HowToLiveBetter.THE BETTER LIFE HANDBOOK
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YOUR LIFE, YOUR OWN PACE

Emergencies: what to do first

Explore each chapter to understand the effort, benefits and context.

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This chapter covers what to do first, what comes next and what to avoid. First-aid and outdoor entries measure survival and particular causes of death; threat and scam entries measure money and personal freedom. These are not converted into one another. Entries are ordered by how common an event is and how much correct action can affect survival. They are primarily intended for you, your spouse and close family: 79.2% of cardiac arrests in the cited Chinese registry happened at home, so a relative is the person you are most likely to help. Friends and colleagues come next. Helping strangers can also have benefits, but the author ranks these lower and notes possible false accusations or involvement in proceedings; relevant self-protection steps and legal exemptions are therefore stated early.

This chapter covers actions needed within minutes. Recognizing scams or handling blackmail over days belongs elsewhere. See anti-scam rules and seven common scams, blackmail involving private photographs or intimate recordings, and stopping a fraudulent payment. If money has already been sent in China, immediately call 110 or 96110 to request a payment stop. Emergency number 120 and legal protections below are China-specific; costs quoted in RMB are Chinese estimates.

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Found:41 ideas
Safety & law

If someone collapses, is unresponsive and is not breathing normally, start chest compressions and have someone call 120 and find an AED

The person you help is likely to be family: 79.2% of arrests in the cited Chinese registry occurred at home. With bystander CPR, survival to discharge rose from 3.9% to 16.1% in the pooled research. If the person is unresponsive and is not breathing normally, start compressions in the middle of the chest, 5–6 cm deep at 100–120 per minute. Have a second person call China's 120 and fetch an AED while you continue.

A Stronger evidence
No costSome time
Safety & law

After a fall or collapse, crouch down, speak to the person and call 120; do not rush to lift them

This advice primarily concerns older relatives and people you know. Check breathing; if absent, follow entry 1. Even if breathing continues, do not immediately lift them: stroke or fainting may have caused the fall, and moving them can worsen injury. Crouch down, call to them and ask whether they remember falling. With back pain or suspected fracture, leave them in place and call China's 120.

B Research support
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

Sudden facial droop, one weak arm or unclear speech means call 120 immediately; do not wait or drive yourself

Facial droop, inability to raise one arm or unclear speech calls for China's 120 immediately. In the cited analysis, clot-dissolving treatment within 3 hours produced odds of recovery to near independence about 1.75 times those without treatment; at 3–4.5 hours this fell to 1.26. Beyond 4.5 hours, the difference was not statistically clear. Record the exact onset time. Do not give water or medication, or drive yourself.

A Stronger evidenceHigh value
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

Sudden curtain-like loss of vision in one eye needs same-day stroke emergency assessment, even if it resolves within minutes

A sudden dark curtain over one eye can mean retinal blood-vessel obstruction; longer loss of blood supply leaves less retina salvageable. It can also signal ischemia and risk of stroke in the next few days. In a study of minor stroke and transient ischemic attacks, same-day assessment and treatment reduced 90-day recurrent stroke from 10.3% to 2.1%. Go to a stroke-capable emergency department that day rather than waiting for tomorrow's eye clinic.

B Research support
No costSome time
Safety & law

Sudden concerning chest pressure, tightness or heaviness warrants 120; do not wait or drive yourself

Call China's 120 promptly for sudden concerning chest pressure or tightness; do not wait 15 minutes before seeking help. In one study, 30-day mortality was 2.8% when a blocked artery was opened within 55 minutes of hospital arrival, versus 9.7% after longer delays. Delay costs heart muscle. Losing consciousness while driving can cause another emergency.

B Research supportHigh value
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

Sudden tearing pain moving from chest to back or lower back warrants 120; tell the dispatcher that the pain is moving

Describe abrupt tearing pain that moves downward when calling China's 120. In the cited registry, medically managed type A aortic dissection had 58% mortality. The source stresses that treatment differs from a heart attack: recognizing dissection prompts contrast CT rather than anticoagulation or thrombolysis. Mention markedly different arm blood pressures or a missing pulse on one side.

B Research supportHigh value
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

A sudden “worst headache of my life” reaching its peak within an hour needs emergency assessment and consideration of head CT

Speed of onset matters. About 6% of severe headaches reaching maximum intensity within an hour in one study involved subarachnoid bleeding. Age 40 or older, neck pain/stiffness, witnessed loss of consciousness, onset during exertion, instantly peaking pain or limited forward neck movement are the rule's warning features. Most people investigated will not have bleeding, but missing it risks fatal rebleeding.

