Snowbound in a Car
259 Get Through a Blizzard at Home
260 Set Up a Snow Pantry
261 Ride Out an Earthquake
262 Survive Under Debris
263 Assess a Concussion
264 Know Tsunami Warning Signs
265 Brace for Impact
LIFE SAFETY APP: WEATHER
266 Beware Volcanic Hazards
267 Protect Yourself from Ashfall
268 Look Out for Lahar
269 Handle a HazMat Event
270 Decontaminate Yourself
271 Get a Disaster Under Your Thumb
272 Seal Your Home
273 PREPARED VS IPROVISED: Fortify Your Home
274 Avoid the Plague
275 Wash Up
276 Pack Extra Pandemic Supplies
277 Don a Mask Correctly
278 Know the Plan
279 Be a Community Activist
280 Lend a Helping Hand
281 Study Solar Flares
282 Be Aware of X-Class Flares
283 Prepare for Space Weather
284 Avoid an Active Shooter
285 Protect Yourself from a Shooter
286 Treat a Dangerous Package with Care
287 Keep Cash on Hand
288 Secure Your Cash
289 Automate Your Cash Flow
290 Protect Important Documents
291 Plan to Be Prepared
292 Back Up Your Plans
293 Be Resilient
294 Set Your Priorities
RESOURCE
• Check Your Home for Hazards
• Know What’s Safe to Eat
• Return to a Safe Home
A WORST-CASE COMPANION
My pocketknife is alarmingly orange, adequately sharp, and always in the left front pocket of my pants, whether those are faded work jeans or business-casual khakis. I use the lockback skinner mainly to slice apples, clean my fingernails (not always in that order), and open boxes. But it’s always there, because I never know when I’ll also need it to cut a seatbelt, fend off a mugger, or hack my way into—or out of—a burning curtain factory.
This is the nature of emergency preparedness. While statistically speaking, the other guy (or girl) has a better chance of getting it—whatever it is—than you do, many of us keep an eye open for the worst that the world might deal. Maybe it’s a car wreck, or a house fire, a killer tornado, or a rabid raccoon. A 3-inch knife might not prevent or neutralize any of these disasters, but it can’t hurt to have one in hand.
This is the premise and promise of the book in your other hand: that it’s better to be prepared for the worst than it is to be surprised and defenseless when it arrives. Because it will arrive. While statistically speaking, emergencies will remain strangers at any given moment, every human lifetime edges close to calamity at least once or twice. It might be a car accident, a natural disaster, a riot, or a fall down a flight of stairs.
As I reviewed and edited this excellent and useful crisis-response compilation, it occurred to me that humans can be almost equally divided into two camps: those who expect the worst and prepare for it and those who hope it will never happen to them. This is a book for the former, for those who recognize the world is a hazardous place and want to know precisely what to do when the shit goes down. For these people, knowledge is power, and this book is full of useful knowledge.
There is no better guide to this world of tragic what-if than author Joseph Pred. Pred has been a certified Emergency Medical Technician for more than 20 years, and he has trained in law enforcement, fire fighting, crisis intervention, and public-safety management. His particular field of expertise is in recognizing and mitigating the risks of large public gatherings, its own stew of suspended catastrophe and potential disaster.
Do you need this book? No. Not if you expect the best of the world, or think that disaster will never visit you. But if you fret about the contents of that strange package, or worry about the stability of the power grid or that rickety elevator, or if you want to know where to find safe air in a fire, how to splint a facture, or how to hack your car’s battery to get out of trouble, then read this book. And pack an adequately sharp pocketknife.
ANDREW MCKEAN
Editor-in-Chief, Outdoor Life
ARE YOU PREPARED?
Emergencies and disasters might feel like they belong in the realm of Hollywood movies, or like something that always seems to happen to someone else. After all, it can be uncomfortable to think about circumstances where things might be out of your control and the outcome is uncertain. But the fact is, emergencies happen to everyone. If you’re lucky, the emergencies and disasters you face will be relatively minor, but sooner or later they will affect your life in some way. This book isn’t intended to scare you with disasters or worst-case scenarios, nor is it intended to be an extreme end-of-the-world ‘prepper’ manual. Instead, it’s intended for everyday people who want to be more informed and prepared, no matter what life brings. Facing adversity is difficult under almost any circumstance, but being unprepared makes coping with those emergencies that much harder. Your willingness to increase your awareness, take steps to plan ahead, and accept that life sometimes means handling tough situations with as much calm determination as you can manifest, will help you be resilient and prevail.
Unfortunately, some of you may have had less than enjoyable experiences in the past with really dry and uninspiring material about safety, disasters, and preparedness. This book, however, is colorfully designed to be easy to read, with subjects broken down into bite-sized pieces that won’t overwhelm you with too much information or detail.
This book provides an introduction to a wide variety of skills and strategies that will be helpful in a wide range of circumstances. You can use it as a broad reference guide, or pick and choose just the content that feels most relevant to your needs. Either way, I hope it will inspire you to explore your level of preparedness, to better understand the potential hazards in your environment, to take a class to deepen your skills, and to volunteer to serve your community in a time of need.
If you’re new to disaster preparedness, look at this book as a resource to help you and your family get started. Don’t feel too much pressure to get it all done
— or master every skill immediately. Instead, arm yourself with curiosity to learn the new skills and tools that will help you handle almost any crisis. There’s a lot to learn, but very step you takes you farther away from being a victim and brings you closer to being a true survivor. If you already have your 72 hour emergency kit and are reading this to learn more, you’ll hopefully find a new ways to approach an existing challenge or information to further deepen your preparedness. Either way, you’re bound to learn and expand your knowledge.
