Escape Strategies During Disasters Caused by Heavy Rain
【Self-Rescue and Escape During Floods】
1. Pay attention to weather forecasts. When continuous heavy rain or torrential rain is forecasted, people living in river valleys, low-lying areas, and regions along rivers and lakes must remain vigilant, constantly monitor changes in the disaster situation, and take timely appropriate measures. Before the flood arrives, evacuate from areas easily flooded along a pre-selected route.
2. If the flood is approaching rapidly and there is no time to evacuate, quickly move to nearby slopes, high ground, buildings, or flood platforms. Alternatively, immediately climb onto a roof, the upper floors of a building, a large tree, or a high wall to take temporary shelter and wait for rescue. However, adobe walls, mud-brick houses, or rammed earth houses are at risk of collapsing at any time after being soaked in water and can only be used as temporary shelters.
3. If the flood continues to rise and the temporary shelter is no longer safe, make full use of prepared life-saving equipment to escape, or quickly find materials that can float on water, such as doors, tables and chairs, wooden beds, boxes, or large pieces of foam, to construct a raft to escape. If you have been swept into the flood, you must try your best to hold onto fixed or floating objects and look for an opportunity to escape.
4. When escaping, do not run along the direction of the flood channel, but quickly move to the sides to avoid it. Under no circumstances should you climb electric poles or steel towers. If you find a high-voltage power tower leaning or a broken wire hanging down, you must quickly move far away to prevent direct electric shock or electric shock due to step voltage on the ground.
5. If you are surrounded by floodwater, try to contact the local government's flood control department as soon as possible to report your location and the dangerous situation, and actively seek rescue. Use tools like flashlights, whistles, flags, bright bed sheets, or clothing to send distress signals to attract the attention of rescue workers for help.
6. If possible, eat some high-calorie foods, such as chocolate or biscuits, and drink some hot beverages to boost your energy. While taking shelter, you should bring necessary clothing to keep warm, and be sure to carry essential drinking water. Never drink floodwater to avoid contracting diseases.
7. After the flood, do not wade across rivers or streams on foot, especially through fast-flowing water where the depth is above your knees. Additionally, you should take preventive medicine and carry out all necessary health and epidemic prevention measures as required by the local health and epidemic prevention department to prevent the spread of epidemics.
【Self-Rescue and Escape When a Vehicle is in Water】
1. Vehicle owners should take proactive measures and learn some driving skills for driving through water in the rain, which can increase the safety coefficient for both people and vehicles. While driving, assess the depth of accumulated water on the road and actively绕开 (detour around) low-lying, waterlogged sections. Do not attempt to drive through submerged sections alone. When driving through a waterlogged area, use a low gear and avoid stopping or changing gears if possible.
2. While driving, if you encounter accumulated water on the road, it is not advisable to continue. If the water submerges the exhaust pipe, it may lead to the engine stalling. In case of a particularly heavy downpour, staying in the car for shelter is very unsafe. Once a driver notices the possibility of standing water on the road, they should immediately unlock the car, be prepared to get out at any time, or pull over to the side of the road and seek shelter indoors.
3. There are two main dangerous situations that may be encountered while driving in a heavy rainstorm: underpasses and muddy, low-lying areas. If the car stalls while driving through water, stay calm. If the car stops in the water and the water has not reached the windows, there is generally no immediate life-threatening danger. In this situation, do not panic and, most importantly, do not restart the engine.
4. If the vehicle has fallen into the water, quickly determine your location and formulate an escape plan. Keep your face as close to the car's roof as possible to get more air. First, undo your seatbelt and unlock the central electronic lock. If the seatbelt cannot be unfastened, use the knife on the safety hammer or other sharp objects to cut it, and escape through the nearest side door.
5. Quickly open the car window. If the car's power is off and the doors and windows cannot be opened, try to break the window with a safety hammer, a headrest, an in-car fire extinguisher, or a sharp object like a high heel. The windshield is very thick and cannot be broken easily. The corners and edges of the side and sunroof windows are thinner, so try to strike the edges. Be careful not to get cut by the glass.
6. After successfully breaking the window, take a deep breath, then open the door or window and escape. After getting out of the car, keep your face up. If you cannot swim, try to get onto the car roof, or before leaving the car, find some floating objects to hold onto, and quickly swim towards the surface to seek rescue.
