In the world's current state of affairs, ignoring the possibility of a mass-casualty incident as a result of a WMD or other man-made device would be foolish. We're not going to focus on the who or why, or theorize what might happen when and where. Instead, we're going to be looking at several WMD scenarios one at a time. Don't rely only on this blog here- when you're finished reading this, you shouldn't just stop at what you've learned here. Do research, make plans, take stock. A good resource is, as always, the Department of Homeland Security ( www.dhs.gov ), which even puts out a weekly e-mail newsletter on how to prepare your family for a variety of different situations.
Preparation efforts are a necessity if you seriously plan on surviving a WMD event. You should build kits (one big kit for the house and one smaller kit per vehicle as a bare minimum in case you get caught out on the road) for you, your family, and your pets, and keep it maintained. You can see previous blog posts, as well as the Department of Homeland Security website, for kit suggestions- though some necessities are going to include garbage bags, duct tape (both for sealing up windows and doorways), clean bottled water, paper cash (I recommend at least $100 and an additional $100 for each family member. When the lights go out and cards can't be read, cash will still be accepted everywhere), a small radio (preferably solar/hand-crank), Potassium Iodide pills, and any personal necessities. Don't worry about getting over-the-top gear like a Geiger counter, as it'll only serve to slow and weigh you down. You need to have an established and at least slightly practiced plan, as this will keep you from getting killed by your panic. Lastly, you need to do your homework- having and acting on what you know is going to save you and those around you.
Nuclear Weapons: A true nuclear device is, in the most genuine sense of the term, a weapon of mass destruction. Not only do they immediately cause flash and blast damage as with a normal bomb, but they also release deadly amounts of radiation both during detonation and for days and/or weeks afterward. The first threat that anyone will encounter from a nuclear device is the intense light released during detonation. This flash is powerful enough that anyone close to the epicenter will be instantly vaporized, wood structures immediately catch flame when exposed, and 'white shadows' were burned onto walls in Hiroshima and Nagasake where walls were spared charring when a person stood between them and the light source. There will be absolutely no mistaking this for anything else, you will know beyond any shadow of a doubt what it is. As soon as you see this flash, you should immediately hit the ground and shield your eyes or- better yet- dive for cover. Every second is critical, you need to limit your exposure to this flash as much as possible as fast as possible because of the intense brightness, heat, and gamma radiation associated with it.
If you're far enough away, you'll have a few seconds (four or five if you're far, less than two or three seconds is more likely, though) to get to cover after you first see the flash. What comes next is a monster of a shockwave that will level buildings and throw cars, and it could well kill you. What you do in these next very few seconds could determine whether you live or die. If you're outside, you'll have to use your judgment, but you'd do best to use your few seconds to jump into a drainage ditch alongside the road, get into a creekbed, or find other- preferably natural- sources of cover. If you're outside in the city, you may do better to get inside as soon as possible because cars will be thrown and rubble will likely fill the streets. If you're in a car, stay in it (and buckle up if you haven't), as cars are designed to take impacts and protect the occupants and makes a much better shelter against the blast and debris than standing out in the open. If you're indoors, you may not have time to reach a basement or storm shelter, so you should settle for taking shelter inside the nearest interior doorway (not going to do you much good to be standing in the front doorway) or crouch down and cover yourself in the nearest hallway or bathroom (as bathrooms tend to be the most inside the house of any room). If you can help it, be as close to the ground level (if not in a basement) as possible, as the ground floor tends to have greater structural stability.
After the blast, you should absolutely stay put if your shelter has survived- begin seeking shelter if it has not or if you had none to start with. You should seek shelter as you move away from the blast source; Do not move closer to the blast epicenter for ANY reason whatsoever- family, shelter, volunteerism, possessions- forget it all because it can only get you killed without the proper gear. There should be nothing else on your mind because this alone is what will save you. You'll probably only have minutes to get set up, so there is no time for anything but ensuring your own survival. All surviving buildings are good shelter- some buildings are even specially designed to be nuclear shelters (some fire departments, post offices, etc). A car isn't good shelter by any means, and you should leave it for a nearby standing structure as soon as possible if at all possible- but it IS better than being out in the wide open. If you must leave shelter, run like hell to the next available source of shelter- don't walk, don't waste time. Do not attempt to leave the city by car, as the roads will likely be jammed and impassible- don't try to leave by foot either because the radiation could well cook you before you get where you're trying to go. You should bunker in and hold tight for rescue. If you haven't already, now would be the time to access your kit(s)- take the recommended dose of potassium iodide pills (which will help prevent your thyroid consuming radioactive iodine isotopes), seal up your doors and windows with trashbags and duct tape, and stay as close to the center of your house (if it survived) as possible.
What you've just seen discussed are two principals that can and will save you just after a nuclear event- distancing and shielding. Distancing is exactly what it sounds like- the farther you are from the source of the radiation, the lower the dose you'll receive over a given amount of time. Distancing works on an exponential principal- that is, you're exponentially better off one mile from a radioactive source than you are one meter from a radioactive source than you are one foot from a radioactive source than you are an inch from a source than you are hugging it. This does NOT mean that you should attempt to leave, as it's impractical to make a large difference by distancing in a nuclear event when moving on foot- you're liable to get cooked well before then- it just means that you should NEVER move closer to the blast epicenter.
Shielding means that you're putting something- anything- directly between you and the radioactive source. This is a much more practical method for surviving a nuclear WMD event, as materials and shelters will likely remain available in a modern city, even after a nuclear event. The denser the material you use, the less you need to block out the radiation, and the better off you are. This is why lead is so commonly used as radiation shielding- and why you should stay away from windows (if there even are any left) after a nuclear event. This is also why you're better off deeper inside a building, and why concrete structures are better than wooden structures (if any even survived). Shielding is easy to accomplish- as easy as throwing on additional clothing like sweaters, raincoats, leather jackets, extra socks, gloves, hats; as easy as folding up collars, unrolling sleeves, keeping your shirt buttoned up, and tucking your clothing into itself (sleeves into gloves, shirt tail into pants, pantlegs into boots, etc).
It's very important to get to a good shelter with your kit and stay there until you're either rescued or until you hear the O.K. from authorities to leave- which should be after a few weeks at the most. Because you'll probably be there with other people, it's important to mind that you'll need to use social skills. Other people will be under a very great amount of stress, and you'll have to keep your cool when everyone around you is losing their minds. Stressed out people say and do things that they don't mean, and you'll have to cling to this fact and avoid provoking the situation when dealing with them. Small things will keep morale up- radio broadcasts, sharing stories, sharing snacks, being able to keep warm- and this will save you grief.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Mind Our Elderly
In the United States, as of 2008 per the Department of Health & Human Services' Administration on Aging, there were 38.9 million persons sixty-five years of age or older. That's about 10% of the population per the 2000 US Census. That number is expected to grow to 72.1 million by 2030, bringing the current percentage of 12.5% up to 19%- or one in every five- of Americans being older than 65 years. What this means is that, in an era of ever-increasing social networking, it's nearly impossible to not know somebody who is a family member or otherwise who's sixty-five or better.
The age of sixty-five is an important number medically speaking because it statistically marks the point at which an adult also become an elderly or geriatric patient. It is important to keep in mind, however, that everyone ages differently according to genetics, diet, exercise, diseases and injuries, and many other lifestyle considerations like occupation, stress, and smoking. It's also important to mind that the elderly stuck in the nursing home for the rest of their days are actually the minority. There are seventy year olds that are healthier than and could run circles around forty or thirty year olds, especially these days.
The facts are, however, that aging is a progressive process that everyone experiences, and in our later days, our body doesn't function as well as it used to. As we age, we lose lean muscle- about 10 pounds of it for every ten years we age past 20. The collagen that once made our skin strong and elastic breaks down and leaves it thin and easily damaged. Our brain physically shrinks, leaving more space than there used to be in the skull and increasing our chances of suffering complications like bleeding between the skull and the brain after a blow to the head. Our sense of smell is the first to weaken dramatically, and all of our five senses- including our ability to feel pain, which is how some elderly can have 'silent' heart attacks- continually degrade in some way or another as we age. Our bones become brittle, making them prone to fracture; our balance fails us, our reaction time grows, our eyes weaken. All of us have a responsibility to help those who helped us- those who came before us. You don't have to save the world- just the people you know, and pass the word along.
The best way to start to look after your elderly is to use your judgment. Are they fully capable of taking care of themselves or do they need help just getting around? Do they still cook full meals, or do they need to be hand-fed? Do they live with somebody, or are they lucky to see someone once a month? Every three to six months, you should ask yourself, their doctor or healthcare providers, and the elderly person themselves if there should be somebody personally looking out for them. You should take the time to consider how their needs might have changed since the last time you thought about it- for example, has their vision gotten much worse, or have they been getting sick much more frequently? Obviously, another consideration is whether or not the person is alone for long periods of time. Elderly, like all people, require mental stimulus and socializing or boredom and depression could result. I would recommend that they at least talk to somebody once a day by some media, though face-to-face, over a meal or a game of chess is highly preferred over phone or Facebook.
Once you've established how much interaction or attention that person needs, you should then check out the house to make sure it's elderly-friendly. Many elderly live at home by themselves, with a spouse, or with a family member as opposed to care facilities with specialized equipment for the needs of the elderly or the disabled. You should search the home for loose carpets, unsecured rugs on slick floors or rugs not designed to grip smooth flooring, raised edges in the flooring- such as a transition from linoleum to extra thick carpet-, a lack of grips or installed railing in areas like tiled bathrooms or stairways, a particularly high bed, and sudden rises such as those found in doorways. All of these are fall hazards for elderly persons, and should be resolved, especially if the person tends to shuffle their feet when they walk. This should NOT be taken lightly, as falls can be devastating to elderly persons- fractured hips, banged heads and all the complications that follow along with them, and potentially being stranded in one's own home for hours or even days are just a few of the things that can and do go wrong. An elderly person may not ever fully recover from something like a hip fracture even if there aren't any further complications, so it's everyone's responsibility to take it serious. Build ramps, cut carpets, throw out rugs, increase lighting, and put commonly used items where they don't have to bend or reach out for them if you need to, but please, whatever you do, don't blow it off.
One important note: A life alert button or device is NOT and NEVER WILL REPLACE having a real person come and personally check on an elderly adult once a day. Life Alerts have a sort of infamy among first responders (Fire Depts and EMS) of either getting accidentally activated far too often or of failing to activate when needed. It's not an argument against those companies, because they do work in theory and sometimes in practice- it's an argument against close-by people shirking a simple responsibility of taking ten minutes out of 24 hours to check on someone once a day. I've stood in the ER, helping a nurse use Peroxide-soaked gauze to take the caked blood off of the face of an unresponsive older woman because nobody bothered to check on her all night and they found her laying in a puddle of blood and vomit the next morning. It's not scare tactics, it's facts- simple measures stop disasters.
Another consideration to take to heart is that elderly people tend to lose the sharp senses they once had, taste and memory included. You should take a few seconds to check the refrigerator once a week to make sure that it's stocked only with in-date, non-spoiled foods, as some elderly may be unable to distinguish the poor taste, texture, look, and smell of spoiled food that most of us would detect almost right away from that of good food. You should also check and make sure that they've established a system for taking their medications, if they're taking any, when they're supposed to. A good device for this is the medicine cases that have a specific container for each day of the week- if they need to take their medications, then that day's container will still have pills, and if they've already taken their pills that day, there shouldn't be any left in there. Because the elderly person's kidneys and liver don't function quite as well as they used to, it is particularly easy for them to build up toxic levels of a drug in their system, so it's much more important that they get the correct dose each day. If they're incapable of filling the dispensers themselves, it only takes a minute or two to go through and fill them yourself.
