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DRAFT — NOT FOR PUBLIC EMERGENCY USE
Draft content aligned with ILCOR/AHA resuscitation guidelines, IFRC/Red Cross first aid guidance, WHO emergency care principles, and NFPA fire safety standards. Requires expert review before publication.
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If someone needs immediate help, use emergency mode — not these learning pages.
Go to emergency modeFolk practices and well-intentioned mistakes that can cause harm — and what to do instead.
190 myths across 26 topics. Tap any myth to learn why it's dangerous.
6 dangerous myths
Myth: Apply tourniquet to dog or cat bite
Truth: Wash wound thoroughly with soap and water 15 minutes; seek medical care
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Wash wound thoroughly with soap and water 15 minutes; seek medical care
Myth: Do not wash animal bite wound ("preserve rabies virus for identification")
Truth: Immediate thorough soap and water wash 15 min; then medical/post-exposure prophylaxis
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Immediate thorough soap and water wash 15 min; then medical/post-exposure prophylaxis
Myth: Apply traditional remedies (turmeric, herbs, chili) to animal bites
Truth: Wash with soap and water; medical care; tetanus/rabies prophylaxis as indicated
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Wash with soap and water; medical care; tetanus/rabies prophylaxis as indicated
Myth: Ignore small cat or monkey bites as "minor"
Truth: Always medical evaluation for cat/monkey bites; wound wash immediately
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Always medical evaluation for cat/monkey bites; wound wash immediately
Myth: Squeeze bee sting venom sac to remove stinger
Truth: Scrape stinger sideways with card; monitor for anaphylaxis
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Scrape stinger sideways with card; monitor for anaphylaxis
Related emergencies:
Myth: Urinate on jellyfish sting
Truth: Rinse with vinegar for box jellyfish; hot water immersion for others per species; EMS if severe
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Rinse with vinegar for box jellyfish; hot water immersion for others per species; EMS if severe
12 dangerous myths
Myth: Apply butter, oil, toothpaste, or ice to a burn.
Truth: Greasy substances trap heat, increase infection risk, and interfere with medical assessment. Ice causes frostbite on damaged skin.
Home remedies feel soothing and are passed down through families. Ice seems to "cool" the burn.
Cool under running cool water for 20 minutes. Remove jewelry. Cover loosely with clean non-fluffy material. Call for help for serious burns.
Related emergencies:
Myth: Apply raw egg white to burns
Truth: Cool with running water; cover loosely; seek care
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Cool with running water; cover loosely; seek care
Related emergencies:
Myth: Sprinkle flour, baking powder, or cornstarch on burns
Truth: Cool with running water only; no powders or pastes
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Cool with running water only; no powders or pastes
Related emergencies:
Myth: Pop or drain burn blisters
Truth: Do not burst blisters; cover with non-adhesive dressing; seek medical care if blister is large or on face/hands/joints
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Do not burst blisters; cover with non-adhesive dressing; seek medical care if blister is large or on face/hands/joints
Related emergencies:
Myth: Pack burn with cotton wool or fluffy fabric directly on wound
Truth: Cover with clean non-adhesive dressing or cling film (single layer, not wrapped tight)
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Cover with clean non-adhesive dressing or cling film (single layer, not wrapped tight)
Related emergencies:
Myth: Cool burns for only a few seconds or minutes ("a quick rinse is enough")
Truth: Continuous running lukewarm water for **minimum 20 minutes**; longer for chemical burns
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Continuous running lukewarm water for **minimum 20 minutes**; longer for chemical burns
Related emergencies:
Myth: Pull off clothing stuck to a burn
Truth: Cool through clothing if stuck; cut around stuck fabric; leave adhered material in place; seek emergency care
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Cool through clothing if stuck; cut around stuck fabric; leave adhered material in place; seek emergency care
Related emergencies:
Myth: Neutralize chemical burns on skin with opposite acid/alkali
Truth: Remove contaminated clothing; flush with copious running water 20+ minutes; call poison center
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Remove contaminated clothing; flush with copious running water 20+ minutes; call poison center
Related emergencies:
Myth: Treat electrical burn entry/exit wounds as minor skin injuries only
Truth: Ensure power off; call EMS; monitor for cardiac arrest; all electrical burns need hospital assessment
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Ensure power off; call EMS; monitor for cardiac arrest; all electrical burns need hospital assessment
Related emergencies:
Myth: Apply vinegar, alcohol, or menthol rub to sunburn
Truth: Cool compresses; aloe after cooling (minor only); hydration; seek care for blistering over large area
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Cool compresses; aloe after cooling (minor only); hydration; seek care for blistering over large area
Related emergencies:
Myth: Apply honey, sugar, or soy sauce to burns
Truth: Cool with running water; medical-grade honey only under professional guidance in controlled settings
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Cool with running water; medical-grade honey only under professional guidance in controlled settings
Related emergencies:
Myth: Use adhesive bandages (Band-Aids) directly on open or blistered burns
Truth: Non-adhesive dressing or sterile cling film; seek medical care
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Non-adhesive dressing or sterile cling film; seek medical care
Related emergencies:
4 dangerous myths
Myth: Induce vomiting after corrosive chemical ingestion
Truth: Rinse mouth; small sips water if conscious; do NOT vomit; hospital urgently
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Rinse mouth; small sips water if conscious; do NOT vomit; hospital urgently
Related emergencies:
Myth: Neutralize skin acid with alkali or alkali with acid
Truth: Remove clothing; flush with copious water 20+ minutes
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Remove clothing; flush with copious water 20+ minutes
Related emergencies:
Myth: Use neutralizing agents in eyes after chemical splash
Truth: Immediate water flush 20+ minutes; eyelids held open; EMS
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Immediate water flush 20+ minutes; eyelids held open; EMS
Related emergencies:
Myth: Take potassium iodide (KI) for all radiation scares
Truth: Follow official public health guidance only; shelter/evacuate as directed
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Follow official public health guidance only; shelter/evacuate as directed
10 dangerous myths
Myth: Blind finger sweep in mouth of choking person
Truth: Finger sweep only if object clearly visible; otherwise use back blows/thrusts
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Finger sweep only if object clearly visible; otherwise use back blows/thrusts
Related emergencies:
Myth: Hold choking child upside down by feet (Heimlich substitute)
Truth: Infant: alternating back blows and chest thrusts. Child: back blows then abdominal thrusts per protocol
