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For the average person, the thought of being trapped inside of a collapsing building conjures up immediate images of gloom and doom. Indeed, most people shudder at the idea of being helplessly crushed in a successive wave of violent impacts, never stopping to consider for one moment that survival is possible even in such horrific circumstances. This quiet resignation often leads people to believe that survival is simply not an option if trapped inside a collapsing building, thus sealing their fate if they ever meet with the misfortune of finding themselves in such a predicament. Although the chances of surviving a collapsing building do vary according to circumstances, people nonetheless survive collapsing buildings and live to tell about it.
While some instances of collapsing buildings obviously have tragic endings, numerous others yield stories of miraculous survival that seemingly defies all rational thought. In fact, it’s from these stories of survival that valuable lessons can be learned, lessons that straddle the thin margin between life and death. Although the logic may at times seem implausible, there are certain steps you can take that will help save your life if you find yourself an unwilling victim in a collapsing building.
1. Do not waste time trying to assess the situation; Go for cover immediately. Look for anything that may shield flying debris and collapsing walls from making contact with your body. Desks, tables, chairs, couches, anything of substantial size and weight will suffice, but the larger and stronger the shield, the better. Without hesitation, curl your body into a tight ball and if a book, laptop, or other strong but lightweight object is easily accessible, then place it over your head as an extra shield of protection. If you cannot find something to place over your head, then as a last resort, place your hands over your head as reinforcement against flying debris.
2. Don’t intentionally place yourself near windows. Flying glass and metal trim from windows act as projectiles when under pressure and may cause you serious injury or even death. If you are near a window, keep as much of your body curled tightly under the cover of a larger and heavier object so as to shield you from potential harm of flying glass.
3. Once the building has finished collapsing and there is no more movement, then it is time to carefully assess the situation. If you are covered in debris and unable to see anything, then before you try to start removing potentially unstable debris, you must first determine which way is up. This can be achieved simply by letting a small amount of saliva dribble from your mouth. If the saliva runs down your chin, then you are upright. On the other hand, if the saliva runs up your nose, then you are upside down and you need to reorient yourself.
4. The next step after determining which way you have landed should be to call for help. Keep in mind that under a load of debris, your voice will be muffled and hard to discern from the settling of the collapsed structure, so use all your strength and continue calling out for help.
5. If you find that you are having trouble breathing, cup you hands over your nose and mouth and breathe into them. Since you exhale a percentage of the oxygen that you breathe in, you are in effect conserving exhaled oxygen into your hands, thus prolonging your supply. Breathing into cupped hands will also help keep you from hyperventilating which rapidly depletes one’s oxygen supply. Concentrate on remaining calm and breathing slowly in an effort to conserve precious oxygen.
6. If you have determined which direction in which you have landed and are able to move some of the debris, then begin by moving small amounts of slowly and carefully, so as to not upset the potential instability of other larger objects around you.
7. If you are able to see light filtering though the debris suggesting a possible opening but are unable to free yourself, then stretch your arm as far as you can into the opening and physically move your hand around. The visible movement of your outstretched hand and arm will help rescuers more readily locate you and offer you the necessary assistance you need.
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