LifeHacks
15 Simple Hacks That Can Save Your Life One Day
Remember these little nuggets of knowledge. They can spell the difference between life and death.
While everyone’s familiar with safety rules these days, it’s easy to ignore them if they seem too inconsequential or inconvenient.
However, these cautions aren’t there without a reason and many of them should be indispensable in everyday life.
Here are 15 no-nonsense facts you should remember to save your life:
#1 Don’t use your mobile phone (or any other electronic device) while walking.
Based on many recorded accidents, walking and cellphone use don’t mix. Concentrating on a mobile phone can cause you to lose track of your surroundings such as open manholes, staircases, and even moving vehicles.
#2 When driving, eliminate blind spots by adjusting car mirrors correctly.
Always adjust side mirrors to be able to spot other vehicles coming up behind you. This way, you don’t have any blind spots to put you at risk of accidents.
#3. Wear the right clothes for cold weather.
Wearing woolen clothes and other insulating garments ensures your temperature doesn’t fall too quickly during cold weather months. Wet skin lets you lose heat faster, and wearing cotton fabric that doesn’t absorb moisture well will freeze you in no time at all.
#4. Don’t inflate your life jacket while still inside the aircraft.
In case the airplane you’re riding needs to make an emergency water landing, never inflate your life jacket inside the aircraft. Doing so will only make you float to the plane’s ceiling, unable to move. First swim out of the plane, then pull the inflation cord once outside.
#5. Learn the Heimlich maneuver to prevent choking.
The Heimlich maneuver has proven vital in saving choking people’s lives.
Here are four easy steps to learn this life-saving technique:
• Place your fist, thumb side in, just above the person’s navel.
• Grasp the fist tightly with your other hand and move it upwards, applying strong pressure to their rib cage.
• Repeat such quick upward and inward thrusts until you dislodge the object blocking their airway.
• If none of the above-mentioned actions produce an effect, lean the person over a fixed horizontal object, such as a table edge, chair, or railing, and press their abdomen just above the navel against the edge to produce a quick upward pressure. Repeat until the object is expelled.
#6. Carry anti-allergy (antihistamines) meds with you at all times.
Allergies can be life-threatening. Plus, you never know when an allergic reaction may happen. Having antihistamine pills on hand at all times can help not only you, but other people, as well. Carry your anti-allergy stash with you wherever you travel.
#7. Know your body’s endurance limits based on the Rule of Three.
What is the Rule of Three? Based on a number of studies, the average person can survive within these parameters:
• 3 minutes without air
• 3 days without water
• 3 weeks without food
These useful rules of thumb will save your life if you find yourself in a perilous situation.
#8. If your cooking catches fire, turn off the gas and cover the flames.
When your dish ignites in the pan, never use water to put it out. Especially if your cooking contains fat or oil. Water particles will end up at the bottom of the pan where they will evaporate and make the flames even bigger. Instead, turn off the gas, and cover your pan with a lid to cut off the heat and oxygen supply feeding the flames.
#9. Never remove a knife or sharp object from a wound.
According to medical experts, removing a knife or sharp object from a puncture wound will cause massive loss of blood, one of the most dangerous consequences of stab wounds. To minimize bleeding, keep the sharp object in the wound, and surround it with bandages until medical help arrives.
#10. The most dangerous times during a flight.
Be aware and alert during the first three minutes after takeoff and the last eight minutes just before landing. Based on research, 80% of plane crashes occur within these time periods. Be vigilant and memorize emergency exits and protocols.
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#11. When caught in a fire, stay close to the ground as possible.
With any fire comes dangerous carbon monoxide fumes that cause more deaths compared to burning. Avoid inhaling the poisonous smoke by crawling as low as possible until you are far away from danger.
#12. If you become ill in a public place, ask only one person for help.
If you get into an accident or suddenly feel unwell in public, ask for assistance from one person instead of from a crowd of people. This is because of a well-documented psychological phenomenon called “diffusion of responsibility,” where there will be more chances of receiving help from a single person instead of a crowd of people who will assume that the other persons will render assistance instead.
#13. Carry a powerful flashlight with you at all times.
A flashlight is a very effective weapon, personal safety experts say. If you fear you are being stalked and are in danger of an ambush from a suspicious person, simply shine your flashlight into their face to disorient them so you can make your escape. Plus, a flashlight is so useful during a power outage. Just don’t forget to change your batteries regularly.
#14. Memorize safety measures in case of fire.
During fire emergencies, most people would freeze and not know how to save themselves. Survival specialists recommend memorizing emergency exits in any building you enter and knowing what to do in case a fire breaks out.
#15. Always have identification documents and medical information on your person.
In case of a fire, flood, earthquake, or other natural disasters, having your IDs and medical information (like blood type, allergic reactions, etc.) on your person will help other people be able to assist you faster.
H/T: Brightside