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Infant: alternating back blows and chest thrusts. Child: back blows then abdominal thrusts per protocol
Related emergencies:
Myth: Back blows when person CAN still cough effectively
Truth: Effective cough = encourage coughing, monitor; back blows only for severe obstruction
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Effective cough = encourage coughing, monitor; back blows only for severe obstruction
Related emergencies:
Myth: Abdominal thrusts (Heimlich) on infant under 1 year
Truth: Back blows and chest thrusts only for infants
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Back blows and chest thrusts only for infants
Related emergencies:
Myth: Drive to hospital while choking alone
Truth: Self-administer abdominal thrusts over chair back; call emergency services on speaker
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Self-administer abdominal thrusts over chair back; call emergency services on speaker
Related emergencies:
Myth: Standard abdominal thrusts on clearly pregnant or very obese person
Truth: Chest thrusts instead of abdominal thrusts for pregnant/obese persons
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Chest thrusts instead of abdominal thrusts for pregnant/obese persons
Related emergencies:
Myth: Random slapping on back of unconscious choking victim without CPR protocol
Truth: Unresponsive choking: start CPR; check mouth for visible object before breaths
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Unresponsive choking: start CPR; check mouth for visible object before breaths
Related emergencies:
Myth: Shake child vigorously to dislodge swallowed object
Truth: Age-appropriate choking protocol; EMS if unsuccessful
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Age-appropriate choking protocol; EMS if unsuccessful
Related emergencies:
Myth: Perform abdominal thrusts on person who can speak and breathe
Truth: Partial obstruction with effective cough: stay with person, encourage coughing, prepare to act if worsens
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Partial obstruction with effective cough: stay with person, encourage coughing, prepare to act if worsens
Related emergencies:
Myth: Give water, bread, or finger sweeps to someone who is choking.
Truth: Water cannot clear a blocked airway. Blind finger sweeps push objects deeper. Effective coughing should be encouraged; severe choking needs back blows and thrusts.
People think water washes food down or that probing the throat helps. Panic leads to quick fixes.
If they cannot speak and have severe signs, give age-appropriate back blows and thrusts. Call emergency services. If they collapse, start CPR.
Related emergencies:
15 dangerous myths
Myth: Spend excessive time checking for pulse before starting CPR
Truth: Check responsiveness and breathing for max 10 seconds; if not normal breathing, start CPR immediately
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Check responsiveness and breathing for max 10 seconds; if not normal breathing, start CPR immediately
Related emergencies:
Myth: Do not push hard enough for fear of breaking ribs
Truth: Compress at least 5 cm (2 in) depth in adults; full recoil; rate 100–120/min
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Compress at least 5 cm (2 in) depth in adults; full recoil; rate 100–120/min
Related emergencies:
Myth: Stop CPR too early when rescuer is tired or "nothing is happening"
Truth: Continue CPR until EMS takes over, AED arrives and analyzes, or person shows signs of life
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Continue CPR until EMS takes over, AED arrives and analyzes, or person shows signs of life
Related emergencies:
Myth: Perform rescue breaths only without chest compressions
Truth: Compression-only CPR acceptable for untrained/adult collapse; trained rescuers use 30:2 or continuous compressions per guidelines
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Compression-only CPR acceptable for untrained/adult collapse; trained rescuers use 30:2 or continuous compressions per guidelines
Related emergencies:
Myth: Slap, shake vigorously, or throw water on collapsed person in cardiac arrest
Truth: Tap shoulders and shout; if unresponsive and not breathing normally, call EMS and start CPR
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Tap shoulders and shout; if unresponsive and not breathing normally, call EMS and start CPR
Related emergencies:
Myth: Put object in unconscious person's mouth to prevent swallowing tongue
Truth: Recovery position if breathing; CPR if not breathing; jaw thrust if trauma suspected
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Recovery position if breathing; CPR if not breathing; jaw thrust if trauma suspected
Related emergencies:
Myth: Fear of legal liability prevents bystander CPR
Truth: Start CPR; good faith efforts are legally protected in most countries; call EMS
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Start CPR; good faith efforts are legally protected in most countries; call EMS
Related emergencies:
Myth: Stop CPR when person starts gasping (agonal breathing)
Truth: Continue CPR unless clear signs of life (consciousness, purposeful movement, normal breathing)
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Continue CPR unless clear signs of life (consciousness, purposeful movement, normal breathing)
Related emergencies:
Myth: Wait for AED before starting compressions
Truth: Start CPR immediately; send someone for AED; apply AED when available without stopping compressions more than necessary
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Start CPR immediately; send someone for AED; apply AED when available without stopping compressions more than necessary
Related emergencies:
Myth: Use adult CPR technique on all ages
Truth: Age-appropriate technique: two fingers (infant), one/two hands (child), full adult technique for adolescents
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Age-appropriate technique: two fingers (infant), one/two hands (child), full adult technique for adolescents
Related emergencies:
Myth: Perform CPR on a bed or soft surface
Truth: Move to firm flat surface if safely possible; compress hard and fast
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Move to firm flat surface if safely possible; compress hard and fast
Related emergencies:
Myth: Remove AED pads to reposition during analysis/shock
Truth: Follow AED voice prompts; do not remove pads once placed unless poor adhesion
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Follow AED voice prompts; do not remove pads once placed unless poor adhesion
Related emergencies:
Myth: Refuse rescue breaths for drowning victims (compression-only always)
Truth: 5 initial rescue breaths for drowning; then 30:2 CPR if trained
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
5 initial rescue breaths for drowning; then 30:2 CPR if trained
Related emergencies:
Myth: Check carotid pulse on infants before CPR
Truth: Infant: check brachial pulse max 10 seconds; if absent and unresponsive, start CPR
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Infant: check brachial pulse max 10 seconds; if absent and unresponsive, start CPR
Related emergencies:
Myth: Assume person is dead because they look dead (livor, rigor, decomposition) and skip CPR
Truth: If any doubt and no obvious signs of irreversible death, start CPR per local protocol
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
If any doubt and no obvious signs of irreversible death, start CPR per local protocol
Related emergencies:
7 dangerous myths
Myth: Jump into water to rescue a drowning person if you are a strong swimmer.