【Self-Rescue and Escape During a Lightning Strike】
1. Outdoors, stay away from open areas, large billboards, and antenna towers. Do not seek shelter under isolated large trees, utility poles, or tower cranes, or use a mobile phone there. Do not stand on iron fences, metal clotheslines, or railway tracks. In open areas, do not use umbrellas with metal tips. Remove metal-framed glasses, watches, belts, etc. Do not carry metal objects like badminton rackets or golf clubs on your shoulder, as this could make you a "lightning rod."
2. At the same time, during a thunderstorm, make sure to keep yourself "low" and "short." Do not stand on mountaintops or the tops of buildings. Do not approach isolated chimneys or large trees. Do not ride a bicycle or a motorcycle, and stay away from other metal objects. Areas near rivers, lakes, ponds, and marshes, as well as damp areas, are prone to lightning strikes. During a thunderstorm, avoid water-related activities such as fishing, boating, or swimming.
3. If caught in a thunderstorm, it is best to take shelter in a building with lightning protection facilities, or in a space with a metal roof or metal cabin, such as a car. A car is the best "lightning shelter." If a car is struck by lightning, its metal frame will conduct the lightning current to the ground. If none of these options are available, quickly hide in a low-lying spot. Place your feet together, squat down, hug your knees, and keep your arms from touching the ground. Do not lie on the ground.
4. Additionally, if you are outdoors during the rainy season, it is best to wear rubber sports shoes and carry a lightweight, insulated raincoat. Try not to carry metal accessories like keys. Do not camp on mountaintops, high hills, or open ground. If taking shelter in a cave, try not to stay near the entrance. If you encounter a lightning storm outdoors, turn off your mobile phone as quickly as possible. Do not stand at the edge of a forest, near large rocks, or walk or stand in an open field. Also, avoid huddling together or holding hands.
【Self-Rescue and Escape from Electric Shock】
1. Do not approach overhead power lines and transformers, and certainly do not seek shelter under them. Do not linger or take shelter under tall trees or large billboards close to power lines. When walking outdoors, try to avoid the guy wires of utility poles.
2. After a heavy rain, some areas may have accumulated water on the road. It is best not to wade through it. If you must, always observe the area around the path you are taking to see if any power lines have fallen into the water.
3. If you find that a power line has fallen into the water, making the water electrically charged, never try to handle it yourself. You should immediately mark the area to warn other passersby not to approach, and promptly call the power supply department for emergency handling.
4. If you see someone who has been electrocuted and fallen in the water, do not rush to their side to help. You must take emergency measures before attempting to rescue the person. At the same time, have the power company shut off the electricity and use an insulating object to separate the person from the water.
5. If a power line happens to fall on the ground near you, stay calm and do not panic, and certainly do not run. In this situation, you should hop away from the scene on one leg, otherwise you are very likely to be electrocuted by the step voltage.
【Self-Rescue and Escape from Drowning】
1. When drowning, never thrash wildly with your hands and feet, as this will waste energy and make you sink faster. The correct self-rescue method is to hold your breath immediately after falling into the water, stay calm, and then relax your body, tilting your head back as much as possible. This will allow your mouth and nose to surface first. When breathing, try to inhale through your mouth and exhale through your nose to prevent choking. Exhale shallowly and inhale deeply.
2. If you get a cramp in the water, do not panic. Stay calm, stop swimming, and float on your back. Then, depending on the affected part, take different measures for self-rescue. Lie on your back, grab the toes of the cramped leg with your hand, and pull up forcefully to straighten the leg. Use the other leg to tread water and the other hand to paddle to help your body float.
3. When rescuing someone else, the rescuer must remain calm. Remove as much clothing as possible and quickly swim to the drowning person. For an exhausted drowning person, approach from the front. For a conscious drowning person, approach from behind. Use one hand to hold the drowning person's head and neck from behind, making them face upward. Then, use your elbow to forcefully clamp their shoulders and tow them back to shore using a backstroke.
4. If the rescuer is not a skilled swimmer, it is best to use a lifebuoy, a wooden board, or a boat for rescue. Alternatively, throw a rope or bamboo pole for the drowning person to hold onto, and then pull them ashore. If you are grabbed by the drowning person during the rescue, do not pull each other. Let yourself sink, which will cause the drowning person to loosen their grip, and then proceed with the rescue.
5. The first person to discover a drowning victim should immediately call 120 for medical emergency. After the drowning person is rescued ashore, immediately clear any mud, weeds, vomit, etc., from their mouth and nose. Perform a brief "water expulsion" procedure to force water from the respiratory tract and stomach to flow out. Then, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and get the person onto an ambulance as soon as possible for transport to a nearby hospital.