Finally, mind EMS. It makes things easier for us if we don't need to navigate through clutter, make sharp turns in hallways barely wide enough to fit our stretcher, go up twenty steps and then proceed to the back of the house to get to your loved ones, and it can help us save precious seconds in an emergency. You should also keep a current, physical list of their medications, allergies, and diseases (like diabetes or hypertension. Recent medical history such as a hip fracture a few weeks ago should be on this list as well) ready to hand to the EMTs and Paramedics when they arrive. This makes things easier on everyone, because the paramedic won't have to question you or your loved one in a potentially serious, time-sensitive event, and you won't have to try and remember it all in an already stressful time.
The age of sixty-five is an important number medically speaking because it statistically marks the point at which an adult also become an elderly or geriatric patient. It is important to keep in mind, however, that everyone ages differently according to genetics, diet, exercise, diseases and injuries, and many other lifestyle considerations like occupation, stress, and smoking. It's also important to mind that the elderly stuck in the nursing home for the rest of their days are actually the minority. There are seventy year olds that are healthier than and could run circles around forty or thirty year olds, especially these days.
The facts are, however, that aging is a progressive process that everyone experiences, and in our later days, our body doesn't function as well as it used to. As we age, we lose lean muscle- about 10 pounds of it for every ten years we age past 20. The collagen that once made our skin strong and elastic breaks down and leaves it thin and easily damaged. Our brain physically shrinks, leaving more space than there used to be in the skull and increasing our chances of suffering complications like bleeding between the skull and the brain after a blow to the head. Our sense of smell is the first to weaken dramatically, and all of our five senses- including our ability to feel pain, which is how some elderly can have 'silent' heart attacks- continually degrade in some way or another as we age. Our bones become brittle, making them prone to fracture; our balance fails us, our reaction time grows, our eyes weaken. All of us have a responsibility to help those who helped us- those who came before us. You don't have to save the world- just the people you know, and pass the word along.
The best way to start to look after your elderly is to use your judgment. Are they fully capable of taking care of themselves or do they need help just getting around? Do they still cook full meals, or do they need to be hand-fed? Do they live with somebody, or are they lucky to see someone once a month? Every three to six months, you should ask yourself, their doctor or healthcare providers, and the elderly person themselves if there should be somebody personally looking out for them. You should take the time to consider how their needs might have changed since the last time you thought about it- for example, has their vision gotten much worse, or have they been getting sick much more frequently? Obviously, another consideration is whether or not the person is alone for long periods of time. Elderly, like all people, require mental stimulus and socializing or boredom and depression could result. I would recommend that they at least talk to somebody once a day by some media, though face-to-face, over a meal or a game of chess is highly preferred over phone or Facebook.
Once you've established how much interaction or attention that person needs, you should then check out the house to make sure it's elderly-friendly. Many elderly live at home by themselves, with a spouse, or with a family member as opposed to care facilities with specialized equipment for the needs of the elderly or the disabled. You should search the home for loose carpets, unsecured rugs on slick floors or rugs not designed to grip smooth flooring, raised edges in the flooring- such as a transition from linoleum to extra thick carpet-, a lack of grips or installed railing in areas like tiled bathrooms or stairways, a particularly high bed, and sudden rises such as those found in doorways. All of these are fall hazards for elderly persons, and should be resolved, especially if the person tends to shuffle their feet when they walk. This should NOT be taken lightly, as falls can be devastating to elderly persons- fractured hips, banged heads and all the complications that follow along with them, and potentially being stranded in one's own home for hours or even days are just a few of the things that can and do go wrong. An elderly person may not ever fully recover from something like a hip fracture even if there aren't any further complications, so it's everyone's responsibility to take it serious. Build ramps, cut carpets, throw out rugs, increase lighting, and put commonly used items where they don't have to bend or reach out for them if you need to, but please, whatever you do, don't blow it off.
One important note: A life alert button or device is NOT and NEVER WILL REPLACE having a real person come and personally check on an elderly adult once a day. Life Alerts have a sort of infamy among first responders (Fire Depts and EMS) of either getting accidentally activated far too often or of failing to activate when needed. It's not an argument against those companies, because they do work in theory and sometimes in practice- it's an argument against close-by people shirking a simple responsibility of taking ten minutes out of 24 hours to check on someone once a day. I've stood in the ER, helping a nurse use Peroxide-soaked gauze to take the caked blood off of the face of an unresponsive older woman because nobody bothered to check on her all night and they found her laying in a puddle of blood and vomit the next morning. It's not scare tactics, it's facts- simple measures stop disasters.
Another consideration to take to heart is that elderly people tend to lose the sharp senses they once had, taste and memory included. You should take a few seconds to check the refrigerator once a week to make sure that it's stocked only with in-date, non-spoiled foods, as some elderly may be unable to distinguish the poor taste, texture, look, and smell of spoiled food that most of us would detect almost right away from that of good food. You should also check and make sure that they've established a system for taking their medications, if they're taking any, when they're supposed to. A good device for this is the medicine cases that have a specific container for each day of the week- if they need to take their medications, then that day's container will still have pills, and if they've already taken their pills that day, there shouldn't be any left in there. Because the elderly person's kidneys and liver don't function quite as well as they used to, it is particularly easy for them to build up toxic levels of a drug in their system, so it's much more important that they get the correct dose each day. If they're incapable of filling the dispensers themselves, it only takes a minute or two to go through and fill them yourself.
Finally, mind EMS. It makes things easier for us if we don't need to navigate through clutter, make sharp turns in hallways barely wide enough to fit our stretcher, go up twenty steps and then proceed to the back of the house to get to your loved ones, and it can help us save precious seconds in an emergency. You should also keep a current, physical list of their medications, allergies, and diseases (like diabetes or hypertension. Recent medical history such as a hip fracture a few weeks ago should be on this list as well) ready to hand to the EMTs and Paramedics when they arrive. This makes things easier on everyone, because the paramedic won't have to question you or your loved one in a potentially serious, time-sensitive event, and you won't have to try and remember it all in an already stressful time.
Friday, October 2, 2009
The Essential Home Clinic
Today we'll be reviewing some things that everyone should have in their home or business as part of an essential home healthcare kit. All of the stuff listed here can generally be found in any pharmacy or department store. Pretty straightforward, really.
One quick note about pharmaceuticals: This is one place where the extra money doesn't actually buy a better product the vast majority of the time. Don't worry about the brand name that you're buying- instead, pay attention to the drug facts on the bottle or box. You should look on there for the 'Active Ingredients' list, which will list the generic name of the drug (which will be the same for any one drug no matter who makes it, as it's the assigned name from the US Pharmacopeia). You should ALWAYS read the full label and make sure to ask a pharmacist if something isn't clear to you or if you've got a question.
Ibuprofin, 200mg- This is one of those drugs that has one-hundred-and-one uses. Ibuprofin is a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammitory Drug (NSAID), which alleviates pain and reduces swelling, fever, and inflammation by a process that would probably make you immediately lose all interest forever if I tried to explain it. Now, because it is an NSAID, it can interact with certain drugs (even over-the-counter ones), and you may want to avoid it if you have certain illnesses, so it's best to consult with a pharmacist if you're taking a prescription, plan on taking an Over-The-Counter drug with it, or if you're not sure it's okay to take with your condition. Ibuprofin typically comes in the form of 200 milligrams per pill, and you can take up to 2 pills (400 mg) at a time (which is every 4 to 6 hours). Ibuprofin is just about useful for anything, from insect bites and stings to sore throats to fevers, poison ivy, and stubbed toes. Of course, if you have a fever, you should always make a doctor's appointment right away. Ibuprofin has an edge over acetaminophin (tylenol) products in that you can take it without worrying about it deep-frying and then devouring your liver. However, it can be bad for your GI tract if you take it for too long, and you should also avoid taking it if you drink a lot of alcohol, have a history of ulcers or GI disease, or take aspirin regularly. Given all of the above, if Ibuprofin is right for you, you should make a conscious effort to always keep a bottle (or two- one in case you have to take one with you) of it in the house.
Aspirin, 325 mg- Aspirin is useful for pain relief, fever reduction (IN ADULTS ONLY!), and for preventing (in regular low-dose therapy) and reducing the effects of a heart attack. If you're over 50 and/or have risks for stroke or heart attack, you might consider talking to your doctor about beginning a low-dose aspirin regimen, which may dramatically reduce your risk of serious injury or death from a heart attack. You should always keep a bottle of it in the house or business, which may prove handy should you or someone else experience the classic heart attack symptoms. If you have to take or give aspirin for crushing chest pain and/or other classic heart attack symptoms, you should always call 911 right away, and you should also write down or be sure of how many aspirin you've taken so that EMS knows. It isn't safe to drive yourself- there have been documented cases of vehicular crashes due to cardiac victims attempting to drive themselves to the hospital. You should also always consult a doctor before giving a child aspirin, as it can lead to some very serious problems- it's generally safer to use ibuprofin instead for children. Also, beware, extensive and long-term use of Aspirin can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding, so if you like your alcohol or have GI disease, aspirin isn't for you.
Diphenhydramine HCL (Benadryl), 25 mg- Benadryl is another drug that's useful for a thousand and one different situations. Stung by a bee? Sinus infections or flu-nose giving you a hard time? Got in some poison ivy? Benadryl is useful for suppressing rashes, itchy/watery eyes, inflammation, runny noses, and generalized allergic reactions. You can take one to two pills (25-50 mg), depending on how bad your symptoms are, though the dosage is different for children (12.5-25 mg, generally). Now, do be aware that benadryl can make you pretty drowsy, so unless you're familiar with the specific side effects you experience on benadryl, you should cancel plans to operate motor vehicles, heavy machinery, or do anything that might turn out to be dangerous should you nod off.
Overall, you might be able to find an over-the-counter drug for just about any common ailment, and the best way to do that is to consult with the in-store pharmacist, who will be able to point you to the right drug, right dose, and the right course of treatment, or refer you to a doctor if need be. Don't forget to be SAFER (see the first post) and ask the pharmacist if you've got any questions or are already on other pharmaceutical drugs.
That's all for now folks. I'm now accepting requests and questions, so, please, feel free to leave them in the comments following this post.
One quick note about pharmaceuticals: This is one place where the extra money doesn't actually buy a better product the vast majority of the time. Don't worry about the brand name that you're buying- instead, pay attention to the drug facts on the bottle or box. You should look on there for the 'Active Ingredients' list, which will list the generic name of the drug (which will be the same for any one drug no matter who makes it, as it's the assigned name from the US Pharmacopeia). You should ALWAYS read the full label and make sure to ask a pharmacist if something isn't clear to you or if you've got a question.