Truth: Drowning people panic and grab rescuers, pushing them under. Many double drownings occur when untrained rescuers enter the water.
Heroic rescue stories reward immediate action. Strong swimmers feel confident.
Reach with a pole, branch, or clothing. Throw a flotation device. Row a boat if trained. Call for professional water rescue. Only enter water if trained as a lifeguard and equipped.
Myth: Hang drowning victim upside down or compress abdomen to drain water
Truth: Start CPR immediately if not breathing; 5 initial rescue breaths; do not delay for drainage
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Start CPR immediately if not breathing; 5 initial rescue breaths; do not delay for drainage
Related emergencies:
Myth: Wait to start CPR until water is "out" of lungs
Truth: Begin rescue breaths and CPR immediately upon safe rescue
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Begin rescue breaths and CPR immediately upon safe rescue
Related emergencies:
Myth: Assume person is fine because standing/talking after near-drowning
Truth: All submersion victims need medical evaluation; monitor for breathing difficulty
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
All submersion victims need medical evaluation; monitor for breathing difficulty
Related emergencies:
Myth: "Dry drowning" and "secondary drowning" as distinct delayed death requiring special home treatment
Truth: Seek medical care after any significant submersion; watch for breathing difficulty
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Seek medical care after any significant submersion; watch for breathing difficulty
Related emergencies:
Myth: Attempt ice rescue by walking to victim without distribution of weight
Truth: Call emergency services; reach with branch/rope from shore; distribute weight if must go on ice
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Call emergency services; reach with branch/rope from shore; distribute weight if must go on ice
Related emergencies:
Myth: Perform Heimlich maneuver before CPR on drowning victim
Truth: Open airway; 5 initial rescue breaths; then CPR 30:2
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Open airway; 5 initial rescue breaths; then CPR 30:2
Related emergencies:
1 dangerous myth
Myth: Stand in a doorway during an earthquake — it is always the safest spot.
Truth: In modern buildings, doorways are not safer than other spots. Drop, cover under sturdy furniture, and hold on.
Old advice said door frames are strong. Photos of cracked doorways after quakes spread the idea.
Drop, cover, and hold on under a strong table or desk. Stay away from windows and heavy objects. After shaking stops, evacuate if safe.
Related emergencies:
7 dangerous myths
Myth: Grab the person immediately to pull them away from electricity.
Truth: If the circuit is still live, you become the next casualty. The person may still be in contact with the source.
Urgency to save someone overrides thinking about the power source still being active.
Do not touch the person if they may still be connected to power. Turn off electricity at the source if safe, or use a non-conductive object to move the source. Call emergency services. Only approach once power is confirmed off.
Myth: Use wet towel or metal pole to separate person from electricity
Truth: Dry wood, plastic, rubber (not thin wet gloves); cut power first
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Dry wood, plastic, rubber (not thin wet gloves); cut power first
Related emergencies:
Myth: Assume household low voltage (110/230V) is safe
Truth: Treat all electrical injuries seriously; cut power; CPR if needed; hospital for all
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Treat all electrical injuries seriously; cut power; CPR if needed; hospital for all
Related emergencies:
Myth: Fail to immobilize/spinal precaution after electrical injury from fall
Truth: Spinal precautions if fall involved; monitor cardiac rhythm; hospital
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Spinal precautions if fall involved; monitor cardiac rhythm; hospital
Related emergencies:
Myth: Approach or drive over downed power line
Truth: Stay 10+ meters away; shuffle feet if escaping energized area; call utility
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Stay 10+ meters away; shuffle feet if escaping energized area; call utility
Related emergencies:
Myth: Use water on person being electrocuted while still connected
Truth: Cut power first; never water until disconnected
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Cut power first; never water until disconnected
Related emergencies:
Myth: Assume person is fine if no visible burn
Truth: All electrical injuries need hospital cardiac monitoring
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
All electrical injuries need hospital cardiac monitoring
Related emergencies:
15 dangerous myths
Myth: Go back inside a burning building to save belongings, pets, or check rooms.
Truth: Fire and smoke kill within seconds in enclosed spaces. Re-entering has caused many civilian deaths.
Valuables, pets, and family members left inside create powerful emotional pressure to re-enter.
Get out, stay out. Tell firefighters immediately if someone or a pet may be inside — they have equipment and training. Never re-enter.
