1. You're riding shotgun with your teenage son at the wheel when he swerves to avoid a deer. The car launches off a small bridge and into a lake. You:
a) Immediately try to roll down or break your window to escape.
b) Get out your cell and call for help. The bubble of air in the vehicle should keep you safe until responders arrive.
c) Wait for the vehicle to settle, then use your feet to push open the passenger door.
2. Your toddler just pulled a mug of hot coffee down on her lower body. You:
a) Cover the burn with ice packs.
b) Use cold running water to help cool the burn and relieve pain.
c) Take a stick of butter out of the fridge and rub it all over the affected area.
3. You're at the tail end of a bachelorette party and one of the celebrants is exceptionally drunk. She can't stand up, can barely speak, and seems dazed.
True or False : Your best bet is to put her in bed and leave a large glass of water at her bedside.
4. Your son trips and falls with a toothbrush in his mouth. It punctures the inside of his cheek and stays there. What do you do?
a) Yank it out quickly and use a clean cloth to stanch any bleeding.
b) Pull it out only if you can still see the bristles. Otherwise, take him to a doctor.
c) Drive him to the ER.
5. It's Saturday afternoon and you're hiking with a friend on a remote mountain trail when he slips and tumbles a hundred feet down a steep, rocky slope. He's conscious but too seriously injured to climb back up. You check your cell phone: no coverage. You should:
a) Wait on the trail for another hiker to come along and help you.
b) Mark the spot on the trail with something from your pack, then hike out to find help.
c) Attempt to climb down to administer first aid.
6. Your family is on a cross-country road trip when you spot a tornado ahead. It's hard to tell how far away it is, but it's getting bigger quickly. You:
a) Do a U-turn and try to outrun the storm in your car.
b) Get everyone out of and away from the vehicle, then instruct them to lie down in a ditch and cover their heads.
c) Pull over under the nearest overpass, turn off the engine, and tell everyone to get down on the floor of the car.
7. True or False: If you think you're having a heart attack, you should stabilize your heartbeat by coughing hard every 30 seconds as you drive yourself to the hospital.
8. You're out to lunch with a friend who is eight months pregnant. Suddenly, she clutches her throat; she can't speak and doesn't seem to be breathing. You:
a) Attempt the Heimlich maneuver.
b) Call 911, then give a series of back blows and quick thrusts to the chest.
c) Drive her to the ER. It's too dangerous for an untrained person to give first aid to someone who's pregnant.
9. Your daughter is scaling rocks in the woods behind your house when she reaches a hand over a small ledge and is bitten by a rattlesnake. You:
a) Quickly suck on the wound, then put ice on it and drive to the ER.
b) Use a bandage to create a tourniquet around her arm before heading to the doc.
c) Call 911, then wash the wound and keep her arm still and lower than her heart.
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Answers : 1. (a) : Your best bet for surviving a submersion accident is to get a window or door open before the car starts to sink. Forget the phone ----- the emergency response could take up to 20 minutes. Don't spare a second in trying to exit the car.
2. (b) : Icing can make a burn worse, and the use of butter is an old wives' tale that could cause infection. If the burn covers a large area of your child's skin or she is having difficulty breathing, you should also call 911.
3. False : Never leave an extremely intoxicated person alone. If she falls asleep on her back, there's a risk she could choke on her own vomit. Instead, place your friend on her side and watch her closely for signs of alcohol poisoning, such al slow or irregular breathing or loss of consciousness. If you have any doubts, call 911.
4. (c) : Any object that becomes lodged in the soft tissue inside the mouth needs to be removed by a professional. To avoid such accidents, have young children sit while brushing.
5. (b) : If the terrain is too difficult to navigate safely, it is best to get professional help ---- and as quickly as possible. Marking the trail will help you relocate the scene of the accident. Above all, be proactive by always telling someone where you're going and when you're planning to be back.
6. (b) : "Even weak tornadoes can pick up cars," says meteorologist Charlie Neese. If there's clearly time, try to find a sturdy building in which to take shelter. If not, get out of the vehicle. "The thing that hurts or kills most people is debris, so you want to be as low to the ground as possible," Neese says. Overpasses offer no protection. If you are unable to get out of the car in time, keep your seat belts on and the engine running. That way, in the case of a direct hit, your air bags will activate and help cushion you.
7. False : "The best thing to do if you're alone and you think you're in cardiac arrest is to call 911," says Jonathan Epstein of the American Red Cross. "At least get the number dialed. Even if you lose consciousness, that signal is going to go through." There's no scientific evidence showing that coughing can be used as self-help CPR during a heart attack, and experts fear it could lead to delays in calling for help.
8. (b) : The traditional Heimlich maneuver, five upward thrusts into the abdomen, should be altered so as not to harm the baby. Stand slightly behind your friend and start with five quick blows to the back. Then make a fist with one hand and place it in the middle of her breastbone above her baby bump. Grasp your fist with your other hand and give five sharp thrusts. Repeat until the food is dislodged or help arrives.
9. (c) : Snakebites are deadlier for children than adults. Don't waste time sucking, icing, or making a tourniquet (but do apply an elastic bandage after washing).
