United States · Emergency cards you can read in five seconds
What to do first
Short, checkable cards for the first minutes of an emergency. Pick the situation, read the top line, act. Works offline and in every language on this site.
Choose the situation
- Emergency numbers911 for everything urgent, 988 for a mental health crisis, Poison Help for poisons.
- CPR and resuscitationAn adult is not breathing normally. Push hard, push fast, do not stop.
- ChokingCannot speak, cough or breathe. Five back blows, five thrusts, repeat.
- Heart attackChest pain that will not go away. Sit down, call, do not drive.
- StrokeFace drooping, arm weak, speech strange. Note the time and call now.
- Severe bleedingBlood soaking through, spurting or pooling. Press and do not let go.
- UnconsciousnessNot responding but breathing. On their side, airway open, watch them.
- BurnsCool with running water for twenty minutes. Nothing else goes on it.
- FracturesDeformed, swollen, cannot bear weight. Support it, do not straighten it.
- HypothermiaShivering, slurred, sleepy. Dry, wrapped, warmed slowly from the middle.
- Heat exhaustion and heatstrokeHot day, weak and sick means cool and drink. Hot and confused means call now and cool hard.
- Bites and stingsClean, cool, watch the face and breathing. Snake means still, no cutting, no sucking.
- DrowningReach or throw, do not go. Out of the water, five breaths, then CPR.
- Electric shockCut the power before you touch anyone. Then check breathing.
- Fire safetyAlert, get out, close the door, call from outside.
- Fire extinguishersRight extinguisher, base of the flames, exit behind you.
- Gas leak and carbon monoxideSmell of gas: no switches, no flames, open up, get out. CO: no smell at all.
- Chemical exposureGet out of the cloud, wash it off, keep the label.
- Industrial accidentSirens or a plant alarm mean go inside, shut the air out, tune in.
- Road accidentWarn the traffic first, then the injured. Helmets stay on, casualties stay put.
- FloodsGo up, not out. Never drive or walk into moving water.
- Storm and high windInside before it hits, away from glass, out from under trees. Lightning: no field, no tree.
- EarthquakeDrop, cover, hold on. After: expect aftershocks, check gas, take the stairs.
- Natural disastersKnow the signal, have a room, have a bag, have a plan.
- Emergency kit72 hours on your own: water, food, light, power, papers, medicines, cash.
- EvacuationLeave by the marked route, help who needs help, count everyone at the point.
- Workplace safetyHazard-free workplace is the law, OSHA is the referee, and you can refuse imminent danger.
- Armed conflictWarning means shelter below ground. Away from windows, two walls between you and outside.
- Civil unrestDistance is the whole strategy. Move sideways out of the crowd, stay on your feet.
Use at your own risk. Educational and research use only, not medical advice. Verify numbers and rules for the country you are in. They change. Before you rely on these cards in practice, review them with a medical professional or a fire safety specialist. Disclaimer
911
Emergency numbers
Free from any phone, on any network, even with no credit
- 911 Police, fire and medical emergencies, nationwide
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call or text, 24 hours
- 1-800-222-1222 Poison Help, poison control centers, 24 hours
- 311 City services, non-emergency, in most larger cities
- 1-800-321-6742 OSHA, report an unsafe workplace
911 works from any phone in the United States, including a locked one. Text-to-911 is available in many counties. On most mobile phones 112 redirects to 911, but teach and dial 911.
Legal framework
Workplace safety and fire protection in the United States are governed by 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 likely to cause death or serious harm.
- OSHA standards, 29 CFR 1910Detailed federal rules for general industry, from fire extinguishers and exits to hazard communication and first aid.
- NFPA 101, Life Safety CodeThe model code most states adopt for escape routes, exits, alarms and evacuation in buildings.
- OSHA 29 CFR 1977, Section 11(c)Protects workers who refuse work in good faith when facing 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 protecting a volunteer who gives reasonable aid in good faith; the details, including whether it covers trained responders, differ by state.