Related emergencies:
Myth: Open door without checking for heat/smoke before entering or exiting
Truth: Feel door with back of hand; if hot, use alternate exit; stay low if smoke present
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Feel door with back of hand; if hot, use alternate exit; stay low if smoke present
Related emergencies:
Myth: Use water on electrical fire
Truth: Cut power if safe; use CO₂ or dry chemical extinguisher; evacuate if fire grows
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Cut power if safe; use CO₂ or dry chemical extinguisher; evacuate if fire grows
Related emergencies:
Myth: Use water on oil/grease fire
Truth: Turn off heat; smother with lid/fire blanket; Class B extinguisher; never water
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Turn off heat; smother with lid/fire blanket; Class B extinguisher; never water
Related emergencies:
Myth: Use elevator during fire
Truth: Use stairs; never elevator during fire
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Use stairs; never elevator during fire
Related emergencies:
Myth: Run when clothes are on fire
Truth: STOP, DROP, and ROLL; smother with blanket; cool burns after flame out
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
STOP, DROP, and ROLL; smother with blanket; cool burns after flame out
Related emergencies:
Myth: Break windows to ventilate when trapped
Truth: Seal door gaps with wet cloth; signal at window; stay low; await rescue
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Seal door gaps with wet cloth; signal at window; stay low; await rescue
Related emergencies:
Myth: Go back into burning building for possessions or pets
Truth: Evacuate immediately; inform firefighters of persons/pets trapped; never re-enter
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Evacuate immediately; inform firefighters of persons/pets trapped; never re-enter
Related emergencies:
Myth: Stand upright in smoke-filled room
Truth: Crawl low under smoke; cover mouth with cloth; get out
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Crawl low under smoke; cover mouth with cloth; get out
Related emergencies:
Myth: Throw water on LPG cylinder fire
Truth: Cut gas supply if safe; evacuate; call fire service; do not approach heated cylinder
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Cut gas supply if safe; evacuate; call fire service; do not approach heated cylinder
Related emergencies:
Myth: Fight large growing fire with single extinguisher instead of evacuating
Truth: Evacuate if fire larger than wastebasket; use extinguisher only on small incipient fire with exit behind you
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Evacuate if fire larger than wastebasket; use extinguisher only on small incipient fire with exit behind you
Related emergencies:
Myth: Outrun wildfire on foot uphill in open
Truth: Evacuate early; if trapped: shelter in cleared area, body of water, or low ditch; cover with wet cloth
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Evacuate early; if trapped: shelter in cleared area, body of water, or low ditch; cover with wet cloth
Related emergencies:
Myth: Open burning vehicle hood immediately
Truth: Evacuate area; call fire service; do not open hood
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Evacuate area; call fire service; do not open hood
Related emergencies:
Myth: Pat burning clothes instead of rolling (stop-drop-roll)
Truth: Stop, drop, roll; smother with blanket; cool burns
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Stop, drop, roll; smother with blanket; cool burns
Related emergencies:
Myth: Jump from high floor when trapped by fire
Truth: Seal room; signal at window; await rescue; jump only if certain death from fire
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Seal room; signal at window; await rescue; jump only if certain death from fire
Related emergencies:
1 dangerous myth
Myth: Drive or walk through floodwater if it looks shallow — it saves time.
Truth: Six inches of moving water can knock down an adult. One foot can float a vehicle. Water hides open manholes, debris, and live electrical wires.
Water often looks calmer and shallower than it is. People underestimate current and depth.
Turn around — do not drive or walk through floodwater. Move to higher ground. Call for help if trapped. Wait for official all-clear before returning.
Related emergencies:
8 dangerous myths
Myth: Try to realign or "set" broken bones in the field
Truth: Immobilize in position found; splint including joints above and below; EMS transport
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Immobilize in position found; splint including joints above and below; EMS transport
Related emergencies:
Myth: Pull on dislocated joint to "pop it back in"
Truth: Immobilize in current position; ice if available; professional reduction in hospital
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Immobilize in current position; ice if available; professional reduction in hospital
Related emergencies:
Myth: Apply heat to fresh acute injury
Truth: Rest, ice (wrapped), compression, elevation (RICE) for acute soft tissue; immobilize suspected fractures
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Rest, ice (wrapped), compression, elevation (RICE) for acute soft tissue; immobilize suspected fractures
Related emergencies:
Myth: Push protruding bone back into wound
Truth: Cover with sterile saline-moistened dressing; do not replace bone; EMS
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Cover with sterile saline-moistened dressing; do not replace bone; EMS
Related emergencies:
Myth: Use rigid collar as sole spinal immobilization without full protocol
Truth: Manual inline stabilization; minimize movement; professional spinal care
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Manual inline stabilization; minimize movement; professional spinal care
Related emergencies:
Myth: Tightly tape or bind chest for rib fracture breathing pain
Truth: Support arm on injured side; pain management at hospital; monitor breathing
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Support arm on injured side; pain management at hospital; monitor breathing
Related emergencies:
Myth: Immediately release crush injury without preparing for crush syndrome
Truth: Call EMS before release if trapped >15 min; IV fluids and monitoring per professional protocol
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Call EMS before release if trapped >15 min; IV fluids and monitoring per professional protocol
Related emergencies:
Myth: Allow person with femur fracture to walk with support
Truth: Immobilize; do not allow weight-bearing; EMS
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Immobilize; do not allow weight-bearing; EMS
Related emergencies:
5 dangerous myths
Myth: Turn electrical switches on/off during gas leak
Truth: No switches, phones, or flames; ventilate if safe; evacuate; call from outside
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
No switches, phones, or flames; ventilate if safe; evacuate; call from outside
Related emergencies:
Myth: Light match or lighter to check for gas leak