A Stronger evidence
Small costSome time
Safety & law

New imbalance, slowing, drowsiness or one-sided weakness weeks to months after an older person's head injury needs assessment and head CT

Chronic bleeding can develop around the third week after a head injury, even when the person initially seemed fine and cannot remember the impact. The cited consensus reports recurrence after surgery up to 33% and mortality up to 32%. If an older person suddenly becomes confused, unsteady, sleepy or weak in one hand, ask about falls or head impacts over the preceding two or three months and seek CT assessment.

B Research support
Small costSome time
Safety & law

Sudden swelling and tenderness in one leg needs prompt care; added sudden breathlessness or chest pain means call 120

A suddenly enlarged, tight, tender leg needs prompt venous ultrasound assessment. If sudden breathlessness, pain on deep inspiration, rapid heartbeat or dizziness follows, a clot may have reached the lungs: call China's 120. Confirmed pulmonary-embolism patients in one registry had 17.4% three-month mortality. Travel immobility beyond 4 hours roughly doubled clot risk, though individual absolute risk stayed low.

B Research support
Small costSome time
Safety & law

Press firmly on severe bleeding; use a tourniquet for uncontrolled limb bleeding and call 120

Apply firm direct pressure with your hand or clothing. If limb bleeding cannot be controlled, apply a tourniquet, call China's 120 and do not loosen it. In battlefield casualties, survival was 90% when applied before shock versus 10% afterward; all 5 who needed but did not receive one died. Place above the wound, tighten until bleeding stops and note the time. Do not substitute shoelaces or thin cord. Neck and trunk wounds need pressure, not a tourniquet.

A Stronger evidence
Small costSome time
Safety & law

After a dog or cat bite or skin-breaking scratch, wash with soap and running water for 15 minutes and seek vaccination that day

Rabies is almost 100% fatal once symptoms begin. The source recommends immediate washing plus post-exposure care: alternate soap solution and running water for 15 minutes and seek vaccination that day. Penetrating bites or licking broken skin are category III and also need passive immunization. The source emphasizes assessing the wound rather than dismissing it because the animal is a vaccinated pet.

A Stronger evidence
Small costQuick and easy
Safety & law

Cool a burn under cool running water for 20 minutes; do not apply toothpaste or soy sauce

Twenty minutes of cool running water within 3 hours of injury was associated with skin-grafting odds about 60% of those without this first aid. Use cool, not ice-cold, water; ice can worsen injury. Do not tear off stuck clothing. After cooling, cover with clean cloth and seek care. Avoid toothpaste, soy sauce, sesame oil and flour. Cooling can still help if begun later within the three-hour window.

A Stronger evidenceHigh value
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

Sudden widespread rash with breathlessness or faintness can be anaphylaxis: call 120 and say so

Treat a sudden widespread rash plus difficulty breathing or faintness as possible anaphylaxis. Call China's 120 and clearly say “suspected anaphylaxis” so responders bring epinephrine. Antihistamines and steroids act too slowly to replace it. After a previous severe reaction, ask a doctor about an auto-injector and learn to inject the outer-front middle thigh, through clothing if necessary.

B Research supportHigh value
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

During a seizure, clear nearby hazards, position safely on the side and time it; put nothing in the mouth

Move hard objects away, use a side position with the mouth downward and time the episode. Do not restrain the person, force the mouth open or insert anything; that can injure teeth and jaw. Call an ambulance for a seizure lasting over 5 minutes, another soon afterward, failure to wake or difficulty breathing afterward, an episode in water, or a first seizure. Offer water only when fully alert.

B Research support
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

If a person with diabetes becomes shaky, sweaty or confused, use the 15-gram/15-minute rule only if they can safely swallow

The source recommends 15 grams of sugar, such as sugar cubes or juice, then rechecking after 15 minutes and repeating if glucose remains low. Below 3.0 mmol/L is clinically significant hypoglycemia. Episodes requiring another person's help can be fatal. Do not feed anyone with impaired consciousness: aspiration is dangerous; call China's 120.

A Stronger evidenceHigh value
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

For electrical injury, disconnect power before touching the person

Disconnect power, or for the ordinary low-voltage situation described in the source use a dry nonconductive object to separate the source, before touching the person. Pulling them directly can create a second casualty. Once safely disconnected, absent breathing calls for CPR. Do not approach fallen high-voltage lines or electrical substations; keep away until utility staff isolate power.

