Earthquake
Protect your head and run to an open area
When encountering an earthquake outdoors, you should cross your hands over your head. It’s best to cover your head with a suitable object and run to an open area. Be sure to avoid tall buildings, as well as dangerous places such as dilapidated houses, narrow streets, overpasses, and utility poles.
If you are in the suburbs during an earthquake, quickly leave hazardous areas such as steep cliffs and mountain bases to avoid sudden events like landslides, collapses, mudslides, rolling rocks, and rising water. In the event of a landslide or rockfall, run perpendicular to the direction of the moving rocks or debris—never run downhill in the same direction. During a landslide, you can take shelter under solid obstacles or crouch in a ditch or depression; it is especially important to protect your head. If rivers, lakes, or seas rise, head for higher ground.
Drivers should slow down as quickly as possible, gradually apply the brakes, and pull over to the side of the road. During a major earthquake, it may become difficult to control the steering wheel, making driving hazardous. Avoid intersections, pull over to the roadside, and quickly exit the vehicle. Never stay inside the car during an earthquake. Instead, lie down next to the car—this way, falling objects may crush the vehicle without directly hitting you.
When riding trains, subways, or other forms of transportation, firmly grab handrails, poles, or seats, lower your center of gravity, and take shelter near your seat. If you’re facing the direction of travel, rest your arms on the back of the seat in front of you to protect your face, lean toward the aisle, and use both hands to protect your head. If you’re facing away from the direction of travel, use both hands to protect the back of your head, lift your knees to shield your abdomen, tighten your body, and assume a defensive posture.
Lightning Strike
Perform artificial respiration along with chest compressions
Lightning strikes causing injury are common. People struck by lightning often experience cardiac arrest and respiratory failure, which may be a lightning-induced “apparent death.” Immediate on-site first aid is essential. The sooner the rescue after apparent death, the higher the chance of revival. Some people believe that a person struck by lightning still carries electricity and hesitate to touch them, delaying rescue. This is a misconception—once struck, the person becomes a conductor, and the current dissipates into the ground, leaving their body without residual charge.
With timely rescue, it is often possible to restore heartbeat and breathing to an “apparent corpse.” For first aid, simply lay the injured person flat on the ground and perform CPR—including mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration along with chest compressions. Never delay rescue efforts in a rush to transport the person to a hospital, as this can lead to death due to missed timing. Additionally, keep the patient warm. If there are symptoms such as agitation, spasms, or convulsions, apply a cold compress to the head. For localized electrical burns, keep the area dry or bandaged under emergency conditions.
A lightning strike may also set the victim’s clothing on fire. If their clothes catch fire, immediately have them lie down to prevent the flames from reaching their face. You can also pour water on the victim or wrap them in a thick coat or blanket to extinguish the flames. The victim must not panic and run, as this will make the fire worse. Instead, roll on the ground to smother the flames or lie in a water-filled depression or pool to extinguish them. Cool the burned area with cold water, then bandage it with clean cloth and seek medical treatment.
Typhoon
Pay close attention to what’s happening overhead
In cities, billboards are a symbol of urban vibrancy. But during typhoons, the strong, sweeping winds can make already unstable billboards precariously sway, turning them into real hazards that threaten the safety of pedestrians and vehicles on the road.
Therefore, during a typhoon, pedestrians should avoid taking shelter or waiting out the rain near billboards or temporary structures. While walking, not only should you watch your surroundings, but also be mindful of what’s happening above. Vehicles should try to drive or park in designated areas or safe zones. Those staying at home should, for the safety of others, move potted plants, hanging objects, and other items from roofs, windows, and balconies, and check the stability of outdoor air conditioners, security cages, and similar fixtures.
As a motorist, try to avoid driving during a typhoon. If you must go out, be alert to the impact of crosswinds caused by the typhoon. Stay focused while driving, grip the steering wheel slightly tighter, steer slightly against the wind, and gently press the brake to gradually slow down.
Additionally, in areas severely affected by typhoons, those staying at home should prepare flashlights, food, and drinking water, check electrical circuits, be cautious with stoves and gas to prevent fires, and stay updated with the latest weather bulletins and disaster/emergency hotline numbers. Outdoors, be mindful of water depth on roads—never walk through deep water. If trapped with no way forward, head to higher ground in buildings to seek rescue.
Flood
Use life-saving equipment to float in water
If a flood is fierce and evacuation isn’t possible in time, quickly move to nearby high ground such as hills, elevated areas, buildings, or flood shelters—or climb onto rooftops, upper floors of buildings, large trees, or high walls to wait for rescue. However, earthen walls, mud-brick houses, or dry-laid structures may collapse when soaked, so they should only be used as temporary shelters.
If the flood continues to rise and your temporary shelter is no longer safe, make full use of prepared life-saving equipment to escape, or quickly find materials such as doors, tables, chairs, wooden beds, boxes, or large pieces of foam plastic to fashion a makeshift raft for escape. If swept away by floodwaters, do your best to grab onto anything fixed or floating to seek an opportunity to escape.
When escaping, do not run in the direction of the flood flow—instead, quickly dodge to the sides. Never climb up electrified utility poles or iron towers. If you notice a tilted high-voltage tower or sagging power lines, quickly move far away to avoid direct electrocution or step potential electric shock.
If trapped by floodwaters, try to contact local government flood control authorities as soon as possible to report your location and danger, and actively seek rescue. Use flashlights, whistles, flags, bright bedsheets, or clothing to signal for help and attract rescuers’ attention.