Truth: Use soapy water on pipes if trained; otherwise evacuate and call utility
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Use soapy water on pipes if trained; otherwise evacuate and call utility
Myth: Start vehicle near gas leak or LPG cylinder
Truth: Evacuate upwind; no vehicles; call emergency services from safe distance
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Evacuate upwind; no vehicles; call emergency services from safe distance
Related emergencies:
Myth: Stay indoors to "wait out" gas leak smell without ventilating
Truth: Evacuate immediately; do not use elevator; call from outside
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Evacuate immediately; do not use elevator; call from outside
Related emergencies:
Myth: Assume natural gas and carbon monoxide smell the same or CO always has odor
Truth: CO detectors; headache/nausea in multiple household members = evacuate and call EMS
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
CO detectors; headache/nausea in multiple household members = evacuate and call EMS
Related emergencies:
5 dangerous myths
Myth: "Take off their shoes, they'll wake up"
Truth: Check responsiveness, breathing, pulse; call EMS; CPR if needed
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Check responsiveness, breathing, pulse; call EMS; CPR if needed
Related emergencies:
Myth: Force person in shock to drink alcohol ("warms them up")
Truth: Lay flat (unless breathing difficulty); keep warm; no oral intake; treat bleeding
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Lay flat (unless breathing difficulty); keep warm; no oral intake; treat bleeding
Related emergencies:
Myth: Elevate legs for all shock victims including chest injury
Truth: Flat position; treat cause; maintain airway
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Flat position; treat cause; maintain airway
Related emergencies:
Myth: Apply hydrogen peroxide or alcohol deep into open wounds routinely
Truth: Clean with clean water or saline; cover; seek care if deep/dirty
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Clean with clean water or saline; cover; seek care if deep/dirty
Related emergencies:
Myth: Assume person "looks fine" and skip EMS after anaphylaxis/epinephrine
Truth: Always call EMS after epinephrine; monitor; second dose if needed per protocol
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Always call EMS after epinephrine; monitor; second dose if needed per protocol
Related emergencies:
6 dangerous myths
Myth: Keep head-injured person awake at all costs
Truth: Allow sleep if otherwise stable per medical guidance; wake periodically if advised; seek care for red flags
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Allow sleep if otherwise stable per medical guidance; wake periodically if advised; seek care for red flags
Related emergencies:
Myth: Pack ears or nose after head trauma with blood/fluid leaking
Truth: Loosely cover with clean dressing; do not pack; urgent hospital
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Loosely cover with clean dressing; do not pack; urgent hospital
Related emergencies:
Myth: Return to sport/activity immediately after "getting bell rung"
Truth: Remove from activity; medical assessment; graduated return protocol
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Remove from activity; medical assessment; graduated return protocol
Related emergencies:
Myth: Sit spinal injury patient upright for comfort
Truth: Flat immobilization; manual stabilization until professional care
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Flat immobilization; manual stabilization until professional care
Related emergencies:
Myth: Give aspirin after head injury
Truth: No blood thinners; urgent CT if indicated; EMS
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
No blood thinners; urgent CT if indicated; EMS
Related emergencies:
Myth: Log-roll untrained single rescuer for all spinal patients
Truth: Maintain manual inline stabilization; trained multi-rescuer moves only
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Maintain manual inline stabilization; trained multi-rescuer moves only
Related emergencies:
6 dangerous myths
Myth: Give aspirin to person with chest pain and unknown allergy/history
Truth: Call EMS immediately; aspirin 300 mg chewed only if not allergic and no contraindications per guidelines
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Call EMS immediately; aspirin 300 mg chewed only if not allergic and no contraindications per guidelines
Related emergencies:
Myth: Tell person "it's probably just gas/indigestion"
Truth: Take chest pain seriously; call EMS; do not self-diagnose
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Take chest pain seriously; call EMS; do not self-diagnose
Related emergencies:
Myth: Drive yourself to hospital during active heart attack
Truth: Call EMS; ambulance has oxygen, defibrillator, early treatment initiation
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Call EMS; ambulance has oxygen, defibrillator, early treatment initiation
Related emergencies:
Myth: Wait to see if stroke symptoms resolve on their own
Truth: FAST assessment; call EMS immediately; note last known well time
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
FAST assessment; call EMS immediately; note last known well time
Related emergencies:
Myth: Cough repeatedly as "self-CPR" during heart attack
Truth: Call EMS; rest; chew aspirin if appropriate
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Call EMS; rest; chew aspirin if appropriate
Related emergencies:
Myth: Lay stroke patient flat with head down
Truth: Semi-recumbent if conscious; recovery position if unconscious; EMS
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Semi-recumbent if conscious; recovery position if unconscious; EMS
Related emergencies:
12 dangerous myths
Myth: Dab at bleeding wound lightly instead of applying firm continuous pressure
Truth: Apply firm direct pressure with clean cloth/gauze; maintain pressure continuously
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Apply firm direct pressure with clean cloth/gauze; maintain pressure continuously
Related emergencies:
Myth: Remove blood-soaked dressing to replace with fresh one
Truth: Add more dressings on top; maintain pressure; do not remove first layer
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Add more dressings on top; maintain pressure; do not remove first layer
Related emergencies:
Myth: Apply tourniquet too loosely ("just in case")
Truth: Tourniquet only for life-threatening limb bleeding uncontrolled by pressure; tight enough to stop pulse distal to tourniquet
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Tourniquet only for life-threatening limb bleeding uncontrolled by pressure; tight enough to stop pulse distal to tourniquet
Related emergencies:
Myth: Never use a tourniquet (old first aid teaching)
Truth: Tourniquet for life-threatening limb bleeding not controlled by direct pressure; note time applied
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Tourniquet for life-threatening limb bleeding not controlled by direct pressure; note time applied
Related emergencies:
Myth: Elevate all bleeding limbs as first-line treatment
Truth: Direct pressure first; pressure bandage; tourniquet if needed; elevation only as adjunct after pressure established
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Direct pressure first; pressure bandage; tourniquet if needed; elevation only as adjunct after pressure established
Related emergencies:
Myth: Remove impaled or embedded object from wound
Truth: Stabilize object in place; pad around it; immobilize; emergency transport
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Stabilize object in place; pad around it; immobilize; emergency transport
Related emergencies:
Myth: Tilt head back during nosebleed
Truth: Sit leaning forward; pinch soft part of nose 10–15 minutes; breathe through mouth
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Sit leaning forward; pinch soft part of nose 10–15 minutes; breathe through mouth
Related emergencies:
Myth: Give food or water to person with abdominal bleeding
Truth: NPO; lie with knees bent if conscious; call EMS; treat for shock
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
NPO; lie with knees bent if conscious; call EMS; treat for shock
Related emergencies:
Myth: Remove occlusive dressing from sucking chest wound to "let it breathe"
Truth: Seal wound with occlusive dressing taped on three sides (or all sides per protocol); urgent EMS
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Seal wound with occlusive dressing taped on three sides (or all sides per protocol); urgent EMS
Related emergencies:
Myth: Use tourniquet on neck or torso
Truth: Direct pressure; wound packing for junctional hemorrhage; EMS immediately
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Direct pressure; wound packing for junctional hemorrhage; EMS immediately
Related emergencies:
Myth: Apply tourniquet over a joint
Truth: Place tourniquet 5–8 cm (2–3 inches) above wound on single long bone segment
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Place tourniquet 5–8 cm (2–3 inches) above wound on single long bone segment
Related emergencies:
Myth: Cauterize wound with hot metal, gunpowder, or flame
Truth: Direct pressure; medical care
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Direct pressure; medical care
Related emergencies:
5 dangerous myths
Myth: Tell suicidal person to "think positive" or "snap out of it"
Truth: Listen without judgment; ask directly about suicide plan; stay with person; call crisis line/EMS
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Listen without judgment; ask directly about suicide plan; stay with person; call crisis line/EMS
Myth: Restrain person having panic attack
Truth: Calm voice; slow breathing guidance; move to quieter space; do not restrain
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Calm voice; slow breathing guidance; move to quieter space; do not restrain
Myth: Slap or splash water on panicking/agitated person
Truth: De-escalation; safe space; professional help; ensure scene safety
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
De-escalation; safe space; professional help; ensure scene safety
Myth: Promise to keep suicide plans secret
Truth: Cannot keep secret if life at risk; stay with person; involve professionals
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Cannot keep secret if life at risk; stay with person; involve professionals
Myth: Argue with delusions or hallucinations to prove they're not real
Truth: Calm non-confrontational communication; reduce stimuli; ensure safety; professional help
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Calm non-confrontational communication; reduce stimuli; ensure safety; professional help
11 dangerous myths
Myth: Run outside during earthquake
Truth: Drop, Cover, Hold On indoors; exit only after shaking stops
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Drop, Cover, Hold On indoors; exit only after shaking stops
Related emergencies:
Myth: Open windows during tornado/cyclone to equalize pressure
Truth: Shelter in interior room/lowest floor; away from windows
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Shelter in interior room/lowest floor; away from windows
Related emergencies:
Myth: Drive through floodwater ("it's not that deep")
Truth: Turn around don't drown; abandon vehicle if water rises; climb to roof
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Turn around don't drown; abandon vehicle if water rises; climb to roof
Related emergencies:
Myth: Return home immediately after flood waters recede
Truth: Wait for official all-clear; turn off main power; structural inspection
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Wait for official all-clear; turn off main power; structural inspection
Related emergencies:
Myth: Go to beach to watch tsunami or receding water
Truth: Receding water = immediate evacuation to high ground inland
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Receding water = immediate evacuation to high ground inland
Related emergencies:
Myth: Enter landslide area to search before secondary slide risk passes
Truth: Evacuate; mark last seen location; professional search and rescue
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Evacuate; mark last seen location; professional search and rescue
Related emergencies:
Myth: Use wet cloth only without sealing shelter during ash fall
Truth: Stay indoors; seal windows/doors; wear N95 if must go out
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Stay indoors; seal windows/doors; wear N95 if must go out
Related emergencies:
Myth: Give ice-cold bath immediately to heatstroke victim
Truth: Move to cool area; cool water on skin; fan; ice packs to neck/armpits/groin; EMS
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Move to cool area; cool water on skin; fan; ice packs to neck/armpits/groin; EMS
Related emergencies:
Myth: Rub frostbitten skin with snow
Truth: Gentle rewarming in warm (not hot) water; do not walk on frostbitten feet; EMS
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Gentle rewarming in warm (not hot) water; do not walk on frostbitten feet; EMS
Related emergencies:
Myth: Shout into rubble without coordinating with professional USAR
Truth: Mark locations; call professional rescue; listen quietly for sounds
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Mark locations; call professional rescue; listen quietly for sounds
Related emergencies:
Myth: Walk through moving floodwater on foot
Truth: Avoid walking in moving water; use pole to test depth if unavoidable
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Avoid walking in moving water; use pole to test depth if unavoidable
Related emergencies:
13 dangerous myths
Myth: Make the person vomit after swallowing poison — give salt water, mustard, or finger down the throat.
Truth: Vomiting can cause burns to repeat through the esophagus, aspiration into lungs, and faster absorption of some substances.
Removing poison seems logical. Old advice recommended inducing vomiting for many ingestions.
Call emergency services or poison control immediately. Save the container or substance sample. Follow their specific instructions — do not automatically induce vomiting.