B Research supportHigh value
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

If a carbon-monoxide alarm sounds or several people develop headache and nausea together, get outside before calling

Move everyone outdoors first, then call for help. Do not stay inside searching for the cause or return to close a valve. Symptoms can resemble flu or intoxication; improvement outside is a strong clue. In the US, unintentional non-fire-related carbon-monoxide poisoning kills over 400 people annually and sends over 100,000 to emergency departments.

B Research supportHigh value
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

After swallowing cleaners, pesticides or medicines, do not induce vomiting; seek urgent help with the container, and flush exposed eyes or skin for at least 15 minutes

Do not induce vomiting after suspected poisoning; corrosive liquids can burn the esophagus again on the way up. Seek urgent poison-expert or medical guidance and take the container and instructions with you; call China's 120 for an emergency. Do not routinely give milk, egg white, food or drink for an unknown substance. Poison Control limits small amounts of water or milk to caustic or irritating exposures when the person is conscious, not convulsing and able to swallow. For skin or eye splashes, rinse with abundant clean water for at least 15 minutes, holding eyelids open and not rubbing. Mixing disinfectant with toilet cleaner can release chlorine gas.

B Research supportHigh value
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

For chemical splashes, remove contaminated clothes and irrigate immediately; hold eyelids open and complete the rinse before leaving

Remove contaminated clothes, shoes and socks, then rinse with abundant running water. Chinese CDC guidance gives at least 15 minutes for skin and eyes; Hunan's emergency authority gives 20–30 minutes for wounds, and the source recommends the longer duration. Hold eyelids open, then seek eye care immediately. Use room-temperature or lukewarm water, not hot water.

B Research supportHigh value
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

In heat, dizziness, nausea or confusion means move to shade and cool immediately; give nothing by mouth if consciousness is impaired

Hot red skin, slurred speech and confusion can mean heatstroke, a life-threatening emergency that can progress from dizziness to coma within tens of minutes. Move to shade and ventilation, remove excess clothing, cool with water and wet towels, and call China's 120. Do not give water to an unconscious or confused person because of aspiration risk.

B Research supportHigh value
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

For an alert person with heat exhaustion, offer small frequent sips of cool lightly salted water or a sports drink

Only give fluids to someone fully alert. The source suggests small frequent amounts of cool lightly salted water or sports drink, totaling 500–1,000 mL per hour, rather than gulping. Avoid alcohol and very sugary drinks. Prioritize cooling with water and cold packs at the neck, armpits and groin before rehydration. Give nothing by mouth if confused or slurring speech.

B Research support
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

If someone is drowning, shout, call 110/120, reach with a pole or throw flotation; do not enter untrained

A drowning person may instinctively push a rescuer underwater. Shout for help, call China's 110/120, reach with a long pole or rope, and throw a lifebuoy, empty bucket or water bottles. Once ashore, absent breathing calls for immediate resuscitation. Do not form a hand-holding chain into the water. Globally about 300,000 people drown each year; it is the fourth leading cause of death at ages 1–4.

C Experience & consensus
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

For choking with inability to speak, alternate five back blows and five abdominal thrusts; begin CPR if the person collapses

Ask whether the person is choking and can speak. If they can cough forcefully or speak, let them cough. If unable to speak, alternate 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts until the object comes out or consciousness is lost. Then begin CPR while someone calls emergency services. Use chest thrusts for pregnancy or marked obesity. Never blindly sweep the mouth.

B Research supportHigh value
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

If lost or stranded in desert or remote country, stay by your vehicle, report coordinates, shelter and conserve effort

Stay where you are or by the vehicle, your largest shelter. Send coordinates before making a call if signal appears; protect against sun and cold; conserve water and effort, avoiding daytime movement; do not wander; signal with a mirror, smoke or groups of three sounds. Leave your trip plan and vehicle details with someone before departure.

C Experience & consensus
Higher costQuick and easy
Safety & law

Shivering, slurred speech and an unsteady gait can mean hypothermia: replace wet clothing, wrap up and warm the torso first

Hypothermia means core temperature below 35°C, with shivering, slurred speech, imbalance and confusion. Remove wet clothes, wrap in dry clothing or a blanket, and warm the torso before the hands and feet. The source recommends hot sweet drinks and no alcohol, which suppresses shivering. Stopping shivering can indicate deterioration, not recovery. If the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally, begin CPR; unconsciousness alone is not an indication.

