11 Things That Will Save Your Life in a Critical Situation

In an emergency situation, even the most everyday items become extremely valuable. It’s very important to know what to do in such situations and how to use these things to save your life.

Bright Side tells about 11 things you should know in a critical situation.

№ 11. To start a fire quickly, put branches or coals into an empty egg carton.

Cartons light up very quickly, and the temperature is high enough to light up coals or wet branches even in windy weather.

№ 10. Use a T-shirt to filter water.

Put a container with dirty water on a raised surface and another one (empty) below and next to it. Tear off a piece of cloth, and put one end of it into the dirty water. The other end should be in the empty container. It’s better to boil the filtered water just in case.

№ 9. Light up a wax crayon.

A wax crayon can be used for starting a fire or instead of a candle. It consists of combustible material. One wax crayon can burn for 30 minutes.

№ 8. To get warm, put grass and branches under your clothes.

Leaves and grass can help you keep warm and protect you from hypothermia in a critical situation.

№ 7. Mosquitos, flies, and other insects don’t like the smell of burning herbs.

To protect yourself from being bitten by insects, throw a branch of thyme or some mint onto a fire. This smell can also scare wild animals.

№ 6. Use toothpaste to get rid of the itch from insect bites.

Toothpaste contains anti-inflammatory components that decrease swelling and redness. Menthol will cool down the bitten spot and reduce the itching.

№ 5. If you get scratched, put ChapStick on it.

ChapStick will help you avoid bacteria in the cut. You can also put some on your face to protect yourself from low temperatures and dehydration.

№ 4. A condom is a great reservoir for pure water.

A condom is sterile and strong. In a critical situation, it can be used for storing pure water. Attach a small tube to the neck, pour some water into the condom, and put it into a sock. You will have a reservoir that you can store a liter of water in.

№ 3. Scrape off a little bit of plastic from a pick, and light it to start a fire quickly.

Picks consist of celluloid that burns extremely well even in wet weather.

№ 2. To make a compass, put a leaf on water, and put a needle on the leaf.

If you are lost, making a compass is easy. Take a needle or a pin, and rub one end of it on your jeans or any other dense fabric. Put the needle on a leaf in water. The end that you rubbed will point to the north.

№ 1. How to tell a deadly snake from a safe one.

If you were bitten by a snake, don’t panic. It might not have been poisonous.

• A poisonous snake leaves large clear holes made by the front teeth. Non-poisonous snakes usually have 2 rows of teeth.
• Poisonous snakes’ pupils look similar to cats’. Non-poisonous snakes have round pupils.
• Poisonous snakes have solid scales on the ventral side of the body. Non-poisonous snakes have forked scales.