Ibuprofin, 200mg- This is one of those drugs that has one-hundred-and-one uses. Ibuprofin is a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammitory Drug (NSAID), which alleviates pain and reduces swelling, fever, and inflammation by a process that would probably make you immediately lose all interest forever if I tried to explain it. Now, because it is an NSAID, it can interact with certain drugs (even over-the-counter ones), and you may want to avoid it if you have certain illnesses, so it's best to consult with a pharmacist if you're taking a prescription, plan on taking an Over-The-Counter drug with it, or if you're not sure it's okay to take with your condition. Ibuprofin typically comes in the form of 200 milligrams per pill, and you can take up to 2 pills (400 mg) at a time (which is every 4 to 6 hours). Ibuprofin is just about useful for anything, from insect bites and stings to sore throats to fevers, poison ivy, and stubbed toes. Of course, if you have a fever, you should always make a doctor's appointment right away. Ibuprofin has an edge over acetaminophin (tylenol) products in that you can take it without worrying about it deep-frying and then devouring your liver. However, it can be bad for your GI tract if you take it for too long, and you should also avoid taking it if you drink a lot of alcohol, have a history of ulcers or GI disease, or take aspirin regularly. Given all of the above, if Ibuprofin is right for you, you should make a conscious effort to always keep a bottle (or two- one in case you have to take one with you) of it in the house.
Aspirin, 325 mg- Aspirin is useful for pain relief, fever reduction (IN ADULTS ONLY!), and for preventing (in regular low-dose therapy) and reducing the effects of a heart attack. If you're over 50 and/or have risks for stroke or heart attack, you might consider talking to your doctor about beginning a low-dose aspirin regimen, which may dramatically reduce your risk of serious injury or death from a heart attack. You should always keep a bottle of it in the house or business, which may prove handy should you or someone else experience the classic heart attack symptoms. If you have to take or give aspirin for crushing chest pain and/or other classic heart attack symptoms, you should always call 911 right away, and you should also write down or be sure of how many aspirin you've taken so that EMS knows. It isn't safe to drive yourself- there have been documented cases of vehicular crashes due to cardiac victims attempting to drive themselves to the hospital. You should also always consult a doctor before giving a child aspirin, as it can lead to some very serious problems- it's generally safer to use ibuprofin instead for children. Also, beware, extensive and long-term use of Aspirin can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding, so if you like your alcohol or have GI disease, aspirin isn't for you.
Diphenhydramine HCL (Benadryl), 25 mg- Benadryl is another drug that's useful for a thousand and one different situations. Stung by a bee? Sinus infections or flu-nose giving you a hard time? Got in some poison ivy? Benadryl is useful for suppressing rashes, itchy/watery eyes, inflammation, runny noses, and generalized allergic reactions. You can take one to two pills (25-50 mg), depending on how bad your symptoms are, though the dosage is different for children (12.5-25 mg, generally). Now, do be aware that benadryl can make you pretty drowsy, so unless you're familiar with the specific side effects you experience on benadryl, you should cancel plans to operate motor vehicles, heavy machinery, or do anything that might turn out to be dangerous should you nod off.
Overall, you might be able to find an over-the-counter drug for just about any common ailment, and the best way to do that is to consult with the in-store pharmacist, who will be able to point you to the right drug, right dose, and the right course of treatment, or refer you to a doctor if need be. Don't forget to be SAFER (see the first post) and ask the pharmacist if you've got any questions or are already on other pharmaceutical drugs.
That's all for now folks. I'm now accepting requests and questions, so, please, feel free to leave them in the comments following this post.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Up In Smoke: Fire Prevention and Management
One of the most interesting ironies in the history of man is fire. In our early days, fire was an important survival tool, and remained an integral fact of life well into the 20th century. However, fire can also be one of the most dangerous, deadly, and devastating things that can be visited upon anyone or any group of people, not only because of the many hazards to life that it throws off or the enormous destruction to property and infrastructure, but also because of the many repercussions that can follow a single domestic fire. There's a few things you're going to need to know about fires- first, I'll be talking about the different sources and types of fire, and why fire is such a danger to life and limb; then, we'll discuss how to best prevent and (if all else fails) respond to a fire and associated hazards; Finally, we'll talk about how best to work with responders after the fact.
Know thine enemy: The kinds of fire and the hazards they bring with them
Fire can be classified in any number of ways, but we'll be primarily sorting them by their sources and by the things they attack (structure, car, etc). Also, at the end of the list of the kinds of fire, we'll discuss the associated hazards.
First on our list is the basic spark-and-fuel fire: This kind of fire is easy enough to understand- something really hot starts to burn something that can be used as fuel. It's why you don't allow kids to play with matches (seriously, there have been cases in the area where I'm at- don't let your kid play in the backyard with a lighter and a full gasoline can because you don't want them interrupting your viewing of America's Got Talent). It's also why you should always have someone make sure that the wiring in your new house is up to code, and why you should never skimp on cleaning your fireplace flume if you're going to use it. Also, try not to use the stove when there's combustible items (such as any sort of aerosol spray or paper) nearby, and don't leave the coffee pot or stove on when you leave. These fires, on the more obvious level, are fairly easy to prevent if you just pay attention to what you're doing when dealing with something hot or an open flame, and don't go out of your way to do anything spectacularly dumb. However, there are less obvious risks that can lead to this problem that you should always make an effort to keep in check (such as faulty wiring, faulty electrical devices, uncleaned fireplaces, furnace or water heater malfunction, or home gas malfunction). All of these fires are vulnerable to copious amounts of water (except sometimes the electrical fire), and a good fire extinguisher if you can catch them early enough, though in some circumstances, they may be immediately beyond your control the moment they start- in which case you need to call the fire department and enact your evacuation plan (you should always have an evacuation plan) ASAP. Also, try to take your fire extinguisher outside with you, as well as any home oxygen and/or prescription medications if you have the time and ability to do so. Try to only make one trip outside in this situation, though, since fires can spread EXTREMELY fast in the residential and/or business environment. Never EVER go back inside of a burning building.
The next type of fire is the grease fire- I'm making this a section of its own because it's handled differently from the typical fire. If you pour water on a grease fire (basically, your cooking oil has ignited), it's going to flare up and get worse. You can prevent these fires with just a little common sense when cooking, as well as by keeping your stove, grill, or other cooking unit and cooking utensils (pots and pans) clean. If, for some reason, you are the subject of a grease fire, you can quickly manage it by either using the fire extinguisher that you bloody well SHOULD have in your kitchen at all times, or by smothering the fire with a towel (it needs to be large enough to cover the whole pan or at least 1 and a half times the size of the base of the fire, and it's preferable to make it quite thick). Since you shouldn't have wet the towel because you know that water aggravates a grease fire, make sure that the towel doesn't now catch fire from the stove burner or the grill itself.
Another kind of fire is the car fire. If your car catches fire or begins to smoke profusely, whether or not it was the result of an accident, you should immediately pull over, shut off the vehicle, exit it, and assist other occupants in getting to safety (which, preferably, means being able to obscure the vehicle from sight with the thumb of an outstretched hand). If you have a fire extinguisher on board (which you should), you can go ahead and try using that to immediately handle the fire, but if it's not successful, you should take the fire extinguisher with you and leave immediately. Once a car is heavily on fire, do not attempt to extinguish the flames because most cars have frames made of some form of magnesium (which is what we used to burn to get a flash for photography before we had battery-powered flashbulbs, so it burns quite hot and fast), and when you attempt to cool that magnesium rapidly, it WILL explode and send off extremely hot pieces of metal. This is why firefighters will often allow an engulfed car to burn itself out, because the pieces of magnesium that it might send off if they intervened can be hot enough to burn slap through all of their gear the same as a cotton t-shirt. If it's too dangerous for the professionals, it's definitely too dangerous for you.
The next type of fire is the forest or wild fire. These fires can be extremely hot and can move through an area at ridiculously high speeds, especially when being driven by wind. You can help prevent these epic disasters by not throwing your cigarettes out of the window while driving, always making sure to follow appropriate campfire safety and thoroughly dousing it when you're done, not breaking burn ban and reporting or advising them about the ban to those who do, and by reporting even small forest fires to 911. Sometimes, these fires are too hot and too big for armies of firefighters to easily control, so the best policy to have if you know a wildfire is headed your way is to get out of there as soon as you hear about it. Some things to look for if you're camping and have no access to the news are definitely going to be thick clouds of smoke with no apparent source, a constant smell of smoke without smoke, a red or violet glow in the sky at night (or a visible fire perimeter). If you get any of these signals, it's time to either call for help or get out now, because these fires- once they're on top of you- move faster than you can run, and there's always a risk of being closed into a literal ring of fire. If you own property in a risk area, do your best to maintain a viable insurance policy, always keep a ready-to-go disaster kit in the house and car, and don't try to make a stand against the fire. Again, firefighters die fighting these fires, and if it's deadly for the professionals, what is it for you and your family?
Chemical fires and gas fires are especially hazardous to your continued life, not only because they can quite literally explode with tremendous force or burn with unexpected intensity, but also because they may throw off extremely lethal or highly dangerous chemical byproducts. If you get an overpowering smell of natural gas (which is naturally odorless- it only obtains its characteristic smell(s) after the gas company processes and ships it), especially with a wooshing sound of gas escaping, leave the area immediately, put a good deal of distance between you and where you first noticed the smell, call the gas company (if you can), and alert the fire department. If you notice a chemical spilling out of a tanker container (train or truck), a tanker container on fire, or a vapor or smoke coming out of a chemical tanker, you should move back to a safe distance (again, be able to cover the entire scene with the thumb of an outstretched hand), try to stay uphill and upwind of the scene (though this isn't as important as keeping your distance), keep your vehicle running (if you've stopped) and dial 911.
The associates of a fire can be every bit as deadly and dangerous as the fire itself, so now we'll do a quick review of them, starting with Carbon Monoxide. Carbon Monoxide (Or 1 Carbon and 1 Oxygen forming a molecule, not to be confused with CO2- carbon dioxide-, which is blamed for global warming and is a considerably less dangerous gas) is an extremely dangerous gas that often results from any sort of combustion, be it an open fire, a running gasoline or diesel engine, or cooking with a gas appliance. Carbon Monoxide kills by binding to the part of the red blood cells that would normally carry oxygen through the body, thus internally asphyxiating your body. In an open environment, carbon monoxide is fairly harmless, since it will usually diffuse and disappate instead of be concentrated or form a cloud. Inside of a structure- be it a garage, house, or business- however, carbon monoxide can build up (sometimes quite quickly, depending on the situation) to lethal concentrations. This build-up is most commonly seen during the winter-time, when people have closed up their homes to prevent as little air exchange between the inside and outside as possible, and is often times pushed into the level of being hazardous by using a gas stove as a heater, using a propane heater indoors, or running an internal combustion engine (such as that found on portable generators) indoors. It's also quite commonly witnessed when people are working in their garages, leaving their car running, or operating some sort of combustion engine inside without proper ventilation. Carbon monoxide is a silent, stealthy killer- quite capable of killing everyone in a single household, and some level of poisoning occurs to thousands of people every year, so it must be treated with the utmost seriousness. You can help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning by ensuring that you've got the appropriate level of ventilation available to you any time you're working with combustion- at least a nearby window halfway or fully open for gas cooking, a door or several windows open through the area for a propane heater, and never operate a gasoline or deisel engine indoors unless you're in the garage and you've got the car door open. You can also purchase carbon monoxide detectors or combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarms, which should be placed everywhere you would place a smoke alarm.