JOSEPH PRED
Author
WHAT STARTED AS A PLEASANT CAMPING TRIP COULD HAVE EASILY TURNED TRAGIC.
A friend was petting a horse in a meadow when the horse unexpectedly kicked her in the head. She managed to stagger over to us despite bleeding from a head wound. Luckily my medical training meant that I was able to evaluate her condition (she needed stitches, but fortunately her skull wasn’t fractured), and arrange to get her taken safely out of the park, and driven to a hospital for treatment. My work in public safety means that I’ve had many opportunities to make a difference, but this one was personal, and helping friends and family has been the most meaningful to me. I’ve learned that having the skills to help someone can transform a potentially scary situation into one that feels manageable.
Not knowing what to do in a difficult situation is a terrible feeling, a feeling of powerlessness. It’s even worse in an emergency, when you don’t have the skills to cope. We often rely on emergency responders to be there when we need them most, but in some crises you may instead have to rely on yourself and the people around you to handle the situation. The skills and gear explored in this section will help you be better prepared to handle a variety of challenging situations, from the everyday to the catastrophic. Easily stressed out or overwhelmed? You’ll learn how situational awareness and crisis management techniques apply to a wide range of scenarios. Wondering about first aid? Learn how to assess shock, handle a seizure, or stop serious bleeding. Are you prepared to defend yourself? Explore different ways to fend off an attack armed with your wits or with something that has a little bit more punch. Not sure how prepared you really are? Get simple guidance on tools, medical supplies, drugs, and protective equipment so you can be ready to handle the next emergency; because having the right basic skills and tools is the first step towards to overcoming adversity.
1 GET THE RIGHT MINDSET
Before you end up in the middle of an accident or disaster, before you ever need a plan, you need to develop the habit of being tuned in at all times to your immediate surroundings. This is called situational awareness, and it’s used by emergency responders and people working in complex—or sometimes hazardous—environments. It’s a kind of relaxed awareness that allows you to recognize any unusual circumstances, hazards, and early stages of problems before they end up evolving into big trouble. Like any other skill, it requires practice, and the best time to use these skills is before problems emerge. When done right, this awareness can change the way that you view the world every day and, in the process, save your life or prevent both large and small issues from catching you by surprise.
2 PRACTICE YOUR AWARENESS
Safety begins with awareness of your environment, but it doesn’t end there. Be ready to act at a moment’s notice. Practice all of the following concepts, regardless of the environment you’re in, and eventually they will become second nature.
BE OBSERVANT Pay attention to the sights and sounds you notice when you are alert and aware.
NOTE THE UNUSUAL Determine any threats based on your own observations, experience, and the feeling that something’s not right.
CONSIDER OPTIONS Make your decision based on your training, experience, and circumstances.
TAKE ACTION Let your actions drive the situation and your safety; don’t let the actions of others end up compromising your safety.
KEEP MOVING Don’t panic or fail to act. Mental paralysis could mean the death of you or a loved one.
3 COLOR YOUR PERCEPTIONS
To better understand situational awareness, it’s useful to see it as a scale. More important, you can consciously move up or down the scale as part of stress management or checking in with yourself about how aware you are in the moment. It’s a good exercise to ask yourself occasionally, What color am I at right now?
WHITE (UNAWARE) Your head is in the clouds. You are unlikely to notice if anything dangerous is unfolding around you, nor are you be prepared to react. This lack of awareness is aggravated by being distracted or emotional, or having a false sense of security. Physical issues like sleep deprivation, pain, stress, or intoxication can also dull your awareness. This white level of awareness is like being drowsy behind the wheel of your car.
GREEN (RELAXED) This low level of awareness is reserved for very safe places. You’re ready to increase your awareness to Yellow if something unusual happens but isn’t likely to happen. This is how you might feel relaxing at home in a safe neighborhood. Switching back to Green after coming home from dealing with an Orange or Red situation is an important part of consciously managing stress.
YELLOW (AWARE) Calm and alert, you have a relaxed awareness of your surroundings. This is how emergency responders are while on duty. At this level, you’re observant of all things—aware of people, animals, environmental conditions, and the layout or terrain of an area. You can react quickly if your situation changes. This is similar to the alertness needed for normal defensive driving on a busy road.
ORANGE (POSSIBLE PROBLEM) There may be a problem; you’re starting to process information that causes concern for your safety. At this level, you’re noticing that something is wrong and are evaluating options for reacting to the situation. This is an ideal time to proactively move to a safer location or change what you’re doing before things get ugly. Consider this level similar to that needed for driving in very bad weather or on an icy road.
RED (THREAT) You’re in trouble. You have to act now for your safety or defend yourself. The time for assessing options is over. Pick your target or escape route, and move! This level is like reacting to a car pulling in front of you when you’re traveling at high speed in bad weather; there’s a split second to decide whether to hit the car or swerve into another lane. If you have been practicing situational awareness, you’ll already know your options almost instinctively.
BLACK (OVERWHELMED) You’re in panic mode, thinking too much and failing to act. Maybe you’re paralyzed with fear or indecision, or exhibiting panicked or inappropriate behavior (whether or not you’re aware of it). You can get into this mode when, say, you freeze behind the wheel during an accident, hit another car, and flip over. You may not even know what just