Need help right now?
If someone needs immediate help with trapped under rubble, use emergency mode.
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DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — You are pinned or buried under collapsed building debris and cannot free yourself.
The essentials if you need to act right now.
Cover mouth. Stay still. Tap three times. Save energy. Call 112 if you can.
What might I see? Observable signs — no diagnosis required.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Limbs pinned and unable to move freely.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Heavy pressure on chest making breathing difficult.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Darkness, limited space, and dust making it hard to see or breathe.
Optional deeper explanation — not required to act.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Weight from collapsed structure is pressing on your body. Air pockets can shrink as debris settles.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Dust and lack of oxygen are immediate threats — airway protection is your first priority.
Check the scene before you approach.
Small movements can cause tons of debris to shift and crush further.
Civilian-safe actions you can take.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Immediately cover mouth and nose with any available cloth.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Freeze — assess what is pinning you before moving anything.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Try to create a small air space near your face with cupped hands if possible.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Breathe slowly through the cloth filter to reduce dust intake.
When and how to get professional help.
All rubble entrapment requires professional extrication.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If you are trapped, focus on airway protection and signaling. Do not attempt self-rescue by lifting heavy loads.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If phone works: call 112. Say trapped under rubble, approximate location, breathing status.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If no phone: keep tapping — rescuers listen for patterns.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — When you hear rescuers above, tap louder or use a whistle if you have one.
Dangerous actions, when not to attempt rescue, and common myths.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT light a fire or match for light — dust and gas make this deadly.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT move heavy slabs or beams — untrained lifting causes secondary collapse.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT shout continuously — it wastes oxygen and energy.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT eat or drink unknown liquids leaking into your space.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — You should try to dig yourself out as fast as possible
Other scenarios in the same family.
Collapse nearby
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A building or structure is failing or has collapsed near where you are standing — you are outside but close to danger.
Bridge collapse
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A bridge, overpass, or elevated roadway has collapsed — with vehicles or people on or below it.
Construction accident
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A structural failure, fall, or collapse has occurred on a construction site — scaffolding, trench, or partial building.
Floor collapse
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A floor, mezzanine, or elevated platform has collapsed — dropping people to the level below or into a void.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Tap rhythmically on pipes, rebar, or hollow metal — three taps, pause, repeat.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If you have a phone and signal, call 112. Whisper location details to save battery and breath.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Conserve energy — rescuers use acoustic detection equipment.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Crush injuries need hospital care even if you feel okay initially — crush syndrome can kill hours later.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Only trained rescuers should extricate you — improper removal worsens injuries.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Frantic digging shifts load onto pinned limbs and collapses your air pocket. Signal and conserve energy for rescue teams.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Secondary collapse, suffocation, and worsened crush injuries.