B Research support
Small costQuick and easy
Safety & law

After a snakebite, keep still, remove rings and watches and reach a hospital with antivenom; do not cut, suck or tightly bind the wound

Sit still, immobilize the bitten limb and remove rings/watches before swelling develops. Seek a hospital with suitable antivenom, the treatment able to reverse most venom effects. Do not cut, suck, ice or tightly constrict the limb. Do not drink alcohol or run. Photograph the snake from a safe distance if possible; do not catch it.

B Research support
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

Earthquake action depends on the building: shelter in seismic-standard buildings; the source favors immediate nearby exits from vulnerable single-story structures

The source distinguishes buildings constructed to seismic standards after 2001, where reaching outside requires stairs or a lobby, from vulnerable single-story, old brick or non-seismic self-built homes with a door only steps away. For the former, protect your head and neck under a sturdy table and hold a leg; for the latter, it favors going outside. Never jump, use an elevator or descend stairs during shaking.

B Research supportHigh valueDebated
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

Around bears, wild boar or packs of stray dogs, do not run or scream; withdraw slowly

Bears run quickly uphill and downhill, and both black and brown bears can climb. Stay calm, speak in a low voice and move slowly sideways when the bear is still. The cited guidance says to play dead during a brown/grizzly bear attack, lying prone with hands behind the neck and legs apart; for a black-bear attack, do not play dead—seek a vehicle/building and fight back if escape is impossible. After a dog bite or scratch, follow entry 13.

B Research support
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

In a thunderstorm, reach a substantial building or hard-topped vehicle; avoid ridges, isolated trees, water and metal

There is no safe outdoor place within a thunderstorm area. Use a substantial building or hard-topped vehicle; convertibles, motorcycles, tents, pavilions, trees and rock overhangs do not qualify. Avoid open fields, high ground, isolated trees, water and metal fences. If a group cannot reach shelter, spread out. Withdraw when thunder is heard and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before resuming.

B Research support
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

Increase sleeping altitude gradually, and descend if symptoms worsen instead of pushing on

Sleeping altitude matters, not the highest daytime point. Risk begins around 2,450 meters. Above 3,000 meters, increase sleeping altitude by no more than 500 meters nightly and add a rest day per 1,000 meters gained. Headache with nausea, staggering, mental changes or breathlessness at rest are signals to descend. Descent takes priority over oxygen and medication.

A Stronger evidence
No costSome time
Safety & law

Boil wilderness drinking water; the cited travel guidance recommends a full minute even at usual travel elevations

The cited CDC travel guidance says waterborne disease organisms are inactivated within seconds at boiling temperature; a full minute adds a margin for recognizing boiling. At usual travel elevations it does not require extra time solely for altitude. Filters or disinfectant tablets are alternatives when boiling is impossible, but each has gaps. Clear streams and snowmelt can still contain parasites.

B Research support
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

If robbed in an isolated place, prioritize escape over money, avoid fighting, remember details and report afterward

The source recommends handing over money without fighting or arguing when physically threatened. Under Chinese law, robbery's basic sentence is 3–10 years; armed robbery, home invasion or serious injury/death can bring 10 years to death. Pursuing and attacking someone after they leave is no longer stopping an ongoing attack. Once safe, record appearance, accent, plate number and escape direction and call China's 110.

C Experience & consensus
Small costQuick and easy
Safety & law

Step away from a group fight; do not join, linger or pick up weapons, and call 110 from safety if reporting

Physical involvement can turn an attempt to separate people into participation. Under Chinese law, active participation in an affray can carry up to 3 years, with 3–10 years for specified aggravated circumstances such as weapons or major public disorder. Spectators can also be injured. Move away; if calling 110, give location, numbers involved, weapons and whether anyone is motionless on the ground.

B Research support
No costQuick and easy
Safety & law

If injured or out of pocket while rescuing someone, pursue the responsible party and medical coverage, then apply for formal courageous-rescue recognition

Rescue-related losses need not be borne alone. Chinese policy calls for treatment before charging recognized courageous rescuers. The perpetrator or responsible party pays medical costs; where absent, missing or unable to pay, basic medical-security arrangements apply. Without a tortfeasor, the beneficiary may owe appropriate compensation under law. Recognition can also unlock applicable occupational-injury benefits.

B Research support
No costSome time
Safety & law

If fracture is possible, support the limb in its existing position, keep it still and cool for no more than 20 minutes at a time

Treat limb injury as a possible fracture: standing or moving does not exclude one, and imaging is needed to confirm it. Support it with hands, a sling or a board in its current position. Apply cold promptly for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Do not straighten it yourself. If bone breaks through the skin, control bleeding and cover with a clean dressing without pushing it back.

B Research support
No costQuick and easy

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