Some signs that should throw off red flags of carbon monoxide poisoning (which should prompt you to IMMEDIATELY leave the residence and dial 911- don't go back inside) are everyone feeling bad or feeling nauseated at roughly the same time, everybody inside passed out and either unresponsive or responding inappropriately (minus the smell of alcohol on their breath), generally feeling tired or sleepy, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and people acting unusually. Don't rely on the classic 'cherry-red' skin color, because this is usually a late sign, often occuring well after death, though it can rarely occur while the victim is still alive. You must consider these signs against what you see in the house (ex: Has someone been using their gas oven as a heater without opening any windows?) and how others present in the house. Usually, everyone- even pets, especially small pets- in a household will be effected.
Smoke and superheated air are going to be the primary hazard to your sustained life in the event of a fire, far surpassing the threat posed by the fire itself. If you're in one of these fires, you need to keep in mind that heat and smoke will rise- meaning you need to crawl. The superheated air in a residential or business fire can reach 1800 degrees feirenheit at head height- that's hot enough to melt a fireman's headgear and faceshield in a number of seconds that you can count on one hand. Again, if it's even too dangerous for firefighters to walk through a residential fire, it's just plain stupid for you to attempt to walk out. Don't walk- crawl! If you have to stand up, or if you're hit with a gust of hot air, attempt to exhale slowly or hold your breath after light exhalation- but whatever you do, don't inhale. Also, inside a fire, attempt to get your air from off the floor if you can't get out before you need to breathe again, and inhale slowly through your nose as much as you can. You might also consider wetting a cloth or some clothing and covering your mouth and nose (be sure you can remove it quickly, in case it catches flame). Also, the faster you can get out with the least exposure to the fire, the better. Now, don't go hurling yourself out of tenth-floor windows, but if you're fairly close to the ground and you've got the option of a window or going through the 'hot zone' to reach another exit, take the window every time. Don't hesitate- break it out with whatever you can find, make sure you knock out all the glass if you've got the time- even the small stuff along the bottom and the sides-, and, again, if you've got time, you should lay something very thick, like a leather jacket, over where you plan to be having contact with the window frame. This will all help to prevent extremely serious and life-threatening airway burns.
Smoke, like superheated air, can be extremely, ridiculously hot. Smoke, however, carries additional hazards, such as toxins like Phosgene, Cyanide, and Carbon Monoxide. Also, smoke carries fine particles that can hold heat for longer than air alone can, and can also form deposits in the respiratory passages. You can help decrease your exposure to smoke by installing smoke alarms in every room, floor, and hallway (or by making sure your apartment landlords have taken these steps), and by following all of the same steps you would to avoid superheated air.
Collapses and Explosions are very dangerous mechanisms that can sometimes result from a fire. If there's any sorts of containers (gasoline cans, soda cans, water tanks, gas/air canisters, especially cargo tanks and gas tanks on vehicles) or pressurized vessels of any sort that are near or inside of a fire, you need to alert the fire department or 911 if they're not on scene and you need to leave the area as soon as possible. To avoid structural collapses, you shouldn't enter condemned, on fire, or otherwise damaged buildings, and you should avoid travelling through them whenever possible. If you're the subject of a structural collapse and become pinned, dial 911 if you can, or if you can't or emergency personell or already on scene, scream, shout, wave your shirt around (if you can), do everything you can to get someone's attention. You should also try writing down or remembering the time that you became pinned, if you can, so that you can tell responding fire and EMS personell how long you've been stuck (which can prove extremely relevant to how you're handled as a patient).
The best survivor is the smart survivor: Preparedness measures
No matter where you go- your house, your car, your work, even a hospital, mall, school, or other area you may be just visiting, make sure that you either have or know the evacuation plan in the event of a fire- it'll save you a lot of trouble, and possibly your life. You should hold a home fire drill at least once a year, though four times is preferable. You should also take strides to include prescription medications; a go-kit containing clothes, keys, cash, and other essentials you'll need in worst-case scenarios; and pets in your evacuation plan. You should know all your exits and attempt to have a contingency plan for every 'what if' you can think of. You should also pay attention enough to familiarize yourself with where the fire extinguishers and fire alarms are (by the way, it is illegal to pull those alarms for the sake of causing mischief or without need, because people can and do panic and get hurt- so don't be tempted). You should consider keeping at least one large fire extinguisher in your house (I would also recommend a small one to keep in the kitchen), and one small fire extinguisher to keep in your vehicle of choice. Make sure you have smoke alarms in every hallway, large room, and level of your house, and make sure they're in working order- they can't work if they don't have any batteries, can they? (There are varieties that plug into your house's electrical system, but the battery operated ones are preferable because they'll continue to work even during a power outage.) You should also try to ensure that there are at least two ways out of your house, no matter where you're at in it. As far as burn care goes, you should have ice, gauze, and ibuprofin on hand for small burns. If the burn develops blisters, DON'T POP THEM- doing so may increase your risk for infection. For deep burns with blackened or charred skin, large burns, burns near the mouth, or if you or someone else's voice is suddenly hoarse after exposure to hot air or fire, you should seek emergency care immediately!
When all else fails: How to survive
If you're there to witness the start of an unintentional, uncontrolled fire, you should immediately dial 911 in case you can't handle it, because fires can grow fast, and the sooner that the fire department is on its way, the better. You can try to manage the flames by smothering them, dousing it with water, or, preferably, with a fire extinguisher- if you've got one one hand. The right way to use one is by following the instructions on the extinguisher, standing about three feet back at the most, and spraying in a sweeping motion at the base of the fire until the extinguisher is fully discharged. Failing that, you need to pull the fire alarm and initiate your evacuation plan ASAP.
Okay, so you weren't able to prevent it or handle it before it became a problem. The first thing to do is get out. Forget everything else- it's all replaceable, you're not. Also, if there is considerable risk to yourself, don't go to help someone else or you'll probably end up becoming victim #2. If you haven't already, now's the time to call 911, by the way. First, you're going to want to dress appropriately. If you can quickly throw on a shirt, do it- roll down your sleeves, put on a cap, raise your collar, slip on some shoes, it will all help protect you, but don't do it if it's going to take more than five seconds per item. If you come to a closed door, place your handle on the knob. If the knob is unbearably hot to the touch (the whole house may be generally hot by this point), don't you dare open that door- there's fire on the other side- you'll need to enact your other way out. You should also watch for smoke coming from beneath the door, as well as feel the door itself. If the smoke is coming from under the door in puffs, especially if it's white smoke, or the door feels extremely hot or like it's breathing, whatever you do, never, EVER open that door! The reason for this is that there's a potential flashover (which is where a room has fuel and lots of heat, but no oxygen to support a fire. As soon as it recieves the oxygen, the entire area literally bursts into flame) waiting to happen, and in a structural fire, there's very rarely something approaching the raw deadliness of a flashover. In fact, you need to get as far away from that door as you can as soon as possible, because the heat will eventually eat through it and initiate a flashover. Once you're on your way out, remember to get low to the ground and crawl- DON'T WALK- out. If you must, you can exit through a window, as I detailed earlier. If it's too dangerous for you to leave where you're at, don't attempt to leave. You need to tell 911 exactly where you're at in exactly what room you're in, or you need to text this to someone you know on the outside. If you're near a window, but can't get out through it, break it out and wave SOMETHING out of it, be it a T-shirt, a rag, whatever to get someone's attention. You should also try placing a- preferably wet- towel or thick cloth of some kind at the base of any doors that are emptying smoke into where you're at. You should stay low, consider turning on a flashlight to increase your visibility to responding firefighters, and listen to the dispatcher or firefighter's instructions.
Once you're outside, the danger isn't over. In a fire scenario, emotions can easily run very high among complete strangers, friends, family members, even between victims and responders. You need to keep your mind about you after a fire, pay attention to responder directions, listen to what they tell you, and don't get a bruised ego if they don't take the time to be nice with you- they're stressed, possibly every bit as much as you are, and they're busy trying to handle a job, so understand that they're not trying to be rude. You should also be prepared to handle an angry or agitated victim who may be extremely aggressive- don't get a hot head about it, and don't try to show them up, handle yourself like a professional, understand that people under the influence of emotion say and do things they don't really mean. If it gets excessive, however, be prepared to ask for law enforcement or responder assistance in calming them down.
Know thine enemy: The kinds of fire and the hazards they bring with them
Fire can be classified in any number of ways, but we'll be primarily sorting them by their sources and by the things they attack (structure, car, etc). Also, at the end of the list of the kinds of fire, we'll discuss the associated hazards.
First on our list is the basic spark-and-fuel fire: This kind of fire is easy enough to understand- something really hot starts to burn something that can be used as fuel. It's why you don't allow kids to play with matches (seriously, there have been cases in the area where I'm at- don't let your kid play in the backyard with a lighter and a full gasoline can because you don't want them interrupting your viewing of America's Got Talent). It's also why you should always have someone make sure that the wiring in your new house is up to code, and why you should never skimp on cleaning your fireplace flume if you're going to use it. Also, try not to use the stove when there's combustible items (such as any sort of aerosol spray or paper) nearby, and don't leave the coffee pot or stove on when you leave. These fires, on the more obvious level, are fairly easy to prevent if you just pay attention to what you're doing when dealing with something hot or an open flame, and don't go out of your way to do anything spectacularly dumb. However, there are less obvious risks that can lead to this problem that you should always make an effort to keep in check (such as faulty wiring, faulty electrical devices, uncleaned fireplaces, furnace or water heater malfunction, or home gas malfunction). All of these fires are vulnerable to copious amounts of water (except sometimes the electrical fire), and a good fire extinguisher if you can catch them early enough, though in some circumstances, they may be immediately beyond your control the moment they start- in which case you need to call the fire department and enact your evacuation plan (you should always have an evacuation plan) ASAP. Also, try to take your fire extinguisher outside with you, as well as any home oxygen and/or prescription medications if you have the time and ability to do so. Try to only make one trip outside in this situation, though, since fires can spread EXTREMELY fast in the residential and/or business environment. Never EVER go back inside of a burning building.
The next type of fire is the grease fire- I'm making this a section of its own because it's handled differently from the typical fire. If you pour water on a grease fire (basically, your cooking oil has ignited), it's going to flare up and get worse. You can prevent these fires with just a little common sense when cooking, as well as by keeping your stove, grill, or other cooking unit and cooking utensils (pots and pans) clean. If, for some reason, you are the subject of a grease fire, you can quickly manage it by either using the fire extinguisher that you bloody well SHOULD have in your kitchen at all times, or by smothering the fire with a towel (it needs to be large enough to cover the whole pan or at least 1 and a half times the size of the base of the fire, and it's preferable to make it quite thick). Since you shouldn't have wet the towel because you know that water aggravates a grease fire, make sure that the towel doesn't now catch fire from the stove burner or the grill itself.
Another kind of fire is the car fire. If your car catches fire or begins to smoke profusely, whether or not it was the result of an accident, you should immediately pull over, shut off the vehicle, exit it, and assist other occupants in getting to safety (which, preferably, means being able to obscure the vehicle from sight with the thumb of an outstretched hand). If you have a fire extinguisher on board (which you should), you can go ahead and try using that to immediately handle the fire, but if it's not successful, you should take the fire extinguisher with you and leave immediately. Once a car is heavily on fire, do not attempt to extinguish the flames because most cars have frames made of some form of magnesium (which is what we used to burn to get a flash for photography before we had battery-powered flashbulbs, so it burns quite hot and fast), and when you attempt to cool that magnesium rapidly, it WILL explode and send off extremely hot pieces of metal. This is why firefighters will often allow an engulfed car to burn itself out, because the pieces of magnesium that it might send off if they intervened can be hot enough to burn slap through all of their gear the same as a cotton t-shirt. If it's too dangerous for the professionals, it's definitely too dangerous for you.
