Ultimate Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook
Page 35
10 Look for signs of hypothermia.
Once you are rescued, watch for slurred speech and a lack of shivering, both signs of severe body-temperature loss.
11 Warm up.
Remove wet clothing and wrap your body in several layers of warm, dry clothing. Drink warm beverages, but avoid coffee, tea, and alcohol, which will lead to dehydration.
WARNING!
Cardiac arrest can occur immediately upon exposure of the head and chest to cold water, due to the sudden increase in blood pressure. Another danger is respiratory shock, when cold water causes the trachea to close, making it impossible to breathe.
A sinking ocean liner creates a column of air bubbles above it, so people who get pulled under are falling through air rather than water. This decreases the chance to resurface and survive.
Survival Time in Water
WATER TEMPERATURE: 32.5°F
LOSS OF DEXTERITY: Less than 2 minutes
EXHAUSTION/UNCONSCIOUSNESS: Less than 15 minutes
ESTIMATED SURVIVAL TIME: 15 – 45 minute s
WATER TEMPERATURE: 32.5°F–40°F
LOSS OF DEXTERITY: Less than 3 minutes
EXHAUSTION/UNCONSCIOUSNESS: 15 – 30 minutes
ESTIMATED SURVIVAL TIME: 15–90 minutes
WATER TEMPERATURE: 40°F–50°F
LOSS OF DEXTERITY: Less than 5 minutes
EXHAUSTION/UNCONSCIOUSNESS: 30–60 minutes
ESTIMATED SURVIVAL TIME: 30 minutes–3 hours
WATER TEMPERATURE: 50°F–60°F
LOSS OF DEXTERITY: 10–15 minutes
EXHAUSTION/UNCONSCIOUSNESS: 1–2 hours
ESTIMATED SURVIVAL TIME: 1–6 hours
WATER TEMPERATURE: 60°F–70°F
LOSS OF DEXTERITY: 30–40 minutes
EXHAUSTION/UNCONSCIOUSNESS: 2–7 hours
ESTIMATED SURVIVAL TIME: 2–40 hours
WATER TEMPERATURE: 70°F–80 °F
LOSS OF DEXTERITY: 1–2 hours
EXHAUSTION/UNCONSCIOUSNESS: 2–12 hours
ESTIMATED SURVIVAL TIME: 3-plus hours
WATER TEMPERATURE: Above 80°F
LOSS OF DEXTERITY: 2–12 hours
EXHAUSTION/UNCONSCIOUSNESS: Unlikely
ESTIMATED SURVIVAL TIME: Indefinite
TRAINS
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Crouch low and move slowly forward, swaying with the side-to-side motion of the train. Look for a ladder between cars.
HOW TO MANEUVER ON TOP OF A MOVING TRAIN AND GET INSIDE
1 Do not try to stand up straight (you probably will not be able to anyway).
Stay bent slightly forward, leaning into the wind. If the train is moving faster than 30 mph, it will be difficult to maintain your balance and resist the wind, so crawling on all fours may be the best method until you can get down.
2 If the train is approaching a turn, lie flat; do not try to keep your footing.
The car may have guide rails along the edge to direct water. If it does, grab them and hold on.
3 If the train is approaching a tunnel entrance, lie flat, and quickly.
There is actually quite a bit of clearance between the top of the train and the top of the tunnel—about three feet—but not nearly enough room to stand. Do not assume that you can walk or crawl to the end of the car to get down and inside before you reach the tunnel—you probably can’t.
4 Move your body with the rhythm of the train—from side to side and forward.
Do not proceed in a straight line. Spread your feet apart about 36 inches, and wobble from side to side as you move forward.
5 Find the ladder at the end of the car (between two cars) and climb down.
It is very unlikely that there will be a ladder on the side of the car—they usually appear only in the movies, to make the stunts more exciting.
WARNING!
The sizes and shapes of the cars on a freight train may vary widely This can make it either easier or significantly more difficult to cross from one car to another. A 12-foot-high boxcar may be next to a flatbed or a rounded chem car.
HOW TO ESCAPE FROM A STALLED SUBWAY CAR
1 Alert the authorities about the situation.
Locate the two-way radios at the front or rear of the car. Depress the call button to speak. Release the button to listen.
2 Move forward to the next car.
Walk to the front of the train (in the direction in which the train had been traveling) if the danger is in your car. Open the door at the front of the car, and step carefully over the coupling between cars to the door of the next car. If you cannot see in the darkness of the tunnel, use a cell phone or other mobile device to cast illumination on the tracks.
3 Remain on the train.
Do not get off the train unless you are in immediate danger and have no other option.
4 If you must leave the train, pull the emergency brake.
Pull the emergency brake before leaving the train car. This will make it impossible for the train to move, so it cannot run you over once you are down on the tracks.