Myth: Give milk to neutralize poison
Truth: Call poison center; follow specific guidance; water only if directed for dilution
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Call poison center; follow specific guidance; water only if directed for dilution
Related emergencies:
Myth: Give activated charcoal without poison center guidance
Truth: Only give charcoal if poison center or EMS directs; never if drowsy/unconscious
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Only give charcoal if poison center or EMS directs; never if drowsy/unconscious
Related emergencies:
Myth: Neutralize ingested acid with baking soda or alkali with vinegar
Truth: Small sips of water if conscious and directed; immediate hospital; do not neutralize
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Small sips of water if conscious and directed; immediate hospital; do not neutralize
Related emergencies:
Myth: Put opioid overdose person in cold shower or slap to wake
Truth: Call EMS; naloxone if available; rescue breathing/CPR; recovery position if breathing
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Call EMS; naloxone if available; rescue breathing/CPR; recovery position if breathing
Related emergencies:
Myth: Give coffee or cold shower for alcohol poisoning
Truth: Recovery position if unconscious but breathing; call EMS; monitor airway
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Recovery position if unconscious but breathing; call EMS; monitor airway
Related emergencies:
Myth: Wait for button battery to pass naturally
Truth: Immediate emergency department; do not induce vomiting; honey only per specific pediatric protocol en route
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Immediate emergency department; do not induce vomiting; honey only per specific pediatric protocol en route
Related emergencies:
Myth: Force person to eat burnt toast or raw egg after mushroom/plant poisoning
Truth: Preserve sample of plant/mushroom; call poison center; hospital
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Preserve sample of plant/mushroom; call poison center; hospital
Related emergencies:
Myth: Neutralize chemical on skin with opposite chemical
Truth: Remove clothing; flush with copious water 20+ minutes; call poison center
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Remove clothing; flush with copious water 20+ minutes; call poison center
Related emergencies:
Myth: Give "something to absorb" all medications without identifying drug
Truth: Identify medication if possible; call poison center with drug name and amount
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Identify medication if possible; call poison center with drug name and amount
Related emergencies:
Myth: Enter contaminated area to rescue without protection
Truth: Do not enter; call hazmat/EMS; ventilate from safe distance if trained
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Do not enter; call hazmat/EMS; ventilate from safe distance if trained
Related emergencies:
Myth: Give vitamin K at home for rat poison ingestion without medical guidance
Truth: Hospital evaluation; bring packaging; poison center guidance
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Hospital evaluation; bring packaging; poison center guidance
Related emergencies:
Myth: Delay calling poison center to "see if child seems fine"
Truth: Call poison center immediately with substance, amount, time, child weight
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Call poison center immediately with substance, amount, time, child weight
Related emergencies:
6 dangerous myths
Myth: Cut umbilical cord immediately after birth
Truth: Wait 1–3 minutes until cord stops pulsing (if no complications requiring immediate clamping)
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Wait 1–3 minutes until cord stops pulsing (if no complications requiring immediate clamping)
Myth: Pull on umbilical cord to deliver placenta
Truth: Gentle controlled cord traction only with counter-pressure on uterus when trained; otherwise await contraction
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Gentle controlled cord traction only with counter-pressure on uterus when trained; otherwise await contraction
Myth: Wash newborn immediately in cold water
Truth: Dry thoroughly; skin-to-skin; warm environment; delay bath
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Dry thoroughly; skin-to-skin; warm environment; delay bath
Myth: Massage abdomen aggressively instead of calling EMS for heavy postpartum bleeding
Truth: Firm fundal massage; call EMS; empty bladder; prepare for shock management
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Firm fundal massage; call EMS; empty bladder; prepare for shock management
Myth: Give high-salt or diuretic foods for pregnancy swelling
Truth: Swelling with headache/visual changes = urgent medical evaluation
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Swelling with headache/visual changes = urgent medical evaluation
Myth: Hold newborn upside down and slap feet to start breathing
Truth: Dry and stimulate gently; if not breathing: clamp/cut cord; begin neonatal resuscitation per protocol
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Dry and stimulate gently; if not breathing: clamp/cut cord; begin neonatal resuscitation per protocol
12 dangerous myths
Myth: Apply haldi (turmeric) paste to open wounds and burns
Truth: Cool burns with water; clean wounds with water; sterile dressing; medical care
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Cool burns with water; clean wounds with water; sterile dressing; medical care
Related emergencies:
Myth: Apply lime (chuna), betel leaf, or toothpaste on burns
Truth: Running water 20+ minutes
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Running water 20+ minutes
Related emergencies:
Myth: Jhad-phoonk (incantation/blowing rituals) for snake bite instead of hospital
Truth: Immediate transport to hospital with antivenom
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Immediate transport to hospital with antivenom
Related emergencies:
Myth: Tie manja (kite string) or rope tightly above snake bite
Truth: Immobilize limb; no tight ligatures; hospital urgently
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Immobilize limb; no tight ligatures; hospital urgently
Related emergencies:
Myth: Use kerosene on scalp for head lice
Truth: Mechanical removal; medicated shampoo per medical guidance
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Mechanical removal; medicated shampoo per medical guidance
Related emergencies:
Myth: Apply raw cow dung to wounds
Truth: Clean with clean water; cover; tetanus prophylaxis; medical care
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Clean with clean water; cover; tetanus prophylaxis; medical care
Related emergencies:
Myth: Give mustard oil or ghee after pesticide/kerosene ingestion to "neutralize"
Truth: Do NOT induce vomiting; call National Poisons Information Centre; hospital
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Do NOT induce vomiting; call National Poisons Information Centre; hospital
Related emergencies:
Myth: Treat hooch/methanol poisoning with more alcohol
Truth: Immediate hospital; do not give home remedies
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Immediate hospital; do not give home remedies
Related emergencies:
Myth: Insert iron key or onion in seizure patient's hand/mouth (folk remedy)
Truth: Protect head; time seizure; recovery position; EMS if prolonged
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Protect head; time seizure; recovery position; EMS if prolonged
Related emergencies:
Myth: Roll drowning victim over barrel or buffalo horn to drain water
Truth: Immediate CPR with rescue breaths; call EMS
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Immediate CPR with rescue breaths; call EMS
Related emergencies:
Myth: Wrap wet cloth on LPG cylinder and continue cooking
Truth: Turn off valve if safe; ventilate; evacuate; call fire service
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Turn off valve if safe; ventilate; evacuate; call fire service
Related emergencies:
Myth: Stop all fluids during diarrhea ("rest the stomach")
Truth: Continue breastfeeding; ORS; zinc; urgent care if signs of severe dehydration
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Continue breastfeeding; ORS; zinc; urgent care if signs of severe dehydration
4 dangerous myths
Myth: Rush in to help without scanning scene for hazards
Truth: Stop; look for danger (traffic, fire, electricity, water, weapons, unstable structure); only proceed when safe
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Stop; look for danger (traffic, fire, electricity, water, weapons, unstable structure); only proceed when safe
Myth: Check pulse before assessing danger and responsiveness
Truth: Danger → Response → Airway → Breathing → Circulation (DR ABC)
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Danger → Response → Airway → Breathing → Circulation (DR ABC)
Related emergencies:
Myth: Treat casualties in order found rather than by urgency
Truth: Triage: sort by urgency (START/SALT principles simplified)
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Triage: sort by urgency (START/SALT principles simplified)
Related emergencies:
Myth: Place unconscious breathing person flat on back (supine)
Truth: Recovery position (unless spinal injury suspected or CPR needed)
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Recovery position (unless spinal injury suspected or CPR needed)
Related emergencies:
7 dangerous myths
Myth: Put something in the person's mouth during a seizure to stop them from swallowing their tongue.
