If You Know These Essential Tips, You Can Survive Pretty Much Anything

When seeking assistance in public, approach individuals rather than groups. This is due to the bystander effect, where people in groups are less likely to help as they assume others will assist. If you suspect a car is following you on a grid-like road, make four right or left turns. If the car does too, you're likely being tailed. Don't go home - try to lose them. If caught outside in a storm and your hair stands on end, immediately find shelter. This static indicates lightning may strike you. If no shelter's available, crouch low with your head between your knees to minimize contact with the ground.

When traveling remotely, carry a small mirror. If lost, reflect sunlight to signal planes. If that fails, wave your arms up and down. Don't abandon your car if stranded - it makes you harder to spot. Unlike films depict, drowning people don't wave or cry out. They tilt their heads back with mouths above water, trying to climb the surface. Help is needed if someone looks like they're floating or struggling to keep their head up.

If you can't swim but fall in deep water, don't panic. Hold your breath and let yourself float up, keeping back and legs straight with small kicks. Don't approach a non-swimmer you're rescuing head-on - they may bring you down. Come at them from behind, slip your arm across their chest, and avoid their hands grabbing you.

If you see a grizzly bear, don't run or make eye contact. Slowly walk away if it's distant, but if charging, stand still. Speak calmly without screaming. Research areas beforehand and carry pepper spray if grizzlies live there. Use it if the bear closes within 25 feet. If attacked, curl up and stay still till it leaves. For polar bears, drop clothing items while retreating to provide a distraction. Their short attention spans may make them stop to sniff clothes.

If someone's choking but coughing, don't interfere - coughing indicates they can still breathe. Only help if coughing stops. When caught in a riptide, swim parallel to shore - don't fight it head-on. Notify your State Department if traveling overseas so they can evacuate or update you on developing dangers. If you smell burning plastic at home, call an electrician immediately - it may signal an electrical fire.

If bitten by a snake, check for two deep punctures (venomous) or a U-shaped row of teeth (non-venomous). Take a photo if possible, but don't try sucking out the venom. When falling off a cliff, grab anything to divide one long fall into several short ones, decreasing impact. For falls from windows or canopies, bend knees on landing to hit with both feet simultaneously. Cover head with arms.

In quicksand, stay calm and don't thrash. Toss heavy items and wiggle legs to make room for water flow. Move backwards carefully. In a human stampede, don't stop - it makes you likelier to fall. If knocked down, make an air pocket with arms shielding face and chest. Move sideways with the crowd flow. If lost camping, take burning coals to leave messages on trees and rocks for rescuers. Always carry a needle - magnetized and floated on water, it can serve as an improvised compass.

When calling emergency services, first provide your exact location. Even if cut off, they'll know where to respond. If a snake bites, ask if it's venomous - it likely won't answer, but look for fang marks or teeth shape. Venom sucks more than sucks venom. Stay calm in quicksand and toss/wiggle off heavy items. Move slowly backward. If no shelter from lightning, crouch low, minimizing ground contact. Wave mirror at planes if lost, or wave arms if no mirror.

Don't swim against riptides - go sideways to shore. Notify State Dept. when traveling overseas for help evacuating. If you smell burning plastic at home, call electrician - it may be electrical fire. For human stampedes, move with crowd flow, shield self if knocked down. Mark trail if lost camping with burning coals/sticks. Always carry needle - makes compass when magnetized and floated.