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 space. Be sure to avoid tall buildings, as well as dangerous areas such as dilapidated houses, narrow streets, overpasses, and utility poles.
If you’re in the suburbs during an earthquake, quickly leave dangerous areas such as steep cliffs and mountain bases to avoid sudden events like landslides, ground fissures, rockfalls, rolling stones, or rising water. In the event of a landslide or rockfall, run perpendicular to the direction of the falling rocks or landslide—never run downhill in the same direction. During a landslide, you can take shelter under sturdy obstacles or crouch in a ditch or depression; be sure to protect your head. If rivers, lakes, or seas rise suddenly, head for higher ground.
Drivers should reduce speed 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 and drive safely. Avoid intersections, pull over to the roadside, and exit the vehicle immediately. Never stay inside the car during an earthquake. Instead, take a lying position next to the vehicle—the falling debris will land on the car rather than directly hitting you.
When taking trains, subways, or other forms of public transport, firmly hold onto 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 arm on the backrest 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 not uncommon. People struck by lightning often experience cardiac arrest and respiratory failure, which may be a phenomenon known as “lightning-induced apparent death.” Immediate on-site first aid is essential. The shorter the delay in providing aid after an apparent death, the higher the chances of revival. Some people believe that a person struck by lightning still carries electricity and hesitate to touch them, which delays rescue efforts. This is a misconception—once struck, the person becomes a conductor, and the current dissipates into the ground, leaving their body free of electric charge.
With timely first aid, it is often possible to restore heartbeat and breathing to an “apparent corpse.” During rescue, simply lay the injured person flat on the ground and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation—mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration combined with chest compressions. Never postpone first aid in order to rush the person to the hospital, as this can cause fatal delays. Additionally, keep the patient warm. If symptoms such as restlessness, convulsions, or mental confusion appear, apply a cold compress to the head. For localized electrical burns, keep the area dry or bandaged under emergency conditions.
Lightning strikes may also cause the victim’s clothing to catch fire. If this happens, immediately have the person lie down to prevent the flames from reaching their face. You can also pour water on them or wrap them in a thick coat or blanket to extinguish the flames. The victim must not panic and run, as this will fan the flames. Instead, roll on the ground to smother the fire or submerge in a water-filled depression or pool. Cool the burn with cold water, then wrap it in 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 typhoon season, the fierce, sweeping winds make already unstable billboards extremely precarious, 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 near billboards or temporary structures. While walking, not only should you be aware of your surroundings, but also watch out for what’s above you. Vehicles should drive or park in designated safe areas. Those staying at home should, for everyone’s safety, move potted plants, hanging objects, and other items from roofs, windows, and balconies, and check the stability of outdoor air conditioners and security cages.
As a motorist, you should try to avoid driving during a typhoon. If you must drive, 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, gently apply the brakes, and gradually slow down.
Additionally, in areas severely affected by typhoons, at home, prepare flashlights, food, and drinking water, check electrical circuits, be mindful of stoves and gas appliances to prevent fires, and stay updated with the latest weather forecasts and disaster emergency contact numbers. Outdoors, be cautious of water depth on roads—never walk through deep water. If stranded with no way forward, seek higher ground in buildings and wait for rescue.
Flood
Use life-saving equipment to float in the water
If a flood is approaching rapidly and evacuation isn’t possible, 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 tall walls to wait for rescue. However, earthen walls, mud-brick houses, or dry-laid structures may collapse when soaked, so use them only as temporary shelters.
If the flood continues to rise and your temporary refuge is no longer safe, make full use of any available 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. 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 move to the sides. Never climb up electrified utility poles or towers. If you see a leaning high-voltage tower or dangling power lines, move away immediately to avoid direct electrocution or step potential shock.
If surrounded by floodwaters, try to contact local flood control authorities as soon as possible to report your location and the danger you’re in, 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 treating a fracture yourself is to immobilize and stop the bleeding. No matter where the fracture is, you should not move. Use available materials like branches or sticks to create a makeshift splint, bind the fractured limb, and prevent movement. This helps reduce pain and bleeding, avoids further injury, and makes it easier to move the injured person. To prevent 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 bandage it before immobilizing. If bone is protruding from the fracture, never push it back into the wound. If the bone slips back in on its own while bandaging, 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, the injured person should be taken to a hospital promptly. For limb fractures, there are no special requirements during transport after immobilization, but for those with neck or lumbar fractures, multiple people should assist 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 patient during transport to prevent sudden changes in condition.
Snake Bites
Apply a ligature immediately and avoid strenuous activity
If you are bitten by a snake, stay calm. First, determine whether it was a venomous snake. Usually, if there are two large and deep fang marks on the wound, it can be identified as a venomous 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 bite. In this case, simply clean, stop the bleeding, and bandage the wound. If possible, go to the hospital for a tetanus shot.
For venomous snake bites, immediately apply a ligature 5–10 cm from the wound toward the heart, and loosen it every 15–30 minutes for about 1–2 minutes each time. After applying the ligature, rinse the wound immediately. Rinsing solutions may include saline, hydrogen peroxide, soapy water, or 0.1% potassium permanganate solution. If none of these are available in the wild, immerse the affected limb in a stream or pond to flush it.
Using a scalpel or other sterilized small knife, make a longitudinal or “+” incision along the fang marks, about 1–2 cm long and deep to the subcutaneous layer. Then, using both hands, repeatedly squeeze from the heart side toward the extremities and from the surrounding area toward the wound to expel the venomous blood. Take an anti-snakebite medicine immediately after being bitten, 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 in cold water to extract the juice for oral intake, and apply the residue externally to the wound.
Additionally, there are two misconceptions about treating snake bites: first, after being bitten, avoid strenuous activity to prevent the spread of toxins. Second, never imitate TV scenes by trying to suck the venom out 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 and windows and climb onto the roof
When driving and encountering road flooding, do not continue forward. If the water submerges the exhaust pipe, it may cause the engine to stall or other dangers. During heavy rainstorms, staying inside the car to take shelter is very unsafe. As soon as you notice potential road flooding, unlock the car immediately and prepare to exit, or pull over to the side of the road and seek indoor shelter.
If the vehicle is already submerged, 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 the seatbelt cannot be undone, 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 using a safety hammer, headrest, onboard fire extinguisher, or a sharp object like a high-heel shoe to break the window. The windshield is usually too thick to break, but the side windows and sunroof edges and corners are thinner—aim for those areas. Be careful not to get cut by glass shards.
After successfully breaking the window, take a deep breath, then escape through the door or window. Once outside, keep your face upward. If you cannot swim, try to climb onto the roof or grab any floating objects before leaving the car, and quickly swim to the surface to seek help.
Mudslide
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 over belongings. When a mudslide or flash flood approaches, immediately run toward higher ground on the slopes perpendicular to the direction of the flow. When hiking in valleys and encountering heavy rain, if you hear unusual sounds from the valley or an alarm, immediately run to solid high ground or to the slopes beside the mudslide—never stay in the valley.
After discovering a mudslide, immediately climb up the slope on the side perpendicular to its direction—the higher and faster, the better. Never move in the direction of the flow. If you are in a valley and heavy rain occurs, quickly move to safe high ground. Do not take shelter or stay in low-lying valley bottoms or steep mountain slopes. Also, stay aware of your surroundings and be particularly alert to unusual sounds like distant landslides or roaring floodwaters.
Make every effort to escape from buildings and reach 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 at the base of river gullies. After heavy rain stops, do not rush back to valley residences.