The next type of fire is the forest or wild fire. These fires can be extremely hot and can move through an area at ridiculously high speeds, especially when being driven by wind. You can help prevent these epic disasters by not throwing your cigarettes out of the window while driving, always making sure to follow appropriate campfire safety and thoroughly dousing it when you're done, not breaking burn ban and reporting or advising them about the ban to those who do, and by reporting even small forest fires to 911. Sometimes, these fires are too hot and too big for armies of firefighters to easily control, so the best policy to have if you know a wildfire is headed your way is to get out of there as soon as you hear about it. Some things to look for if you're camping and have no access to the news are definitely going to be thick clouds of smoke with no apparent source, a constant smell of smoke without smoke, a red or violet glow in the sky at night (or a visible fire perimeter). If you get any of these signals, it's time to either call for help or get out now, because these fires- once they're on top of you- move faster than you can run, and there's always a risk of being closed into a literal ring of fire. If you own property in a risk area, do your best to maintain a viable insurance policy, always keep a ready-to-go disaster kit in the house and car, and don't try to make a stand against the fire. Again, firefighters die fighting these fires, and if it's deadly for the professionals, what is it for you and your family?
Chemical fires and gas fires are especially hazardous to your continued life, not only because they can quite literally explode with tremendous force or burn with unexpected intensity, but also because they may throw off extremely lethal or highly dangerous chemical byproducts. If you get an overpowering smell of natural gas (which is naturally odorless- it only obtains its characteristic smell(s) after the gas company processes and ships it), especially with a wooshing sound of gas escaping, leave the area immediately, put a good deal of distance between you and where you first noticed the smell, call the gas company (if you can), and alert the fire department. If you notice a chemical spilling out of a tanker container (train or truck), a tanker container on fire, or a vapor or smoke coming out of a chemical tanker, you should move back to a safe distance (again, be able to cover the entire scene with the thumb of an outstretched hand), try to stay uphill and upwind of the scene (though this isn't as important as keeping your distance), keep your vehicle running (if you've stopped) and dial 911.
The associates of a fire can be every bit as deadly and dangerous as the fire itself, so now we'll do a quick review of them, starting with Carbon Monoxide. Carbon Monoxide (Or 1 Carbon and 1 Oxygen forming a molecule, not to be confused with CO2- carbon dioxide-, which is blamed for global warming and is a considerably less dangerous gas) is an extremely dangerous gas that often results from any sort of combustion, be it an open fire, a running gasoline or diesel engine, or cooking with a gas appliance. Carbon Monoxide kills by binding to the part of the red blood cells that would normally carry oxygen through the body, thus internally asphyxiating your body. In an open environment, carbon monoxide is fairly harmless, since it will usually diffuse and disappate instead of be concentrated or form a cloud. Inside of a structure- be it a garage, house, or business- however, carbon monoxide can build up (sometimes quite quickly, depending on the situation) to lethal concentrations. This build-up is most commonly seen during the winter-time, when people have closed up their homes to prevent as little air exchange between the inside and outside as possible, and is often times pushed into the level of being hazardous by using a gas stove as a heater, using a propane heater indoors, or running an internal combustion engine (such as that found on portable generators) indoors. It's also quite commonly witnessed when people are working in their garages, leaving their car running, or operating some sort of combustion engine inside without proper ventilation. Carbon monoxide is a silent, stealthy killer- quite capable of killing everyone in a single household, and some level of poisoning occurs to thousands of people every year, so it must be treated with the utmost seriousness. You can help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning by ensuring that you've got the appropriate level of ventilation available to you any time you're working with combustion- at least a nearby window halfway or fully open for gas cooking, a door or several windows open through the area for a propane heater, and never operate a gasoline or deisel engine indoors unless you're in the garage and you've got the car door open. You can also purchase carbon monoxide detectors or combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarms, which should be placed everywhere you would place a smoke alarm.
Some signs that should throw off red flags of carbon monoxide poisoning (which should prompt you to IMMEDIATELY leave the residence and dial 911- don't go back inside) are everyone feeling bad or feeling nauseated at roughly the same time, everybody inside passed out and either unresponsive or responding inappropriately (minus the smell of alcohol on their breath), generally feeling tired or sleepy, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and people acting unusually. Don't rely on the classic 'cherry-red' skin color, because this is usually a late sign, often occuring well after death, though it can rarely occur while the victim is still alive. You must consider these signs against what you see in the house (ex: Has someone been using their gas oven as a heater without opening any windows?) and how others present in the house. Usually, everyone- even pets, especially small pets- in a household will be effected.
Smoke and superheated air are going to be the primary hazard to your sustained life in the event of a fire, far surpassing the threat posed by the fire itself. If you're in one of these fires, you need to keep in mind that heat and smoke will rise- meaning you need to crawl. The superheated air in a residential or business fire can reach 1800 degrees feirenheit at head height- that's hot enough to melt a fireman's headgear and faceshield in a number of seconds that you can count on one hand. Again, if it's even too dangerous for firefighters to walk through a residential fire, it's just plain stupid for you to attempt to walk out. Don't walk- crawl! If you have to stand up, or if you're hit with a gust of hot air, attempt to exhale slowly or hold your breath after light exhalation- but whatever you do, don't inhale. Also, inside a fire, attempt to get your air from off the floor if you can't get out before you need to breathe again, and inhale slowly through your nose as much as you can. You might also consider wetting a cloth or some clothing and covering your mouth and nose (be sure you can remove it quickly, in case it catches flame). Also, the faster you can get out with the least exposure to the fire, the better. Now, don't go hurling yourself out of tenth-floor windows, but if you're fairly close to the ground and you've got the option of a window or going through the 'hot zone' to reach another exit, take the window every time. Don't hesitate- break it out with whatever you can find, make sure you knock out all the glass if you've got the time- even the small stuff along the bottom and the sides-, and, again, if you've got time, you should lay something very thick, like a leather jacket, over where you plan to be having contact with the window frame. This will all help to prevent extremely serious and life-threatening airway burns.
Smoke, like superheated air, can be extremely, ridiculously hot. Smoke, however, carries additional hazards, such as toxins like Phosgene, Cyanide, and Carbon Monoxide. Also, smoke carries fine particles that can hold heat for longer than air alone can, and can also form deposits in the respiratory passages. You can help decrease your exposure to smoke by installing smoke alarms in every room, floor, and hallway (or by making sure your apartment landlords have taken these steps), and by following all of the same steps you would to avoid superheated air.
Collapses and Explosions are very dangerous mechanisms that can sometimes result from a fire. If there's any sorts of containers (gasoline cans, soda cans, water tanks, gas/air canisters, especially cargo tanks and gas tanks on vehicles) or pressurized vessels of any sort that are near or inside of a fire, you need to alert the fire department or 911 if they're not on scene and you need to leave the area as soon as possible. To avoid structural collapses, you shouldn't enter condemned, on fire, or otherwise damaged buildings, and you should avoid travelling through them whenever possible. If you're the subject of a structural collapse and become pinned, dial 911 if you can, or if you can't or emergency personell or already on scene, scream, shout, wave your shirt around (if you can), do everything you can to get someone's attention. You should also try writing down or remembering the time that you became pinned, if you can, so that you can tell responding fire and EMS personell how long you've been stuck (which can prove extremely relevant to how you're handled as a patient).
The best survivor is the smart survivor: Preparedness measures
No matter where you go- your house, your car, your work, even a hospital, mall, school, or other area you may be just visiting, make sure that you either have or know the evacuation plan in the event of a fire- it'll save you a lot of trouble, and possibly your life. You should hold a home fire drill at least once a year, though four times is preferable. You should also take strides to include prescription medications; a go-kit containing clothes, keys, cash, and other essentials you'll need in worst-case scenarios; and pets in your evacuation plan. You should know all your exits and attempt to have a contingency plan for every 'what if' you can think of. You should also pay attention enough to familiarize yourself with where the fire extinguishers and fire alarms are (by the way, it is illegal to pull those alarms for the sake of causing mischief or without need, because people can and do panic and get hurt- so don't be tempted). You should consider keeping at least one large fire extinguisher in your house (I would also recommend a small one to keep in the kitchen), and one small fire extinguisher to keep in your vehicle of choice. Make sure you have smoke alarms in every hallway, large room, and level of your house, and make sure they're in working order- they can't work if they don't have any batteries, can they? (There are varieties that plug into your house's electrical system, but the battery operated ones are preferable because they'll continue to work even during a power outage.) You should also try to ensure that there are at least two ways out of your house, no matter where you're at in it. As far as burn care goes, you should have ice, gauze, and ibuprofin on hand for small burns. If the burn develops blisters, DON'T POP THEM- doing so may increase your risk for infection. For deep burns with blackened or charred skin, large burns, burns near the mouth, or if you or someone else's voice is suddenly hoarse after exposure to hot air or fire, you should seek emergency care immediately!
When all else fails: How to survive
If you're there to witness the start of an unintentional, uncontrolled fire, you should immediately dial 911 in case you can't handle it, because fires can grow fast, and the sooner that the fire department is on its way, the better. You can try to manage the flames by smothering them, dousing it with water, or, preferably, with a fire extinguisher- if you've got one one hand. The right way to use one is by following the instructions on the extinguisher, standing about three feet back at the most, and spraying in a sweeping motion at the base of the fire until the extinguisher is fully discharged. Failing that, you need to pull the fire alarm and initiate your evacuation plan ASAP.
Okay, so you weren't able to prevent it or handle it before it became a problem. The first thing to do is get out. Forget everything else- it's all replaceable, you're not. Also, if there is considerable risk to yourself, don't go to help someone else or you'll probably end up becoming victim #2. If you haven't already, now's the time to call 911, by the way. First, you're going to want to dress appropriately. If you can quickly throw on a shirt, do it- roll down your sleeves, put on a cap, raise your collar, slip on some shoes, it will all help protect you, but don't do it if it's going to take more than five seconds per item. If you come to a closed door, place your handle on the knob. If the knob is unbearably hot to the touch (the whole house may be generally hot by this point), don't you dare open that door- there's fire on the other side- you'll need to enact your other way out. You should also watch for smoke coming from beneath the door, as well as feel the door itself. If the smoke is coming from under the door in puffs, especially if it's white smoke, or the door feels extremely hot or like it's breathing, whatever you do, never, EVER open that door! The reason for this is that there's a potential flashover (which is where a room has fuel and lots of heat, but no oxygen to support a fire. As soon as it recieves the oxygen, the entire area literally bursts into flame) waiting to happen, and in a structural fire, there's very rarely something approaching the raw deadliness of a flashover. In fact, you need to get as far away from that door as you can as soon as possible, because the heat will eventually eat through it and initiate a flashover. Once you're on your way out, remember to get low to the ground and crawl- DON'T WALK- out. If you must, you can exit through a window, as I detailed earlier. If it's too dangerous for you to leave where you're at, don't attempt to leave. You need to tell 911 exactly where you're at in exactly what room you're in, or you need to text this to someone you know on the outside. If you're near a window, but can't get out through it, break it out and wave SOMETHING out of it, be it a T-shirt, a rag, whatever to get someone's attention. You should also try placing a- preferably wet- towel or thick cloth of some kind at the base of any doors that are emptying smoke into where you're at. You should stay low, consider turning on a flashlight to increase your visibility to responding firefighters, and listen to the dispatcher or firefighter's instructions.
