4 Survival Tips We Hope You Never Need

We here at Mega Curioso have already posted several articles with tips on what to do in case of trouble, how to defend against a fierce dog, avoid being struck by lightning and how to act if you are buried alive. Our team has even published tips on how to escape telemerketing people and even how not to be abducted by an alien!

For recently we came across a very interesting article by Abby Norman from the All That Is Interesting portal, and there are several helpful tips on what we must do to survive a number of situations. Check it out below.

1 - How to survive if your car becomes a submarine

Let's say you're driving, and just like in one of these action movies, you fly over a bridge and dive with your car into a river! What to do? First, leave all your belongings behind - don't try to get your backpack, wallet, cellphone, purse ... the priority is to get out of the vehicle as soon as possible. And under no circumstances try to open the door to get out, because besides being difficult, you will only get the water in faster.

Instead of trying to escape through the door, exit through the window. According to Abby, after the car is submerged, we have about 30 seconds to a minute to escape, which is the time it takes for the vehicle to fill with water. Also, after that time, as the car sinks, the pressure will make it dive even faster. Incidentally, if the windows are electric, do not pity and break what is closest to you.

2 - How to survive if you get lost in the woods

You went hiking in the woods and suddenly realize that you have no idea where you are. Before panicking, Abby suggests that you do like the Boy Scouts, stop, think, watch and plan. An important starting point is to find a source of water, such as a stream or river, and if you can boil it before drinking, even better. Another option would be to collect rainwater - and the advantage is that it does not boil.

You can also make a small fire - as long as you don't risk a fire! To do this, look for dry branches and leaves of varying sizes and set up a pyramid-shaped structure, making sure the wood is in the center. Don't you have a lighter or matches handy to light the fire? No problems! Find a piece of soft wood and make a groove in its base.

Then take a more solid stick and rub one end along the groove you made into the wood - to create heat through the friction. When it starts to catch fire, blow gently to help with the process. As soon as the flame appears, add sticks and dry leaves to keep it lit. After solving the fire problem, remember to be alert to avoid accidental “encounter” with predators.

Now imagine that some time has passed and no one has come to save you. In this case, the best way out is to find a river and follow its course, as this is your best chance of reaching a populated place. Also, if hunger strikes, avoid white or red berries, mushrooms, anything that smells like almonds and has a bitter or soap flavor, whitish sap and leaves in groups of three or discolored.

3 - How to survive an avalanche

It may seem silly to learn what to do in the event of an avalanche, but you're going on vacation to a ski resort and you're unlucky enough to get caught in one! According to Abby, the first thing to do is to try - and don't think it will be easy - to “swim” toward the top of the snow wave to prevent you from being buried under meters of debris and ice. After all, once the thing is over, your air supply should last about 15 minutes.

If you are able to stay in the upper layers, it is important to keep one arm high above your head, as it will make it easier for rescue personnel to locate you. Additionally, this action can help you get your bearings. And since we're on the subject, another way to determine your position to know which direction to keep digging is to spit - that's right, to spit - and see where saliva falls.

4 - How to survive a hemorrhage

According to Abby, it is very important to learn some first aid basics, because in the event of a serious accident, knowing what to do to keep victims stable until help arrives can make all the difference. In the case of this tip - how to survive a bleed - we will guide you on how to act if you come across someone bleeding profusely.

The first thing to do is put pressure on the injury. If you have a sterile dressing on hand, even better (if not, use a clean cloth). While applying pressure, try raising the injured end to a level that is above heart level, as this will cause blood flow to the wound to decrease. If none of this works ...

The last alternative in case of bleeding is to apply a tourniquet. However, if you have no choice (suppose the injured person had an amputation, for example), find a piece of rope, belt, tape - never a wire or wire - anyway, any material that can be tied around the wound without hurt the skin. Make a single knot about 5 to 10 centimeters from the cut, place a stick over the loop, make another knot, and then twist it.

Remember to avoid turning the tourniquet directly onto the victim's skin (do it yourself), and be sure to check how long it has been applied. Also, it is very important that you make it visible and never try to remove it yourself. And when help arrives, tell the paramedics about what you did and the time the tourniquet was placed.

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