'If you arrive home, and your door is slightly open, DO NOT enter and start asking if anyone is there. Turn around, leave, and call for help. You don't know what's in there.'
As a Senior Staff Writer at BuzzFeed, I cover real-life stories that explore relationships, lifestyle , and the internet's most fascinating trends., and it was extremely eye-opening. In the comments, more first responders shared everyday safety mistakes people have no idea they're making, and you'll want to take notes.
Here's what they had to say:"Making sure your electrical wires are safe! I don't know how many people I've met who have said that they've been 'shocked' by outlets and such... that's not good!!! Your outlet could catch fire! AND you can't put electrical fires out with water! " "If you don't know/have access to a fire extinguisher, here is how to put out common fires: ALWAYS CALL 911 for kitchen fires. For grease and/or electrical fires, never use water; turn off the device that have caught fire and smother it with a lid or a baking sheet. For very small fires, pour a generous amount of baking soda or salt directly onto the flames to smother them; don't use flour, which is combustible and can explode. For ordinary combustibles , use water, smother the flame, use sand or dirt .""I'm a former NYFD paramedic. Some important tips people should know: CPR courses are available at most volunteer fire stations and volunteer ambulance stations. They are usually free, but a donation will be appreciated. Also, first-aid courses may be available. You should also have a first-aid kit in your home, your car, or both. My personal experience will tell you that when you help someone and save a life, you will never forget that.""If you see an ambulance pull up to a neighbor's house, resist the temptation to run over and offer your help. This can interfere with giving the patient proper treatment. Remember, if the neighbor needed your help, they would have called you instead of 911.""If you arrive home, and your door is slightly open, do not enter and start asking if anyone is there. Turn around, leave, and call for help. You don't know what's in there.""When calling 911, never be the first to disconnect the call. The 911 operator may have more questions, so wait until they tell you to do so.""Oxygen enriches air, making fires easier to start and burn hotter. Soft surfaces such as upholstered furniture, carpet and bed linens retain oxygen and can easily fuel a fire. Take every precaution to protect yourself and your home if you use home Oxygen for a medical condition that requires oxygen cylinders or a concentrator in your home. Always secure cylinders in an O2 cylinder rack and make sure the cylinders valves are fully closed when not in use. Keep cylinders upright and store in a well vented area, avoid closets or small unvented areas including under the bed or trunk of a car. Never use aerosol sprays containing combustible materials near oxygen canisters. Never use O2 around high heat appliances or open flames and do not apply petroleum based products on your face near the nasal cannula." "Make sure you have working smoke alarms and obtain an 'Oxygen in Use/No Smoking' sign to place on your door to alert visitors and the emergency workers. "For people who are diabetic: If you can, ALWAYS have extra insulin and a pack of clean needles. Do NOT reuse needles. EVER.""Make sure you actually have a baby in the car if you have a 'Baby In Car' sign. If you're in a serious accident, and there's no baby in the car, an EMT is looking for a non-existent baby instead of saving a severely injured person, requiring both EMTs.""Check that your house numbers are visible when the outside light is on. Many house numbers are in deep shadow when the light is on. Once you notice this, you’ll be surprised how common it is." "If you get bitten or stung by a poisonous snake, spider, or scorpion, don't use a tourniquet, don't suck on the wound, and don't cut into the wound. Keep the bitten area lower than your heart. Go to the emergency room ASAP."administer it. Opiate use is more common than people realize. It's safe to use on almost everyone. Most pharmacies/doctors will give it out for free if someone gets an opiate prescription. Don't let stigma or pride get in the way of saving the life of a loved one. This world is messy, but everyone deserves another chance, one more day.""If you have an emergency and need to call EMT/first responders, put your pets in another room. Even well-mannered pets become overprotective when they see their family members being worked on, or become overstimulated by the chaos of an emergency. Put them in another room; that way, you don't have to worry about them running out the door and getting loose or lost in the chaos or biting an EMT."Always treat ANY gun as though it's loaded! Do not point it at yourself or anyone else. Do not point it out a window or toward a populated area. Keep it locked away when not in use. There are so many accidental deaths from not keeping these fundamentals.""If you stop to help someone who's been in a wreck, and they're unconscious, put the vehicle's emergency brake on. Many people have their foot on the brake when they lose consciousness because they were trying to avoid the wreck, and then, they take their foot off the brake when they regain consciousness, and the car could move. ... Also, unless the vehicle they're in is literally on fire, they're not breathing, they don't have a pulse, or they're bleeding so badly they could die from that, don't move them. Keep them as still and as calm as possible."Change out your extension cords every two years and make sure they are high-quality, surge-protected. ""When you move into a new rental, always ensure you immediately know where to locate the nearest fire extinguisher. Most states require rental companies to supply these tools." "Always wear your seatbelt when in a car, no matter how short the trip or how low the speed. That goes double for your children.""Absolutely do not have children ride with you on the lawnmower. It can be disastrous. And wear helmets, even if it's a tiny ATV.""Always take the keys to your house with you when you go outside in case the door locks behind you. This is especially important when the weather gets really cold. You don't want to freeze to death trying to break in.""If a person is making you feel unsafe, immediately note your location and any distinctive features of that person (height, gender, race,at the same time, it could be a carbon monoxide leak. Make sure your carbon monoxide detectors are working. Took a call where a whole family would have died within hours, but the dad had a hunch and called the fire department to test the air." "Firefighter paramedic here. If your house, apartment, or workplace is on fire, get everyone out and CLOSE THE DOOR behind you. Open doors allow oxygen to feed the fire. Assemble away from the structure. Don't go back inside for pets. If you cannot get out, close the door between you and the fire. Stuff sheets, towels, or blankets under the door. Stay low to avoid any smoke. Prepare to signal when help arrives, and listen for responders calling for you.": 'If you don't feel bad about how hard you're hitting the child, you're not hitting them hard enough.' Better to have a badly bruised newborn who is ALIVE than one who is dead. This is assuming, of course, that you know how to hold the child properly so you don't fatally injure another part of the child's body."Fellow first responders, what are some"emergency" safety tips people should know that could save their lives? Tell us in the comments, or if you prefer to remain anonymous, you can use the form below.
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