5 Exit the train car and climb down from the coupling between cars.
Take off any backpacks or other encumbrances. Step down onto the track bed and step over the tracks to the platform wall. Avoid stepping on the “third rail,” which runs alongside the subway tracks and carries more than 600 volts of electricity. Climb up onto the platform.
6 If you cannot reach the platform, walk alongside the tracks until you reach a benchwall.
Hug the platform edge and move as quickly as possible in the direction the train was traveling. Locate the benchwall, a small passageway leading off the main tunnel. Enter the benchwall and await help.
7 If the train begins moving behind you, lie down.
Find the depression in the concrete between the rails and lie down. There will be enough room for the train to pass over you.
HOW TO STOP A RUNAWAY PASSENGER TRAIN
1 Locate the emergency brake.
There is an emergency brake valve just inside each end of every passenger car. These valves are generally red and should be clearly marked.
2 Pull the handle.
This opens a valve that vents brake-pipe air pressure to the atmosphere, applying the brakes for an emergency stop. There is a possibility of derailment, depending upon track curvature and grade, train weight, and the number of coaches.
If the Brake Does Not Work
1 Call for help.
Locate a crew member’s radio. Depress the Talk button between the earpiece and the microphone. Do not change the channel, even if you do not hear an answer. Transmit an emergency distress call: give any information that may help the listener understand the location of the train (for example, train number and destination). The train dispatcher should hear you and may clear traffic without responding. If you cannot find anyone on the radio, you will have to attempt to stop the train yourself.
2 Make your way to the front of the train.
Pull all emergency brake valves as you proceed, or instruct other passengers to apply hand brakes. These brakes are different from the red valves described earlier and are located at each end of the passenger coach, inside the vestibule. They are applied by turning a wheel or pumping a lever. Tighten these valves as much as possible, and leave them applied.
3 Enter the locomotive.
The locomotive is usually right after the baggage car, just in front of the passenger coaches. Exercise extreme caution when stepping over and across the car couplers that connect the locomotive and baggage car. There may be several locomotives on the train—not just one. Repeat the following steps in each locomotive. However, there is a chance that the trailing locomotive cab will be reversed, and that you will not be able to proceed any farther forward. If this is the case, retreat to the last car of the train and follow the instructions for “If the Train Is Not Slowing or a Crash Is Imminent” (facing page).
4 Open all emergency valves located in the engine room on or near the dash (at the
left side of the cab).
The emergency valves will be clearly marked. Place the handles in the farthest position forward.
Move all levers and handles forward, toward the windshield. Push all white switches down.
5 Move all levers and handles forward, toward the windshield.
Be certain to move the brake valves forward (they will have the word “Brake” at the base of the handles). Quickly push or move down all white sliding switches on and around the control stand to shut off electricity to the engine(s).
6 If the train is still not slowing down, enter the engine room, which will be behind you to your right.
A very loud engine room will indicate that the locomotive is “under load,” or still operating.
7 Move rapidly through the engine room, along the engine block.
The engine block stands about four or five feet tall and looks like a large automobile engine.
8 Shut down the engine by pulling the layshaft lever.
This is a two-foot-long handle at shoulder height near the end of the engine block. It may be difficult to find, as it is not painted a different color from the engine itself. Push the handle all the way in, and the engine will run too fast and shut down. This lever is mechanical and will shut down the engine without fail.
9 Return to the cab and sound the whistle to warn others of your approach—it may take several miles to stop the train completely.
The whistle is either a handle the size of your hand that points upward, or a button located on the control panel marked Horn.
HOW TO JUMP FROM A MOVING TRAIN
1 Move to the rear of the last car.
If this is not an option, you can jump from the space between cars, or from the door if you can get it open.
2 If you have time, wait for the train to slow as it rounds a bend in the tracks.
If you jump and land correctly, you will probably survive even at high speeds (70 mph or more), but you increase your chances of survival if the train is moving slowly.
3 Stuff blankets, clothing, or seat cushions underneath your clothes.
Wear a thick or rugged jacket if possible. Use a belt to secure some padding around your head, but make certain that you can see clearly. Pad your knees, elbows, and hips.
4 Pick your landing spot before you jump.
The ideal spot will be relatively soft and free of obstructions. Avoid trees, bushes, and, of course, rocks.
5 Get as low to the floor as possible, bending your knees so you can leap away from the train car.
6 Jump perpendicular to the train, leaping as far away from the train as you can.
Even if you jump from the last car, leap at right angles to the direction of the train. This way, your momentum will not carry you toward the wheels and tracks.
7 Cover and protect your head with your hands and arms, and roll like a log when you land.
Do not try to land on your feet. Keep your body straight and try to land so that all parts of your body hit the ground at the same time—you will absorb the impact over a wider area. If you land on your feet, you will most likely break your ankles or legs. Do NOT roll head over heels as if doing a forward somersault.
