If you are familiar with our show,
you know we often focus on surviving
the rare, catastrophic things
that can happen to you.
Since you might not need to know
how to survive a box jellyfish attack,
we thought we’d change things up a bit
and tell you how to survive
the most common accidental deaths.
While we don’t want to alarm you,
most accidental deaths
can occur right in your own home.
Poisoning, falls,
choking, drowning,
fires and burns top the list
of the most deadly accidents.
So how can you make sure
you don't become their next victim?
So, you survived your trip to Africa
without any life-threatening
animal attacks
and are finally home.
It's common to feel relief
when entering your home.
But every day,
many people die in their homes.
According to the American Association
of Poison Control Centers’
National Poison Data System,
2,619 human exposures
resulted in death in 2019.
And the 55 U.S. poison control centers
gave guidance over the phone
for more than 2.1 million people
exposed to poison.
One exposure to poison gets reported
to U.S. poison control centers
every 15 seconds.
And the age group most exposed
to poison was one and two-year-olds.
You'll know you may have been poisoned
if you have any
of the following symptoms.
Vomiting,
difficulty breathing, drowsiness,
redness around your mouth
or mental confusion.
Before you do anything else,
call your medical emergency
helpline immediately.
Tell the nurse on the phone your age,
weight, information about the poison,
all medications you take
and describe your symptoms.
Tell them how much poison
you may have ingested.
Also, read the label on the packaging
to the nurse.
Then they'll know which poison
they are dealing with.
And if the poison gets in your eyes,
very gently wash it out using cool
or lukewarm water for 15 minutes.
Stairs are one of the most common places
where people fall,
and careless behavior on stairs
causes a disproportionate amount
of deaths and severe injuries.
Many injuries occur due to poor visibility
or distraction.
In 2015, a SmartRisk study in Canada
showed that one person dies every day
after falling on stairs,
and 270 more got admitted to hospitals.
That’s 365 preventable deaths
and almost 100,000 injuries per year.
The best way to survive a fall is to prevent
it from happening.
You can do that by staying alert
to your surroundings
and exercising to maintain your balance.
If you find yourself falling,
try to cover your head
to protect it from injury.
Avoid landing on bone
and try to land on the more padded areas
of your body,
like your buttocks.
This will help you avoid breaking an elbow,
knee or shoulder.
Choking occurs when an object
gets lodged in the throat or windpipe
and blocks the airflow.
In adults, the most common cause
of choking is a piece of food lodged
in the wrong place.
In young children,
swallowing small objects
can lead to choking.
Choking cuts off oxygen to the brain,
which is called cerebral hypoxia.
Your brain cells are sensitive
to a lack of oxygen.
Some brain cells start dying
less than five minutes after their
oxygen supply is cut off.
Brain hypoxia can rapidly cause
severe brain damage or death.
To survive choking,
ignore the myths
such as raising your hands
above your head or patting on the back.
Instead, try not to panic,
and call 911
or your country's
emergency help number immediately.
You may not be able to say
what you are going through,
but the operator can pick up clues
when they hear you coughing
and struggling to breathe.
Remember that drowning is a silent killer.
Victims are rarely able to call for help.
According to the WHO,
worldwide, about 236,000 people
die from drowning every year.
It's the third biggest cause
of unintended death among adults
and the second leading cause of death
among children worldwide.
To help a drowning person,
call for emergency help immediately.
Only get into the water to save the person
if you are properly trained
to provide emergency assistance.
Remember to take a flotation device
with you as you jump into the water
to save them.
And if you are the person drowning,
try not to panic.
Panicking and thrashing about
in the water will only make things worse.
Try to keep your head out of the water
as much as possible,
and try not to hyperventilate.
Breathing normally and keeping your lungs
filled with air will help you float.
Scream, shout and wave.
Drawing attention to yourself
will hopefully result in a rescue.
In 2010, fire departments
in the United States got called to 44,900
fires due to someone starting a fire.
These fires caused 90 civilian fatalities,
890 civilian injuries,
and $210 million
in direct property damage.
Nearly half of the people who set fires
at home were five years old or younger.
Kids in preschool and kindergarten
are most likely to set fires when playing
with matches or lighters,
and they usually die in these fires.
Residential fires and fire-related deaths
are usually caused by cooking,
heating, electrical distribution
and lighting equipment,
intentionally started fires and smoking.
The kitchen is the most common place
for fires,
so stay in the room when you're cooking
with high heat, such as frying, boiling,
or broiling.
If you have to step away,
ask someone for help
or turn off the appliance before you leave.
Keep a Class B fire extinguisher
close to high-traffic areas
that could be at risk of fire.
The most effective way
to use an extinguisher
is to aim the nozzle low,
at the base of the fire.
Don’t aim higher up.
But your home isn't the only place
where a fire could strike.
What should you do
if you're out in the woods
and find yourself surrounded by flames?
Don't worry.
We've got you covered
right here on How to Survive.