Fracture
Immobilize, stop bleeding, and create splints for binding
The first step in self-rescue for a fracture is immobilization and stopping the bleeding. No matter where the fracture is, do not move on your own. Use available materials like branches or sticks to create makeshift splints, bind the fractured limb, and prevent movement. This reduces pain and bleeding, prevents further injury, and makes transport easier. To avoid pressure or friction injuries, place cotton or soft clothing between the splint and the limb. The splint should extend beyond the joints above and below the fracture.
If there is a wound with bleeding at the fracture site, first cover the wound with a clean cloth or gauze, stop the bleeding, and then proceed with immobilization. If a bone is protruding from the fracture, never push it back into the wound. If the exposed bone slips back into the wound while dressing it, inform the doctor when seeking medical help.
If a cervical spine injury is suspected, lay the injured person flat and place sandbags or similar substitutes on both sides of the neck to immobilize it. If a lumbar spine fracture is suspected, lay the injured person on a hard board or wooden plank and immobilize the lumbar torso and both lower limbs together to prevent paralysis.
After immobilization, promptly transport the injured person to a hospital. For limb fractures, there are no special requirements during transport once immobilized, but for those with neck or waist fractures, multiple people should cooperate in moving the patient, keeping the body aligned along the same axis without twisting. When moving on flat ground, keep the head at the back; when going up or down stairs or slopes, keep the head at the top. Closely monitor the injured person during transport to prevent sudden deterioration of their condition.
Snake Bites
Immediately Apply a Tourniquet and Avoid Strenuous Activity
If you are bitten by a snake, stay calm. First, determine whether it is a venomous snake bite. Typically, if there are two large and deep fang marks on the wound, it can be identified as a venomous snake bite. If there are no fang marks and no symptoms such as local pain, swelling, numbness, or weakness within 20 minutes, it is a non-venomous snake bite. In this case, simply clean, stop the bleeding, and bandage the wound. If possible, go to a hospital to get a tetanus shot.
For any venomous snake bite, immediately apply a tourniquet 5–10 cm proximal to the wound. Loosen it every 15–30 minutes for about 1–2 minutes each time. After applying the tourniquet, immediately rinse the wound. Rinsing solutions may include saline, hydrogen peroxide, soapy water, or 0.1% potassium permanganate solution. In the wild, if these are unavailable, immerse the injured limb in a stream or pond to wash it.
Use a scalpel or other sterilized small knife to make a longitudinal or “+” incision along the fang marks, about 1–2 cm long and deep enough to reach the subcutaneous layer. Then, using both hands, repeatedly squeeze from the proximal end to the distal end and from the surrounding area toward the wound to expel the venomous blood. Take snakebite medicine immediately after the injury, doubling the first dose. If no medicine is available, use fresh herbs such as about 120 grams of Herba Lobeliae Chinensis, wash it, crush it with cold water, take the juice orally, and apply the residue externally to the wound.
Additionally, there are two misconceptions in treating snake bites: First, after being bitten by a snake, strenuous activity must be avoided to prevent the spread of toxins. Second, never imitate scenes from TV and try to suck the venom out of an injured person’s wound with your mouth. If the person sucking has any oral ulcers or wounds, the venom can enter their body through the wound, leading to poisoning and even life-threatening situations.
Falling into Water
Open the Car Door or Window and Climb onto the Roof
When driving and encountering road flooding, do not continue forward. If the water level submerges the exhaust pipe, there is a risk of the engine stalling. During heavy rainstorms, staying inside the car to take shelter is very unsafe. As soon as you notice potential road flooding, immediately unlock the car doors and prepare to exit, or pull over to the side of the road and seek indoor shelter.
If the vehicle has already entered the water, quickly determine your location and formulate an escape plan. Keep your face as close to the roof as possible to get more air. Immediately unbuckle your seatbelt and unlock the electronic central control lock. If you cannot unbuckle the seatbelt, use the knife or sharp object at the back of a safety hammer to cut it. Escape through the nearest side door.
Quickly open the car window. If the vehicle has lost power and you cannot open the doors or windows, try breaking the window with a safety hammer, headrest, onboard fire extinguisher, or a sharp object like a high heel. The windshield is very thick and generally cannot be broken; the side windows and the corners and edges of sunroofs are thinner, so aim for those areas. Be careful not to get cut by the glass.
After successfully breaking the window, take a deep breath and escape through the door or window. Once outside, keep your face upward. If you cannot swim, try to climb onto the roof or hold onto any floating objects before leaving the car, then quickly swim to the surface to seek help.
Mudslides
Run to Higher Ground and Stay Alert to Your Surroundings
During mountain floods and geological disasters, escaping is the priority—do not linger due to concern for belongings. When you detect a mudslide approaching, immediately run to higher ground on the slopes perpendicular to the direction of the mudflow. While hiking in valleys, if you encounter heavy rain and notice unusual sounds in the valley or hear alarms, immediately run to solid high ground or the slopes beside the mudslide—do not stay in the valley.
Upon spotting a mudslide, immediately climb up the slopes perpendicular to its direction—the higher and faster, the better. Absolutely do not move in the direction of the mudflow. When staying or moving in valleys, if caught in heavy rain, quickly move to safe high ground. Do not take shelter or stay in low-lying valley bottoms or at the base of steep slopes. Also, stay alert to your surroundings, especially for abnormal sounds such as distant landslides or roaring floodwaters.
Do your best to escape from buildings and move to open areas to avoid being buried. Choose flat high ground for camping, and avoid setting up near slopes with rolling rocks or large accumulations of debris. Do not camp in valley bottoms or riverbeds. After the heavy rain stops, do not rush back to valleys or residential areas.