Once you're outside, the danger isn't over. In a fire scenario, emotions can easily run very high among complete strangers, friends, family members, even between victims and responders. You need to keep your mind about you after a fire, pay attention to responder directions, listen to what they tell you, and don't get a bruised ego if they don't take the time to be nice with you- they're stressed, possibly every bit as much as you are, and they're busy trying to handle a job, so understand that they're not trying to be rude. You should also be prepared to handle an angry or agitated victim who may be extremely aggressive- don't get a hot head about it, and don't try to show them up, handle yourself like a professional, understand that people under the influence of emotion say and do things they don't really mean. If it gets excessive, however, be prepared to ask for law enforcement or responder assistance in calming them down.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Stranger Danger: How to be Safe in the Urban Environment
In today's chapter, we'll be covering the number one threat to your life and well-being (besides yourself): other people. Now, don't get me wrong, you're not at all more likely to be a victim of violence than an accident of some sort- it's quite the opposite, in fact. However, were it not for other people driving, we'd lose a significant number of motor vehicle accidents (though most accidents are actually single-vehicle, some driver going down a rural road way above the speed limit trying to make a turn twice as fast as they should have); were it not for others, it's unlikely we'd ever catch the flu and a grudge for that person that didn't understand the concept of sneezing into a tissue or shoulder; were it not for other people, we'd rarely have anything even close to the violence against others that it seems we hear about every day. Back on track, though, we'll be more discussing the potential for interpersonal violence, how to recognize it, how to prevent it (the most effective way of dealing with crime), how to react should all else fail, and how to work with law enforcement officials and other responders after the fact. At the end, we'll review specific crimes, how to recognize the potential for them, how to prevent them, how to respond, and how to work with emergency officials.
What is interpersonal violence? I ask this because we sometimes take things at face value or for granted when there's actually a lot more to the issue to be examined. Interpersonal violence doesn't always have to be confined to physical harm- just the very threat of it, the impact an act or deed has on someone's day-to-day life, can be considered to be a violation inflicted on one's life by another. Take, for example, a breif bit of fiction in which a young woman in an average suburban neighborhood walks past a few low-lifes hanging out on the other side of the street. Now because these couple of guys are up to no good, they start making trouble in the neighborhood- starting by, in this instance, shouting to her that they're going to steal her phone. Even if they never actually make the effort to take her phone, the act of threatening her will probably make her change her routine in the future for the sake of avoiding future trouble because she feels her safety, as well as her phone's, has been violated and does not wish to recieve further violations. More saddening, though, is the reality that people do worse things than threaten with words- they sometimes actually abuse, lash out at, and attack other people's minds with words (verbal abuse).
Violence can be even more abstract than words- as an example, theft. What if someone held you up for your wallet, broke into your house while you were out, or stole your identity? You've just had a horrible thing done to you, and most of the time these days (as in two out of three of the preceeding examples), you never even see your assailant face-to-face. Think about what changes your life would undergo following such a horrible event, how insecure you would feel. Theft is almost a form of mental abuse, when you think about it. The point that I'm driving at is that in looking out for and recognizing interpersonal violence, don't limit your scope to just that which leaves blood, bruises, and broken bones.
Where can violence occur? Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is that violence can be a reality for anyone, anywhere, at any time. However, if you know the patterns, you can lessen your chances of being a victim of violence.
-In any area where you're clearly foreign, be it another country, or just another region or ethnic center, your risk is much higher than in your home territory. The reasons abound, but the most important ones are that you're recognized to not be someone who's going to have connections in that area, you're recognized as probably not knowing the area very well, and you're less likely to be sympathized with.
-Any area that's particularly less-traveled, secluded, or abandoned presents an increased risk. Primarily, this is because people don't like criminals in general, and criminals doing their deeds in public means airing their dirty laundry to everyone and their grandma- and, if grandma's feisty enough, getting their laundry washed as well as their clock cleaned.
-Night-time generally presents a higher risk for roughly the same reasons as a secluded area does: cover. Not only are people harder to see in the dark, but there's less people awake to see them, meaning that their chances of uninterrupted success are higher.
-Any area with just a few entrances and exits with little room to hide (such as an alleyway) makes a wonderful ambush point, so be wary of any strangers attempting to lead you through such a place and take pains to avoid these potential traps if you can.
- The vast majority of break-ins occur while nobody's home, since 'professional theives' generally aren't seriel killers, and vice-versa. For the most part, a theif would just as soon bolt for the nearest escape as he would deal with a rightously furious home owner.
- Listen to your gut- it's usually right. If an area gives you a bad feeling, it's probably for a good reason, and you should linger there as little as possible. If someone gives you the heebee-jeebees for no apparent reason, do your best to avoid them- if they're innocent, they'll get over it in no time and probably forget all about it by the end of the day, and if they're not, then you've saved yourself a world of trouble.
- Avoid standing out: They've got to pick someone, and people generally look at neon signs before the standard cardboard window signs, if you get my drift. If you're in unfamiliar or known dangerous territory, remain confident and maintain a driven, solid state of mind, but try to keep a lower profile than you normally would and take no steps to stand out. People who are quick to anger or other emotions, or are very prone to being outgoing are possibly the most common victims in some crimes.
- Helping: Preying on do-gooders is a classic criminal strategy. If someone comes to you desperately asking for a ride in your car or to come with them to help, take them seriously and advise them in a loud enough tone for others around you to hear that you're "dialing 911 for you right now". If you're not in a public place or in your car, remain where you're at and keep the doors locked and windows rolled up while you call for 911. If they're being honest with you, they'll probably appreciate the help, and if they're not, then you've just thrown the biggest monkey wrench possible in their plan.
-You are what you look: If you look calm, collected, and confident, not only will other people believe you are, but you'll begin to believe it too. It's important to maintain a look and act of cool, collected confidence in public, in riskier times and areas, and even in the face of danger because you'll be much harder to view as a prey item. Not only will you deter predators in general, but you might even be able to squash a violent situation in its socks by having the confidence to not get drawn in to the turmoil they're trying to create.
-Isolation: Lone individuals are easier targets to violence than groups of people. Try to always travel with at least one other person that you know well when going through a dangerous or new area. If someone attempts to isolate you with invitations to something, requests that you come over or come help, or tries to get in between you and your buddy to lead you in a new direction either physically or persuasively should be sternly, but politely, resisted.
- Loudmouth or dangerous?: Sometimes it's hard to tell when people are serious or when they're just shooting their mouths off. Someone who's just angry, doesn't necessarily want to fight, and is more putting on a show or display that 'ROAR, I'M MAD' will be red faced, screaming or yelling loudly, and will experience a complete inability to stop waving their hands around. The best policy is to just let them win, give them a way out that allows them to save face instead of getting sucked into their absurd righteous fury right along with them. The people you should genuinely worry about will generally be paler, more deliberate and in control, will say fewer words, and may keep their arms down by their sides with a slight inward bend at the elbows and balled fists or clenched hands.
The First Step: Certainly, violent crimes are some of the worst things that can ever happen to anyone, and the aftershocks of a single violent crime may be felt by many more people than just the victim and for many years after the crime itself. While it's true that there are times in which a firearm or weapon may be a useful tool in responding to an ongoing crime, and it's true that allocating extra funds to better staff and equipment law enforcement departments will help keep crime in check, it's an unfortunate fact that we in America have allowed ourselves to believe that responding is the only effective method of dealing with crime. The truth is that prevention is, at its worst, as effective as response, and infinitely more effective at its best. The truth is that response, at best, will not stop a crime from happening in the present- only stop a future or further crime from occurring. This noted, prevention should be your first step in dealing with the threat of crime. A lot of people have a misconception that they'll have to fork over a lot of cash- a lot more than it costs to keep their skill up with or purchase a new firearm-, but most prevention methods are largely a one-time cost, and some cost nothing at all! Some examples of one-time costs include jam-bars for sliding glass doors, shatter-proofing lamination for windows (handy for both keeping out crooks and darn neighbor kid's baseballs), dead-bolt locks for external and safe-room doors (because they'll much more readily resist a solid kick than your knob lock), solid doors, good jimmy-proof locks on your windows, a bolted-down safe (preferably fire and maybe even water-proof, making an excellent place to store valuables, small firearms, and personal documents that could be used for identity theft. Note that it MUST be bolted down, or any potential thieves will just use it as a convenient carrying case), and a combination-locked key box for your spare (see: Uh-oh) house key. Some examples of 'free' prevention are not leaving a ladder accessible in your yard(s), locking up before going anywhere, having a friend/neighbor/professional give you an honest review of your current level of security, adopting a dog (you don't need an attack dog- even a small yapadoodle can make all the difference because they'll notice people outside when you won't and, if they've lived with you long enough, can have an uncanny ability to know when something's not right), requesting the city install street lamps in front of or near to your house if they're not already there, reporting any unusual or suspicious activity to your local police department or sheriff's office (this is a big one, since a lot of violent crimes can take a surprising amount of preparation), requesting that your neighbors take your newspapers/mail in or house-sit for an hour or two a day if you're going out of town, planting spiney or thorny shrubs near a potential weak-point in your security, locking your car doors when you go in, and keeping most of your plant-life trimmed and well away from doorways.
Another really great thing you can do for prevention is to get active in your community- go and ask your local law enforcement office (or an officer who's got a little bit of time on their hands) what some of the current problems in the community are and what they would recommend for preventing or altogether stopping it. Also, start a neighborhood watch- get together with a few nearby families, set safety goals and parameters with each other (Such as "There shouldn't be ANYONE in my house between 2-4PM unless me or someone else from the family is there" or "We always go out for dinner on friday nights, so that's when our house is the most vulnerable"). Another great thing to do is to, again, designate a safe room and/or work with a neighbor to make a plan in the event of a disaster. Finally, see if there's anything you can do to help local law enforcement with public education, such as hosting or contributing to school events or handing out information fliers.
Last, but certainly not least, in prevention is the technique of active scanning. Active scanning is normally something that's mostly used for motorcycling, but can be adopted and adapted to other areas of life, such as keeping safe from violence. What active scanning means is that while you are in an area, you keep your eyes, ears, and brain functioning constantly- you observe and take note of anything you can and everything you can; pay attention to anything that seems suspicious, a potential threat, or catches your eye while you continue to search for things you didn't notice before. The most crucial part about active scanning is combining what you observe to formulate what's possible, probable, and definite, and how to respond to each scenario. They teach motorcycle riders to constantly be searching for the next best escape/evasion route should traffic suddenly encounter hell, high water, or both. Employing the same policy when out and about could help you greatly in avoiding a violent situation.
Response: Is the last and least effective phase of countering violence. At this point, a violent act has already occured or has started. If you feel you may be subject to violence, now is the time to deploy a set of tactics that you should have, by then, planned out according to the resources available. The key is to stay calm, confident, and in control of yourself, even when you're not in control of your situation. What I recommend for most situations is to follow the same ladder of escalating force that law enforcement and military officers employ:
1. Soft verbal exchange: "Please stop," "don't do that," and other general, inoffensive deterrent words that let people know that you're not interested and not amused. These should be said in a cool or even cold, confident or firm tone of voice, otherwise they may be viewed as a sign of weakness and actually make things worse. Now might also be a good time to employ a bit of verbal judo (NOT VERBAL KARATE- that is slinging insults or returning anger to someone. It's is a surefire way to escalate a problem. Verbal Judo is about redirecting their verbal momentum from a negative to a neutral or positive through maintaining a calm, confident, collected demeanor both in stature, tone, and language- think like a police negotiator, you're trying to resolve the incident, regardless of ego. Empathy is an extremely powerful tool in verbal judo) to try and get an angry person to calm down and cooperate.