If the Train Is Not Slowing or a Crash Is Imminent
1 Proceed as calmly and quietly as possible to the rear of the train.
This is the safest place to be in the event of a crash. Instruct the other passengers to move to the back of the train with you.
2 Prepare for a crash.
Sleeping cars are usually placed on the tail end of the train and have mattresses and pillows that can be used for protection. Sit or lay against a wall that is toward the leading end of the train, so you will not fly forward in the event of a crash. The farther you are from the locomotive the better.
Pick your landing spot, and jump as far away from the train as you can. Protect your head.
Try to land so that all parts of your body hit the ground at the same time.
Roll like a log, keeping your head protected.
CARS
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Sideswiping guardrails or rocks may help slow you down. Do this only at lower speeds.
HOW TO STOP A CAR WITH NO BRAKES
1 Begin pumping the brake pedal, and keep pumping it.
You may be able to build up enough pressure in the braking system to slow down a bit or even stop completely. If you have antilock brakes, you do not normally pump them—but if your brakes have failed, this may work.
2 Do not panic—relax and steer the car smoothly.
Cars will often safely corner at speeds much higher than you realize or are used to driving. The rear of the car may slip; steer evenly, being careful not to overcorrect.
3 Shift the car into the lowest gear possible, and let the engine and transmission slow you down.
4 Pull the emergency brake—but not too hard.
Pulling too hard on the brake will cause the rear wheels to lock and the car to spin. Use even, constant pressure. In most cars, the emergency brake (also known as the hand brake or parking brake) is cable operated and serves as a fail-safe mechanism that should still work even when the rest of the braking system has failed.
5 If you are running out of room, try a “bootlegger’s turn.”
Yank the emergency brake hard while turning the wheel a quarter turn in either direction—whichever is safer. This will make the car spin 180 degrees. If you were heading downhill, this spin will head you back uphill, allowing you to slow down.
6 If you have room, swerve the car back and forth across the road.
Making hard turns at each side of the road will decrease your speed even more.
7 If you come up behind another car, use it to help you stop.
Blow your horn, flash your lights, and try to get the driver’s attention. If you hit the car, be sure to hit it square, bumper to bumper, so you do not knock the other car off the road. This works best if the vehicle in front of you is larger than yours and if both vehicles are traveling at similar speeds.
8 Look for something to help stop you.
A flat or uphill road that intersects with the road you are on, a field, or a fence will slow you further but not stop you suddenly. Scraping the side of your car against a guardrail is another option. Avoid trees and wooden telephone poles.
9 Do not attempt to sideswipe oncoming cars.
HOW TO ESCAPE FROM A CAR HANGING OVER THE EDGE OF A CLIFF
1 Do not shift your weight or make any sudden movements.
2 Determine how much time you have.
If the car is like the majority of cars, it is front-wheel drive with the engine in front. This means the bulk of its weight is over the front axle. If the rear, rather than the front, is hanging over the edge of the cliff, you probably have more time to climb out. If the front of the car is over the edge, assess your situation. What is the angle of the car? Is it teetering? Does it sway when you shift your weight? If the car is shifting, you must act quickly.
3 If the front doors are still over land, use these doors to make your escape, regardless of which way your car is facing.
Open the door gradually, move slowly, and get out.
4 If the front doors are over the edge, move to the rear of the car.
Proceed slowly and deliberately; do not jump or lurch. If you have a steering wheel lock or a screwdriver, take it with you—you may need it to get out.
5 Reassess your situation.
Will opening the rear doors cause the car to slide? If not, open them slowly and get out quickly.
6 If you think that opening the rear doors will cause the car to slide over the edge, you must break the window.
If the front doors are over the edge of the cliff move slowly to the rear of the car and get out.
Without shifting your weight or rocking the car, use the steering wheel lock or screwdriver to shatter the rear door window (this is safer than breaking the back window because it will require less movement as you climb out). P
unch it in the center—the window is made of safety glass and will not injure you.
7 Get out as quickly as possible.
WARNING!
In situations involving several people, everyone in the front (or everyone in the back) should execute each step simultaneously.
If driver and passengers are in both front and rear seats, the people who are closest to the edge of the cliff should attempt to get out of the car first.
HOW TO BRACE FOR IMPACT
1 Stay in control until the last possible moment.
Keep your hands on the wheel and continue efforts to steer and avoid the obstacle until all options are exhausted.
2 Perform a seat belt check.
Tug quickly on the lap and shoulder of your belt to make sure you are clicked in and the belt is fully tightened.
3 Lean back.
Move your body fully back in your seat and lay your head against the headrest.
4 Release the wheel.
Take your hands off of the steering wheel. At the moment of impact, the wheel may jerk violently, transmitting the shock to your body and breaking your fingers and thumbs.
5 Hang on to your seat belt.
Clutch the seat belt with both hands near the place where the lap belt clicks into the shoulder belt, so that both hands are secure and out of the way of the deploying front and side air bags.