Listen to the warnings. Pay attention to the signs and the red flags.
Too many people die just because they don't give enough time, like seconds, to care for a hot second.
Life, the universe, sends messages, and all we have to do is listen. You don't have to even be that attentive, a mere try would be enough.
Redditor u/dbzcatwanted everyone to get a list together about ways to survive by asking:
What is a little known warning from nature that can save your life?
We can all sense danger. Let's be real. We all have that gut feeling. Nine time out of ten we ignore it. Why? There is a universal gut feeling. Nature knows things. Let's see how much...
RUNNNNNN!!!
Run Away GIFGiphy"If the animals gtfo, you should too."
"Whenever I see someone running it makes me want to run. I recently realized this might actually be a safety instinctual thing when someone else said they want to run when they see runners, too."
Parallels...
"If you are at swimming at the beach or a coastal inlet & see an unusually calm area of water, get away from it, it could be a rip tide. On that note. If you get stuck in a rip, don't swim against it, you will tire & drown, swim parallel to the coast till you swim out of the rip."
"Squirrels will sometimes watch you from a distance while making alarm calls. The sound varies by species but it's generally a sort of squawking bark. If you hear them barking, and they aren't yelling at you, then there may be something else around they think is a predator. It's worth paying attention."
Smells while hiking...
"Oh! I can answer this! If you're hiking and suddenly smell something very musky, almost reminiscent of a faint country manure, keep your freaking eyes open."
I" was hiking on the Appalachian Trail today, up in Maryland. The wind shifted and the smell changed to something like I described above. Caught me off guard, but I kept hiking. About a quarter mile later, I turned around and began to head to my car since I was already 6 miles into a 2.5 mile hike."
"Right around where the smell changed, I heard a sudden crashing sound and saw a black bear just freakin busting it's way away from the trail into the woods. I had walked past it, and then came back upon it when I turned around."
T"L;DR: if you're hiking and the ambient scent changes suddenly, you're probably close to an animal."
The Storm
Storm Hurricane GIFGiphy"Of you see waves come in to shore with a square pattern or if the tide recedes very fast, evacuate asap. It means a tsunami is coming."
Having lived in the South I always know when a storm is a comin'. That is an easy one. Which begs the question... why aren't more people prepared?
And always listen to squirrels. They know things. Shall we contine?
Flooded
Fire This Is Fine GIF by MOODMANGiphy"Surprised the flash flood sign hasn't been posted yet. If you're walking near water and if turns dirty and dirty with debris in it, get to high ground."
New Year's Eve
"If a tornado looks like it's not moving, chances are that it is either coming right at you, or it's moving away from you. Always assume it's coming towards you and seek shelter right away."
"Not sure about this one. Tornados do a lot of weird stuff. El Reno did a full 180 if I remember right. No expert here but I've lived in Missouri my whole life."
"New Year's Eve, a tornado tore down a house and the neighbor's house about 15 feet away still had its Christmas lights up. Another one jumped over our house that's on the peak of a valley and then take out a garage and barn at the base of the valley. Never try and predict what a tornado will do IMO."
Trust Yourself
"Your own senses. If you feel like something is wrong, there is a good chance it is. In your peripheral you may have seen something or gotten a vibe from someone that made your hair stand. Don't just dismiss the feeling. Our subconscious is very attuned to hostile body language in people capable of violence."
"Edit:. If you have anxiety disorder and you subconscious goes more haywire than usual, it's time to leave the situation anyway. Even if benign you are likely to have a panic attack which is not fun either. It's harder to feel the difference since your baseline anxiety is always up there, but if you feel an increase, it's a good idea to move away. You might be wrong half the time but the point is it's never worth the risk."
"Also, trusting your instincts, even if they are wrong will reduce your anxiety because you have done what your most base brain has asked you to. You will start to realize that you can soothe that anxious part of yourself because it will know it can get out of a bad situation when it happens. That control and predictably will reduce anxiety and give your senses a rest so they can be more attuned to actual danger."
When in Australia
"If a tree is hot to touch get the hell out. I don't know if this is common in other countries, but here in Australia we have what's called "widowmakers", basically eucalypt trees are extremely flammable and its possible for the tree to be on fire internally, but not visible on the outside, and can literally explode at any given moment."
Brightness...
The Original Series GIF by Star TrekGiphy"If an animal is brightly coloured and/or distinctly patterned and easy to see, that's a warning not to mess with it."
I've made a survival list. I love when I learn things from Reddit. There are hidden gems abound. Don't be ashamed, fight for your life.
Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
If you want to be ready when an emergency strikes--or isn't far away--it's so important to have a developed foundation of preparedness.
In the midst of a sudden crisis, blood pumping and heart racing, devising what to do out of the blue is just about impossible.