2. If the soft verbal exchange doesn't work or it's apparent that you don't have enough time to let it work, then you move to the firm verbal command. "Stop!" is a wonderful example of the firm verbal command. The command should be issued firmly and confidently with an almost parental stature- exactly as if you're telling a three-year-old not to touch the stove or to stop playing with matches. Done right, it exhibits a very high level of confidence that may give your assailant pause, and it should draw on the fact that everyone was, at one time, a child, and was given similar powerful commands by their parents at some point or another. If you know the assailant's name, you can add it to your command for even more efficiency. If you're in a public area, this can be where you start talking in a somewhat louder tone to try and draw people's attention in case things are about to head south. If you're sure that your life will still be in iminent danger, this is the part where, now that they're thrown off-guard, you run and dial 911 or, if they continue, you move to the next level.
3. Light contact: At this point, they've made physical contact with you or have attempted to do so. At this point, all doubts need to be removed and 911 should be dialed if at all possible. Now is the point where you'd react by taking control, either evading further attacks, getting them in a joint lock, pinning them to a wall, or make time for an escape by delivering a swift, spontaneous open palm to their face- enough to stun anyone for a second or two, which should be enough for you to escape, reach for a non-lethal device such as pepper spray, or otherwise take control of the situation (though retreating to a safe area is always recommended). This segment should be skipped if they are armed and retreat is not an option.
4. Heavy contact: At this point, all else has failed and your life is in immediate danger. Because you are under serious risk of death or disablement, all bets are off and all stops should be removed- gouge at their eyes, bite at their ears or nose, deliver a flat-palmed smack to their ear for a ruptured eardrum, kick or knee them in the groin- bite, claw, kick and scream, and if all else has absolutely failed, begin lethal force measures such as a firearm, a knife, or a firm blow to the front of their throat. This stage should be one of absolute last resort, and will only be justified in the eyes of the law if it is seen that you felt your life was in imminent danger with all other options extinguishd. Once the threat has stopped, you must stop as well- anything done to 'teach them a lesson' will be considered use of excessive force or worse, and will not bode well for you in the eyes of the law.
The particulars:
Rape: A horrific crime that can ruin whole lives, no doubt. A good way to greatly reduce risk of rape is to use a buddy system when going through risky areas, to public events, or to bars or clubs. You might also consider carrying pepper spray, a contact taser, or a so-called 'rape whistle' or 'rape alarm' with you as both deterrents and tools in escaping an attacker. Be verbally firm with any suspicious persons from a fair distance and set up a 'don't come any closer' bubble of at least ten feet, avoid secluded areas, unlit areas at night, or isolation. If you find yourself the imminent subject of rape, move straight to heavy contact, make as much noise as possible, and do everything in your power to scar and injure this person because your life is in very real danger. If all else fails and the act is done, while waiting for emergency responders, do NOT clean up. Most rape victims feel a consuming urge to shower and clean off after the rape, but the fact is that this destroys much of the evidence that would have proven valuable in catching the rapist.
Hold-up, stick-up, mugging, robbery, etc: Nobody likes being victimized, especially when you can stare your attacker in the face, but if they've got a weapon drawn on you, fighting back is absolutely the worst thing possible for you to do. Most experts agree that the smart thing to do is just to cooperate, hand over their demands, try to gather as many details as possible, and alert law enforcement as soon as you're safe. Whatever it is you've got that they want, it's not worth your life, and unlike you, it's probably replaceable. Preventing theft can be a bit hit-and-miss, but the best policy is to pay attention and take preventative steps. When you're approaching the ATM, look out for any unusual or suspicious persons, as well as places they could be hiding, especially since drive-through ATMs have become popular focal points for carjackings. Watch anyone approaching you without apparent reason carefully, paying special attention to their hands to see if they're not concealing a knife. If a stranger approaches you suddenly, a good idea would be to tell them "woah, that's close enough," at a distance of five to ten feet or so. If you are the subject of a carjacking, you may be tempted to drive off, but the problem most people encounter when they attempt this is either that they're shot at or, because their attention was on the robber, they almost immediately crash in their hurry- sometimes both! If you've been the subject of a robbery of any kind, particularly a home robbery, ignore the urge to sift through and pick up things, retreat to a known safe area and contact law enforcement as soon as possible.
Kidnapping: This is an especially dangerous crime that isn't unique to small children anymore. You should educate yourself and your children on the latest safety advice to prevent a kidnapping. Again, paying attention is important, as the kidnapper may 'case' or investigate a child several days before actually comitting the act. The most important factor in kidnapping, however, is early reporting. The sooner a kidnapping is reported, the greater the chance is that the child will be located. With today's interstate system, even a few hours of lapsed time between the actual event and the reporting thereof could drastically hinder efforts to find the kidnapped person. You'll need to stay calm and provide law enforcement officials with as much of the information they ask for that you can. If you find yourself being subject to abduction, understand that being captured means putting your life entirely in another person's hands, so fight like the devil to NOT get captured while you can- fight dirty, fight savage, use whatever you can get your hands on and make as much of a scene as you possibly can (even if someone doesn't intervene, it turns everyone there into a witness). Once you are captured, the best time to try and make your escape is as early as possible, since during that primary phase, the kidnapper has you under only less-than favorable temporary conditions. If your life is under immediate threat, however, the best thing to do is just cooperate.
Road Rage/ Belligerent Persons: It's inevitable that you're eventually going to mess up in traffic (The average driver makes 400 observations, 40 decisions and 2 mistakes every 2-mile span), so you should be prepared to handle the reality that some people just stone cold lose their minds over minor errors. If you're in a situation in which a driver can and does exit their vehicle to confront you, stay inside your vehicle, keep your doors locked, windows up, and communicate without the benefit of unmuffled sound. Stay calm, confident, and in control of yourself and your passengers- because you're the driver, make sure they understand that only YOU are to deal with the situation. You should not confront the angered person or return their anger, even if you're not at fault. Consider scribbling 'Sorry!' on a piece of paper and showing it to them through the windshield, as a study found that in the vast majority of cases, this simple tactic defused the angered driver. If they're inconsolable and will not calm down with time, or they begin to start attacking you or your vehicle, dial 911 immediately and follow the dispatcher's instructions.
What is interpersonal violence? I ask this because we sometimes take things at face value or for granted when there's actually a lot more to the issue to be examined. Interpersonal violence doesn't always have to be confined to physical harm- just the very threat of it, the impact an act or deed has on someone's day-to-day life, can be considered to be a violation inflicted on one's life by another. Take, for example, a breif bit of fiction in which a young woman in an average suburban neighborhood walks past a few low-lifes hanging out on the other side of the street. Now because these couple of guys are up to no good, they start making trouble in the neighborhood- starting by, in this instance, shouting to her that they're going to steal her phone. Even if they never actually make the effort to take her phone, the act of threatening her will probably make her change her routine in the future for the sake of avoiding future trouble because she feels her safety, as well as her phone's, has been violated and does not wish to recieve further violations. More saddening, though, is the reality that people do worse things than threaten with words- they sometimes actually abuse, lash out at, and attack other people's minds with words (verbal abuse).
Violence can be even more abstract than words- as an example, theft. What if someone held you up for your wallet, broke into your house while you were out, or stole your identity? You've just had a horrible thing done to you, and most of the time these days (as in two out of three of the preceeding examples), you never even see your assailant face-to-face. Think about what changes your life would undergo following such a horrible event, how insecure you would feel. Theft is almost a form of mental abuse, when you think about it. The point that I'm driving at is that in looking out for and recognizing interpersonal violence, don't limit your scope to just that which leaves blood, bruises, and broken bones.
Where can violence occur? Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is that violence can be a reality for anyone, anywhere, at any time. However, if you know the patterns, you can lessen your chances of being a victim of violence.
-In any area where you're clearly foreign, be it another country, or just another region or ethnic center, your risk is much higher than in your home territory. The reasons abound, but the most important ones are that you're recognized to not be someone who's going to have connections in that area, you're recognized as probably not knowing the area very well, and you're less likely to be sympathized with.
-Any area that's particularly less-traveled, secluded, or abandoned presents an increased risk. Primarily, this is because people don't like criminals in general, and criminals doing their deeds in public means airing their dirty laundry to everyone and their grandma- and, if grandma's feisty enough, getting their laundry washed as well as their clock cleaned.
-Night-time generally presents a higher risk for roughly the same reasons as a secluded area does: cover. Not only are people harder to see in the dark, but there's less people awake to see them, meaning that their chances of uninterrupted success are higher.
-Any area with just a few entrances and exits with little room to hide (such as an alleyway) makes a wonderful ambush point, so be wary of any strangers attempting to lead you through such a place and take pains to avoid these potential traps if you can.
- The vast majority of break-ins occur while nobody's home, since 'professional theives' generally aren't seriel killers, and vice-versa. For the most part, a theif would just as soon bolt for the nearest escape as he would deal with a rightously furious home owner.
- Listen to your gut- it's usually right. If an area gives you a bad feeling, it's probably for a good reason, and you should linger there as little as possible. If someone gives you the heebee-jeebees for no apparent reason, do your best to avoid them- if they're innocent, they'll get over it in no time and probably forget all about it by the end of the day, and if they're not, then you've saved yourself a world of trouble.
- Avoid standing out: They've got to pick someone, and people generally look at neon signs before the standard cardboard window signs, if you get my drift. If you're in unfamiliar or known dangerous territory, remain confident and maintain a driven, solid state of mind, but try to keep a lower profile than you normally would and take no steps to stand out. People who are quick to anger or other emotions, or are very prone to being outgoing are possibly the most common victims in some crimes.
- Helping: Preying on do-gooders is a classic criminal strategy. If someone comes to you desperately asking for a ride in your car or to come with them to help, take them seriously and advise them in a loud enough tone for others around you to hear that you're "dialing 911 for you right now". If you're not in a public place or in your car, remain where you're at and keep the doors locked and windows rolled up while you call for 911. If they're being honest with you, they'll probably appreciate the help, and if they're not, then you've just thrown the biggest monkey wrench possible in their plan.
-You are what you look: If you look calm, collected, and confident, not only will other people believe you are, but you'll begin to believe it too. It's important to maintain a look and act of cool, collected confidence in public, in riskier times and areas, and even in the face of danger because you'll be much harder to view as a prey item. Not only will you deter predators in general, but you might even be able to squash a violent situation in its socks by having the confidence to not get drawn in to the turmoil they're trying to create.
-Isolation: Lone individuals are easier targets to violence than groups of people. Try to always travel with at least one other person that you know well when going through a dangerous or new area. If someone attempts to isolate you with invitations to something, requests that you come over or come help, or tries to get in between you and your buddy to lead you in a new direction either physically or persuasively should be sternly, but politely, resisted.
