United States · Emergency cards you can read in five seconds
What to do first
Short cards for the first minutes of an emergency. Pick your situation and read the top line. They work offline and come in every language here.
Choose the situation
- Emergency numbers911 for anything urgent, 988 for a mental health crisis and Poison Help for poisons.
- CPR and resuscitationAn adult is not breathing normally. Push hard and fast, and do not stop.
- ChokingThey cannot speak, cough or breathe. Give five back blows, then five thrusts, and repeat.
- Heart attackThe chest pain does not go away. Sit down, call for an ambulance and do not drive.
- StrokeFace drooping, arm weak, speech strange. Note the time and call now.
- Severe bleedingBlood soaking through, spurting or pooling. Press hard and do not let go.
- UnconsciousnessNot responding but breathing. Put them on their side, keep the airway open and watch them.
- BurnsCool with running water for twenty minutes. Put nothing else on it.
- FracturesDeformed, swollen, cannot bear weight. Support it and do not straighten it.
- HypothermiaShivering, slurred speech, sleepy. Dry them, wrap them and warm them slowly from the middle.
- Heat exhaustion and heatstrokeWeak and sick on a hot day? Cool them and give water. Hot skin and confusion? Call now and cool them hard.
- Bites and stingsClean and cool the area, and watch the face and breathing. After a snakebite, keep still and do not cut or suck.
- DrowningReach or throw, do not go in. Once they are out of the water, give five breaths, then CPR.
- Electric shockCut the power before you touch anyone. Then check breathing.
- Fire safetyRaise the alarm, get out, close the door and call from outside.
- Fire extinguishersPick the right extinguisher, aim at the base of the flames and keep your exit behind you.
- Gas leak and carbon monoxideSmell of gas: touch no switches, light no flames, open windows and get out. CO has no smell at all.
- Chemical exposureGet out of the cloud, wash it off and keep the label.
- Industrial accidentIf you hear sirens or a plant alarm, go inside, shut out the air and tune in.
- Road accidentWarn the traffic first, then help the injured. Helmets stay on and casualties stay put.
- FloodsGo up and stay out of moving water. Never drive or walk into it.
- Storm and high windGet inside before it hits, away from glass and out from under trees. In lightning, stay out of fields and away from trees.
- EarthquakeDrop, cover, hold on. Afterward expect aftershocks, check for gas and take the stairs.
- Natural disastersKnow how warnings reach you, pick a safe room, pack a bag and agree a plan.
- Emergency kit72 hours on your own: water, food, light, power, papers, medicines and cash.
- EvacuationLeave by the marked route, help anyone who needs it and count everyone at the assembly point.
- Workplace safetyA hazard-free workplace is the law. OSHA enforces it, and you can refuse work that puts you in imminent danger.
- Armed conflictAt the warning, shelter below ground. Stay away from windows, with two walls between you and the outside.
- Civil unrestKeep your distance. Move sideways out of the crowd and stay on your feet.
Use at your own risk. For education and research only, not medical advice. Check the numbers and rules for the country you are in. They change. Before you rely on these cards, have a medical professional or a fire safety specialist review them. Disclaimer
911
Emergency numbers
Free from any phone on any network, even with no credit.
- 911 Police, fire and medical emergencies, anywhere in the country
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, by call or text, open 24 hours
- 1-800-222-1222 Poison Help, poison control centers, open 24 hours
- 311 City services for non-emergencies, in most larger cities
- 1-800-321-6742 OSHA, to report an unsafe workplace
911 works from any phone in the United States, including a locked one. Many counties accept text messages to 911. On most mobile phones 112 redirects to 911, but dial 911, and teach others to dial it.
Legal background
Workplace safety and fire protection in the United States fall under federal law, OSHA standards and state or local fire codes.
- Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970The General Duty Clause. Every employer must provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious harm.
- OSHA standards, 29 CFR 1910Detailed federal rules for general industry, covering everything from fire extinguishers and exits to hazard communication and first aid.
- NFPA 101, Life Safety CodeThe model code that most states adopt for building exits, escape routes, alarms and evacuation.
- OSHA 29 CFR 1977, Section 11(c)Protects workers who refuse in good faith to do work that puts them in imminent danger, and forbids retaliation for reporting hazards.
- Duty to help and Good Samaritan lawsMost US states impose no general duty to rescue a stranger, though a few, including Vermont and Minnesota, do. Every state has a Good Samaritan law that protects a volunteer who gives reasonable aid in good faith. The details differ by state, including whether it covers trained responders.