But if you've studied ahead of time, and even practiced if you're really good, you won't have to devise anything. You'll just act. And you'll act correctly.
You might even save a life.
Some Redditors offered a head start for emergency preparedness.
zephaniahmesfin asked, "What are some facts that can actually save someone's life?"
A good amount of Redditors pointed out the subtle occurrences that look relatively harmless but call for a serious emergency response.
Often, these tips involved going straight to the hospital. But knowing when it's time to go there is often the pivotal variable in saving or losing a life.
Don't Count Anybody Out
"If people stumble for no reason and sound drunk but haven't had alcohol, ask them to smile. If it looks weird/ one side is drooping, get them to a hospital ASAP. High chance it is a stroke."
"Plus people of every age can have a stroke."
Know What to Look For
"The symptoms of a heart attack are slightly different for men and women. This is one of the reasons women sometimes get diagnosed too late."
"Men: Cold sweat/ nausea; Chest pressure/pain; Shortness of breath; Pain in arm(s), back, neck, jaws, stomach"
"Women: Fainting/ extreme fatigue; Chest pressure; Shortness of breath; Upper back pressure; Light-headedness/ dizziness; Pain in arm(s), back, neck, jaws, stomach"
YOU WILL NOT GET IN TROUBLE
"If you are taken to the hospital and the doctors ask you if you have taken any drugs don't just think about the illegal stuff also tell them if you've had small things like Advil or Tylenol it could save your life." -- Atomicwaffle117
"Frankly this needs to taught in schools. I've known people who took stuff and didn't tell the doctor's, they either went into withdraw which prolonged there stay, or the doctor's have them stuff which interacted with drugs and they nearly died cause of it" -- xxluisvrewxx
Warning Signs
"If your vomit looks like coffee grounds, you may have internal bleeding. Head straight to the hospital." -- Long-Cupcake
"Additionally, this kind of internal bleeding is further down the digestive tract and has a higher chance of being a more serious issue."
"coffee grounds means that the blood has been digested by your stomach. if it was just a tear in your mouth or esophagus (like from vomiting too much) it would be bright red." -- elaerna
Other people offered advice geared toward sudden emergencies that strike out of nowhere. These are the situations where the right knowledge, held deeply in the brain, can turn you into a first aid life-saver.
Hopefully you'll never use these skills. But it's best to be ready.
Get Low
"Crawl out of a burning building, breathing as close as possible to the floor as you move."
"Toxic smoke rises while air remains more breathable nearest the floor."
-- Back2Bach
Not Over Yet
"There's something that's called gasping. It's the fake breathing that occurs when you're performing CPR on someone that has water in his lungs (i.e. because of drowning). It looks like a fish that's trying to breath when it's out of water."
"The person is not back alive then, and you should not stop the CPR."
Quarterback the Response
"In an emergency around any other people, be intentional and specific with people. Do not shout into the void 'someone call for help!!!' "
"Make eye contact with someone, make sure they know you are talking to them, tell them what you need: 'Sir in the blue shirt. Call an ambulance.' 'Ma'am with the green jacket, go ask the barista for a clean towel.' 'You with the hockey mask and machete, watch this baby!' "
"Studies have shown that the assumption that someone else will do something is ingrained within people and often they will not help without specifically being talked to."
-- Goosfrabbah
Finally, some people took the preventative approach. They highlighted either moments or longer term dynamics that clearly indicate a looming crisis.
Knowing what comes next can help prevent things from ever getting there.
Deprive the Oxygen
"Don't pour water on a burning pan/oil/grease in the kitchen, cover it with a damp cloth or towel. Water will make it explode like a bomb."
"Same goes for gasoline I believe - the burning gasoline will just float on top, still aflame, but now spreading more easily to something else flammable."
-- bodhi85uk
Ya Never Know
"If you have to eat crickets or similar insects, chew them. DO NOT EAT THEM ALIVE. They have spines on their legs which can cling to your throat and are very difficult to remove without a decent amount of force (i.e. you cant "shake" your throat like you would your hand to remove them)."
"If they block your wind pipe, you'll asphyxiate."
"I used to work at a pet store, I've had to explain this to quite a few people who wanted to do "Fear Factor" parties or dares or pranks."
-- AzoriumLupum
Counter-Intuitive Warnings
"If one of your depressed friends suddenly starts acting really happy or peaceful, don't leave them alone."
"When suicidal people have a plan and are about to kill themselves, it can make them feel relieved which can make it look like their depression is getting better."
Do yourself a favor and study each and every one of these.
If you hold them deep enough in your head, you can "forget" them for as long as you want, and you'll be surprised when they leap back into view right when you need them.
Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.