Years ago I had several threads on disaster preparedness on Twitter. I have been slowly working on converting them into posts here, which has been going… very, very slowly.
So instead of trying to do that, I’m going to leave the text mostly intact and check it for readability. Just remember these used to be Twitter posts.
WHO’S READY FOR ANOTHER #PlanAhead FOR DISASTER THREAD?
Wait, why are you running away?
This week’s theme is about helping your neighbors/community!
Have you ever had to call 911 before? That first time can be scary. Knowing what to expect helps!
I’ve called for fires, accidents, and had it called for me (haha, wheee, that was a fun day, not).
They will ask what the emergency is, and your name, so they don’t have to say “hey you” and where you are. If you know the address, awesome!
If you don’t know the address, it gets a little trickier. Try to give nearest cross streets.
If you’re calling on a cell, they might be able to see where you are based on GPS magic. But that depends on how rich your city/county is.
HEY! Did you know you might be able to call 911 on a disconnected land line? It varies by state, and there doesn’t seem to be a good list.
But if you got nothing else, it’s worth a try.
The same is true for cell phones that have no service plan. For instance, I have an old iPhone 14 that still runs but is not activated, and it shows “SOS” in the upper right corner where the cell signal normally shows.
Keep in mind that if you do this, and the call is disconnected, you need to call them back, as they have no number to return your call on.
So you have your phone of choice handy, and Something Happens.
If there’s more than one person who can help, one of you call 911 while the other assesses whether the affected people need help.
“But Leigh, I am afraid I will Make Things Worse!” you cry. Don’t worry! First, the pros say it’s actually hard to Make Things Worse!
Second: Our brains are evil little bastards who tell us this when it’s not actually true. Stress makes us question ourselves. But you can do this!
Third, you have the helpful folks on the 911 line who can tell you what to do, so you have backup!
Fourth: On the off-chance you accidentally hurt someone while helping, there are Good Samaritan laws in all 50 states & DC to protect you.
The next step is to evaluate your surroundings. Are they safe? Can you wait there for help without danger? If yes, great!
If not, then move anyone who needs help to a safer place. Get them out of the bus teetering on the cliff, or the burning car, or whatevs.
If they are not in immediate danger, and there’s any question of spine injury, then do not move them. But cliffs/fire outrank maybe-spine-injury.
This is why Good Sam laws exist.
If they are bleeding, make them stop! Listen to the 911 op, but basically, bleeding a little, apply pressure. Bleeding A LOT needs a tourniquet.
Side note: Don’t worry too much about exposure to body fluids. Keep it out of your mouth, eyes, open sores/wounds.
Talk to a medical pro afterwards for peace of mind if you need to, but use common sense & it should be ok.
Next, position the person – if they are able to move on their own & communicate, let them do whatever is comfortable.
If they are unconscious, put them on their sides to keep their airway open and prevent choking.
Well, if they are unconscious but breathing, I mean.
If they aren’t breathing, it’s CPR time. Again, listen to the 911 operator!
I can’t really teach CPR online. There are a couple of things I want to mention though.
First, I HIGHLY recommend CPR classes. They will give you confidence. They are generally easy to find. Try your local Red Cross chapter.
There will be a charge though. 😦
But the basic steps can be gleaned from text: https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr/performing-cpr/cpr-steps
And be aware: IT IS NOT LIKE ON TV. Those scenes on your favorite TV shows are not reality.
If you have to do chest compression, ribs are gonna crack. It’s gonna feel awful and sound awful.
But you DO NOT STOP until the EMTs arrive and SAY you can stop. DO NOT STOP! NO STOPPING! Got it? Good.
Again, this is why Good Sam laws. You have to break some ribs to do chest compression. You can do this.
And if you do mouth to mouth, there’s a chance they are going to throw up on you. cough In your mouth. Sorry. Sorry. It’s gross, yes. But it could happen.
But we are saving lives here, right? You can do it!
Your next step is to make sure anyone who is seriously injured is kept warm – people in shock lose a lot of body heat and that’s bad.
The last thing is just to reassure and comfort – tell them that they are going to be all right, that help its on the way.
Get down on their level, especially if it’s a kid, and let them know you are there for them. Listen to them, and be with them.
Be the help, until help arrives. You can do it!
Skulleigh.com 