"It Can Be Catastrophic." EMTs Are Revealing "Emergency" Safety Tips That Could Save Your Life

A while back, we wrote a post where first responders shared what you should and should not do in dangerous situations . In the comments, EMTs chimed in with more crucial safety tips in emergencies, and it's so important. Here's what they had to say:

Note: Some submissions were pulled from this Reddit thread by u/PeachMilkshake2319 .

1. "Ex-EMT here. We're talking 13 years ago. Putting the pedal down as soon as the traffic light turns green is not a great idea. Wait a couple extra seconds. That first two to three seconds when the light turns green is a GREAT time to get nailed by some idiot blowing through a red light."

— u/CDC_

2. "EMT here. DO NOT PUT YOUR FEET ON THE DASHBOARD. You don't want to see what happens if that airbag goes off."

— sadlynotcamillahect

3. "Ex-EMT and ER Nurse. Know the proper way to help a choking infant; if you don't support the head properly while delivering back blows, you can seriously mess up their neck."

— u/gamerdudeNYC

4. "My dad was an EMT, firefighter, fire investigator, and police officer. I've learned so much from him, but a few that always stay in my mind are: Always extinguish unattended candles, unplug unused appliances, and unplug Christmas lights when sleeping. Sadly, my dad dealt with a lot of deaths from fires started by these things."

— u/Ok-Armadillo-2765

5. "If you live in a community with a pool that has a faulty gate or fence around it, RAISE HELL until it's fixed. If you have a pool on your property, DO NOT cut corners and expect a faulty fence to keep people out. Luckily, there are a lot of regulations around pools now, but when apartment complexes started adding pools in, there weren't requirements for gates around them."

"Dad had a few calls for a missing kid, noticed the murky pool close by (off-season and wasn’t being cleaned), and had to drag the pool until he found the child. Even 40 years later, he gets a lump in his throat talking about it, and we were NEVER allowed to even have a small above-ground pool. There are still kids today that will wander to a neighbor's pool and not come back out. "

— u/Ok-Armadillo-2765

6. "If there is a fire in your house, there are a few things to know. First, what kind of fire it is and how to put it out. Kitchen or grease fire? NEVER PUT WATER ON IT! Put a cover on the pan or pot, or throw a towel over it. If there's a fire that you can’t put out yourself within 30 seconds, call 911 and GET OUT. Do not start collecting items, grabbing clothes, or continue fighting the fire. A fire will spread quickly and emit toxic smoke immediately."

"Most fire deaths aren't from skin burns; they are from smoke inhalation. "

— u/Ok-Armadillo-2765

7. "If your house is on fire and it's already out of control but the room you are in doesn't have flames (for example, if your kitchen is on fire, but you are upstairs in your bedroom), keep your door closed and exit from that room through a window if possible. If you're exiting the home and CAN, always close the door or window behind you to starve the fire. There's such a thing as a backdraft, and it can be catastrophic."

— u/Ok-Armadillo-2765

8. "Things to have in your home and your car at all times: A first-aid kit with tourniquets and plastic wrap, fire extinguisher, glass hammer, seatbelt cutter, and ID. Learn how to use a tourniquet, trauma wound care, fire extinguisher, and the tools before an accident happens. The Red Cross has many education videos, or your local fire department will always have people on shift available to teach you if you ask."

— u/Ok-Armadillo-2765

9. "If something requiring emergency services happens under possibly illegal circumstances (drug overdose, house fire from reckless behavior, car accident when drinking and driving, etc.), BE HONEST WITH THE FIRST RESPONDERS. You will not be the first or last call they ever have with illegal or reckless circumstances. They cannot do their job the best if they do not have all of the information."

— u/Ok-Armadillo-2765

10. "I'm not a first responder, but I had friends who worked in emergency medical services, and I was trained for first aid and a few other certifications while in school. Always keep a first-aid kit and tourniquet in your car. I've had many close calls; luckily, I only needed it once. A guy ran a red light, and I T-boned him. He was uninjured and drove away; however, my leg was cut so badly that if I hadn't used my tourniquet, I would have bled to death."

"Also, get training for first aid — you never know when you'll need it. It can save your life and others' lives in a bad situation. The last thing I will write here is: When driving, keep the mindset that everyone is out of their minds on the road. It'll prepare you to avoid an accident if you need to."

—Anonymous

11. "I actually had to give a presentation on snake bites in EMT school! Do not suck on the snake bite like in the movies. It will do nothing and can just cause an infection. Sucking devices designed for snakebites do not work either. Do not apply ice. It has been proven to worsen outcomes."

"Do not apply a tourniquet above the bite to stop any venom from spreading. As counterintuitive as it may seem, you want the venom to be as diluted in your blood as possible, as this will make it less potent. Therefore, the correct course of action would be to let it spread throughout your bloodstream.

Remove any bracelets or rings. If you begin to swell up, they can cause issues and may need to be cut off.

Even if the snake's head is separated from its body, it can still bite. Do not play with dead snakes or take them with you to the hospital.

Take a good look at the snake's patterns, size, and colors. If you can, take a picture. Different kinds of snakes require different kinds of antivenom, so this information is valuable to doctors.

Do not panic. Venom can take time to work, and not all snakes are venomous. Call 911 ASAP."

— u/misterdoodles2

12. "EMT and nursing student here. If you do not feel okay to drive because of drinks or anything, please, PLEASE do not think you are 'good enough' to drive. That is somebody's significant other, parent, or grandparent. I'm sick of all these drunk drivers. I stopped going out for 4th of July and New Year's Eve parties a long time ago."

— u/beepboop-009

13. "My friend works in EMT, and with years of experience, his team is like the main team. They know a few things, so I tend to listen when he tries to warn people and teach them how and what to do. We concluded that most people, even though they know what to do in an emergency, tend to panic and get 'stuck.' They are now offering classes to understand how to react when panic kicks in, and as they say, one person who doesn't panic but has less knowledge is far more important than the one who knows all the medical procedures but has panicked and 'froze.'"

"Many times, people couldn't even give a proper address to the dispatch, and that causes significant delays and can potentially make a difference between life and death.

If you have any classes close to you, please attend one for at least a few hours, and try to learn how to act under stress.

If all fails, dial 911/112 and give as detailed info as possible, and try to stay calm and listen for the instructions from the dispatch (they can direct your call to the doctor, firefighter, police officer, or anything you might need help with)."

— u/Baja002

14. "Ex-EMT several years ago. If someone collapses or goes unconscious, immediately check their pulse, and if you can't find it, start hands-only CPR immediately — hard and fast. And the best thing would be learning to use the AED defibrillators they have in public spaces, but at least do CPR."

—Anonymous

15. "If there's a bleeding situation, don't try to make a tourniquet out of a shirt or jacket; the best thing is to apply firm pressure to the bleed as soon and consistently as possible."

—Anonymous

16. "If an object impales someone, leave it in. Pulling it out is likely to cause more damage and expose the arteries it was compressing, causing massive bleeding and death."

—Anonymous

And finally...

17. "Don't ignore flash flood or water warnings when you hike or drive. It's deceptive how easily you could get swept away or stuck, even in low-lying city streets or alleys, and it's a dangerous situation all around."

—Anonymous

People who work in a hospital (doctors, nurses, etc.), we want to hear from you as well. What are some dos and don'ts for emergency situations that people should know? Let us know in the comments below, or if you prefer to remain anonymous, feel free to use this Google form .

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.