- Loudmouth or dangerous?: Sometimes it's hard to tell when people are serious or when they're just shooting their mouths off. Someone who's just angry, doesn't necessarily want to fight, and is more putting on a show or display that 'ROAR, I'M MAD' will be red faced, screaming or yelling loudly, and will experience a complete inability to stop waving their hands around. The best policy is to just let them win, give them a way out that allows them to save face instead of getting sucked into their absurd righteous fury right along with them. The people you should genuinely worry about will generally be paler, more deliberate and in control, will say fewer words, and may keep their arms down by their sides with a slight inward bend at the elbows and balled fists or clenched hands.
The First Step: Certainly, violent crimes are some of the worst things that can ever happen to anyone, and the aftershocks of a single violent crime may be felt by many more people than just the victim and for many years after the crime itself. While it's true that there are times in which a firearm or weapon may be a useful tool in responding to an ongoing crime, and it's true that allocating extra funds to better staff and equipment law enforcement departments will help keep crime in check, it's an unfortunate fact that we in America have allowed ourselves to believe that responding is the only effective method of dealing with crime. The truth is that prevention is, at its worst, as effective as response, and infinitely more effective at its best. The truth is that response, at best, will not stop a crime from happening in the present- only stop a future or further crime from occurring. This noted, prevention should be your first step in dealing with the threat of crime. A lot of people have a misconception that they'll have to fork over a lot of cash- a lot more than it costs to keep their skill up with or purchase a new firearm-, but most prevention methods are largely a one-time cost, and some cost nothing at all! Some examples of one-time costs include jam-bars for sliding glass doors, shatter-proofing lamination for windows (handy for both keeping out crooks and darn neighbor kid's baseballs), dead-bolt locks for external and safe-room doors (because they'll much more readily resist a solid kick than your knob lock), solid doors, good jimmy-proof locks on your windows, a bolted-down safe (preferably fire and maybe even water-proof, making an excellent place to store valuables, small firearms, and personal documents that could be used for identity theft. Note that it MUST be bolted down, or any potential thieves will just use it as a convenient carrying case), and a combination-locked key box for your spare (see: Uh-oh) house key. Some examples of 'free' prevention are not leaving a ladder accessible in your yard(s), locking up before going anywhere, having a friend/neighbor/professional give you an honest review of your current level of security, adopting a dog (you don't need an attack dog- even a small yapadoodle can make all the difference because they'll notice people outside when you won't and, if they've lived with you long enough, can have an uncanny ability to know when something's not right), requesting the city install street lamps in front of or near to your house if they're not already there, reporting any unusual or suspicious activity to your local police department or sheriff's office (this is a big one, since a lot of violent crimes can take a surprising amount of preparation), requesting that your neighbors take your newspapers/mail in or house-sit for an hour or two a day if you're going out of town, planting spiney or thorny shrubs near a potential weak-point in your security, locking your car doors when you go in, and keeping most of your plant-life trimmed and well away from doorways.
Another really great thing you can do for prevention is to get active in your community- go and ask your local law enforcement office (or an officer who's got a little bit of time on their hands) what some of the current problems in the community are and what they would recommend for preventing or altogether stopping it. Also, start a neighborhood watch- get together with a few nearby families, set safety goals and parameters with each other (Such as "There shouldn't be ANYONE in my house between 2-4PM unless me or someone else from the family is there" or "We always go out for dinner on friday nights, so that's when our house is the most vulnerable"). Another great thing to do is to, again, designate a safe room and/or work with a neighbor to make a plan in the event of a disaster. Finally, see if there's anything you can do to help local law enforcement with public education, such as hosting or contributing to school events or handing out information fliers.
Last, but certainly not least, in prevention is the technique of active scanning. Active scanning is normally something that's mostly used for motorcycling, but can be adopted and adapted to other areas of life, such as keeping safe from violence. What active scanning means is that while you are in an area, you keep your eyes, ears, and brain functioning constantly- you observe and take note of anything you can and everything you can; pay attention to anything that seems suspicious, a potential threat, or catches your eye while you continue to search for things you didn't notice before. The most crucial part about active scanning is combining what you observe to formulate what's possible, probable, and definite, and how to respond to each scenario. They teach motorcycle riders to constantly be searching for the next best escape/evasion route should traffic suddenly encounter hell, high water, or both. Employing the same policy when out and about could help you greatly in avoiding a violent situation.
Response: Is the last and least effective phase of countering violence. At this point, a violent act has already occured or has started. If you feel you may be subject to violence, now is the time to deploy a set of tactics that you should have, by then, planned out according to the resources available. The key is to stay calm, confident, and in control of yourself, even when you're not in control of your situation. What I recommend for most situations is to follow the same ladder of escalating force that law enforcement and military officers employ:
1. Soft verbal exchange: "Please stop," "don't do that," and other general, inoffensive deterrent words that let people know that you're not interested and not amused. These should be said in a cool or even cold, confident or firm tone of voice, otherwise they may be viewed as a sign of weakness and actually make things worse. Now might also be a good time to employ a bit of verbal judo (NOT VERBAL KARATE- that is slinging insults or returning anger to someone. It's is a surefire way to escalate a problem. Verbal Judo is about redirecting their verbal momentum from a negative to a neutral or positive through maintaining a calm, confident, collected demeanor both in stature, tone, and language- think like a police negotiator, you're trying to resolve the incident, regardless of ego. Empathy is an extremely powerful tool in verbal judo) to try and get an angry person to calm down and cooperate.
2. If the soft verbal exchange doesn't work or it's apparent that you don't have enough time to let it work, then you move to the firm verbal command. "Stop!" is a wonderful example of the firm verbal command. The command should be issued firmly and confidently with an almost parental stature- exactly as if you're telling a three-year-old not to touch the stove or to stop playing with matches. Done right, it exhibits a very high level of confidence that may give your assailant pause, and it should draw on the fact that everyone was, at one time, a child, and was given similar powerful commands by their parents at some point or another. If you know the assailant's name, you can add it to your command for even more efficiency. If you're in a public area, this can be where you start talking in a somewhat louder tone to try and draw people's attention in case things are about to head south. If you're sure that your life will still be in iminent danger, this is the part where, now that they're thrown off-guard, you run and dial 911 or, if they continue, you move to the next level.
3. Light contact: At this point, they've made physical contact with you or have attempted to do so. At this point, all doubts need to be removed and 911 should be dialed if at all possible. Now is the point where you'd react by taking control, either evading further attacks, getting them in a joint lock, pinning them to a wall, or make time for an escape by delivering a swift, spontaneous open palm to their face- enough to stun anyone for a second or two, which should be enough for you to escape, reach for a non-lethal device such as pepper spray, or otherwise take control of the situation (though retreating to a safe area is always recommended). This segment should be skipped if they are armed and retreat is not an option.
4. Heavy contact: At this point, all else has failed and your life is in immediate danger. Because you are under serious risk of death or disablement, all bets are off and all stops should be removed- gouge at their eyes, bite at their ears or nose, deliver a flat-palmed smack to their ear for a ruptured eardrum, kick or knee them in the groin- bite, claw, kick and scream, and if all else has absolutely failed, begin lethal force measures such as a firearm, a knife, or a firm blow to the front of their throat. This stage should be one of absolute last resort, and will only be justified in the eyes of the law if it is seen that you felt your life was in imminent danger with all other options extinguishd. Once the threat has stopped, you must stop as well- anything done to 'teach them a lesson' will be considered use of excessive force or worse, and will not bode well for you in the eyes of the law.
The particulars:
Rape: A horrific crime that can ruin whole lives, no doubt. A good way to greatly reduce risk of rape is to use a buddy system when going through risky areas, to public events, or to bars or clubs. You might also consider carrying pepper spray, a contact taser, or a so-called 'rape whistle' or 'rape alarm' with you as both deterrents and tools in escaping an attacker. Be verbally firm with any suspicious persons from a fair distance and set up a 'don't come any closer' bubble of at least ten feet, avoid secluded areas, unlit areas at night, or isolation. If you find yourself the imminent subject of rape, move straight to heavy contact, make as much noise as possible, and do everything in your power to scar and injure this person because your life is in very real danger. If all else fails and the act is done, while waiting for emergency responders, do NOT clean up. Most rape victims feel a consuming urge to shower and clean off after the rape, but the fact is that this destroys much of the evidence that would have proven valuable in catching the rapist.
Hold-up, stick-up, mugging, robbery, etc: Nobody likes being victimized, especially when you can stare your attacker in the face, but if they've got a weapon drawn on you, fighting back is absolutely the worst thing possible for you to do. Most experts agree that the smart thing to do is just to cooperate, hand over their demands, try to gather as many details as possible, and alert law enforcement as soon as you're safe. Whatever it is you've got that they want, it's not worth your life, and unlike you, it's probably replaceable. Preventing theft can be a bit hit-and-miss, but the best policy is to pay attention and take preventative steps. When you're approaching the ATM, look out for any unusual or suspicious persons, as well as places they could be hiding, especially since drive-through ATMs have become popular focal points for carjackings. Watch anyone approaching you without apparent reason carefully, paying special attention to their hands to see if they're not concealing a knife. If a stranger approaches you suddenly, a good idea would be to tell them "woah, that's close enough," at a distance of five to ten feet or so. If you are the subject of a carjacking, you may be tempted to drive off, but the problem most people encounter when they attempt this is either that they're shot at or, because their attention was on the robber, they almost immediately crash in their hurry- sometimes both! If you've been the subject of a robbery of any kind, particularly a home robbery, ignore the urge to sift through and pick up things, retreat to a known safe area and contact law enforcement as soon as possible.
Kidnapping: This is an especially dangerous crime that isn't unique to small children anymore. You should educate yourself and your children on the latest safety advice to prevent a kidnapping. Again, paying attention is important, as the kidnapper may 'case' or investigate a child several days before actually comitting the act. The most important factor in kidnapping, however, is early reporting. The sooner a kidnapping is reported, the greater the chance is that the child will be located. With today's interstate system, even a few hours of lapsed time between the actual event and the reporting thereof could drastically hinder efforts to find the kidnapped person. You'll need to stay calm and provide law enforcement officials with as much of the information they ask for that you can. If you find yourself being subject to abduction, understand that being captured means putting your life entirely in another person's hands, so fight like the devil to NOT get captured while you can- fight dirty, fight savage, use whatever you can get your hands on and make as much of a scene as you possibly can (even if someone doesn't intervene, it turns everyone there into a witness). Once you are captured, the best time to try and make your escape is as early as possible, since during that primary phase, the kidnapper has you under only less-than favorable temporary conditions. If your life is under immediate threat, however, the best thing to do is just cooperate.
Road Rage/ Belligerent Persons: It's inevitable that you're eventually going to mess up in traffic (The average driver makes 400 observations, 40 decisions and 2 mistakes every 2-mile span), so you should be prepared to handle the reality that some people just stone cold lose their minds over minor errors. If you're in a situation in which a driver can and does exit their vehicle to confront you, stay inside your vehicle, keep your doors locked, windows up, and communicate without the benefit of unmuffled sound. Stay calm, confident, and in control of yourself and your passengers- because you're the driver, make sure they understand that only YOU are to deal with the situation. You should not confront the angered person or return their anger, even if you're not at fault. Consider scribbling 'Sorry!' on a piece of paper and showing it to them through the windshield, as a study found that in the vast majority of cases, this simple tactic defused the angered driver. If they're inconsolable and will not calm down with time, or they begin to start attacking you or your vehicle, dial 911 immediately and follow the dispatcher's instructions.
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