Truth: A person cannot swallow their tongue. Objects in the mouth cause broken teeth, choking, and injured fingers.
People fear tongue swallowing during convulsions. Inserting spoons or cloth seems protective.
Ease them to the ground. Protect the head with something soft. Clear nearby hazards. Time the seizure. After it stops, place in recovery position if breathing normally. Call emergency services if seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, repeats, or person is injured, pregnant, or diabetic.
Myth: Pour water on face or give oral medication during active seizure
Truth: Wait until postictal; call EMS if seizure >5 min, first seizure, injury, or pregnancy
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Wait until postictal; call EMS if seizure >5 min, first seizure, injury, or pregnancy
Related emergencies:
Myth: Immediately sit or stand person up after seizure ends
Truth: Recovery position; monitor breathing; stay until fully alert
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Recovery position; monitor breathing; stay until fully alert
Related emergencies:
Myth: Put febrile seizing child in cold bath
Truth: Protect during seizure; call EMS if >5 min; treat fever after with antipyretics per medical guidance
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Protect during seizure; call EMS if >5 min; treat fever after with antipyretics per medical guidance
Related emergencies:
Myth: Assume all convulsions are epilepsy; never call EMS
Truth: Call EMS for first seizure, prolonged (>5 min), injury, pregnancy, breathing difficulty, or repeated seizures
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Call EMS for first seizure, prolonged (>5 min), injury, pregnancy, breathing difficulty, or repeated seizures
Related emergencies:
Myth: Place pillow directly over face/head tightly during seizure
Truth: Soft padding beside head, not over face; ensure airway remains clear
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Soft padding beside head, not over face; ensure airway remains clear
Related emergencies:
Myth: Leave person alone immediately after seizure ends
Truth: Stay with person; recovery position; monitor breathing until alert
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Stay with person; recovery position; monitor breathing until alert
Related emergencies:
10 dangerous myths
Myth: Cut the bite wound and suck out the venom, or tie a tight tourniquet above the bite.
Truth: Cutting and sucking causes infection and tissue damage without removing meaningful venom. Tight tourniquets can cause limb loss. Anti-venom in hospital is the effective treatment.
Old folk practices and movies suggest removing venom quickly saves lives. Tourniquets seem to stop poison from spreading.
Move the person away from the snake. Keep them still and calm. Call emergency services. Remove tight jewelry near the bite. Wash gently if advised. Get to a hospital that can provide anti-venom — do not cut, suck, or apply tight tourniquets.
Related emergencies:
Myth: Apply herbal pastes, cow dung, lime, garlic, or traditional remedies to bite site
Truth: Wash gently with soap and water if available; do not apply substances; urgent hospital transport
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Wash gently with soap and water if available; do not apply substances; urgent hospital transport
Related emergencies:
Myth: Kill the snake and bring it to hospital
Truth: Note snake appearance/color safely (photo from distance if possible); do not delay transport to catch snake
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Note snake appearance/color safely (photo from distance if possible); do not delay transport to catch snake
Related emergencies:
Myth: Give alcohol to snake bite victim ("whiskey neutralizes venom")
Truth: No food or alcohol; keep NPO; maintain hydration IV at hospital
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
No food or alcohol; keep NPO; maintain hydration IV at hospital
Related emergencies:
Myth: Apply electric shock (stun gun, car battery) to bite site
Truth: Standard snake bite first aid; urgent antivenom-capable facility
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Standard snake bite first aid; urgent antivenom-capable facility
Related emergencies:
Myth: Apply ice or ice pack to snake bite
Truth: Immobilize limb; keep at heart level; transport urgently
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Immobilize limb; keep at heart level; transport urgently
Related emergencies:
Myth: Wait to see if symptoms develop before going to hospital ("maybe it's non-venomous")
Truth: Treat all snake bites as potentially venomous; immediate hospital transport
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Treat all snake bites as potentially venomous; immediate hospital transport
Related emergencies:
Myth: Tie string, hair, or rubber band tightly around limb for snake bite
Truth: Remove constricting items (rings, watches); immobilize without tight ligatures
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Remove constricting items (rings, watches); immobilize without tight ligatures
Related emergencies:
Myth: Make victim run or walk quickly to hospital
Truth: Immobilize; carry if possible; keep calm and still
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Immobilize; carry if possible; keep calm and still
Related emergencies:
Myth: Visit traditional healer / jhad-phoonk (incantation) instead of hospital
Truth: Go directly to hospital with antivenom; traditional healer cannot treat envenomation
These ideas spread through family advice, old school lessons, movies, and social media. They often sound quick or comforting.
Go directly to hospital with antivenom; traditional healer cannot treat envenomation
Related emergencies:
1 dangerous myth
Myth: Always move an injured person immediately to a comfortable position.
Truth: Unnecessary movement of spine or neck injuries can cause permanent paralysis.
Seeing someone on a hard surface feels wrong. Comfort seems helpful.
Keep them still if the scene is safe. Support the head in neutral alignment. Call emergency services. Move only if fire, traffic, or flood makes staying more dangerous.
Related emergencies:
1 dangerous myth
Myth: Give water, juice, or food to someone who is unconscious or very drowsy to help them wake up.
Truth: An unconscious person cannot protect their airway. Fluids go into the lungs, causing choking and pneumonia.
Dehydration, low blood sugar, and heat seem fixable with fluids. Offering water feels caring.
Do not give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. If breathing normally, use recovery position. If not breathing normally, start CPR and call for help.
Related emergencies: