Have you ever been in a situation where you could have saved someone's life if you have known the right action to take? Maybe such an emergency hasn't happened to you yet but if it does, will you know what to do? Test your knowledge of how to react in life-threatening situations with this quiz:

1. You see a car go off a bridge into a river or a child falls through the ice of a pond. How long is it possible for the driver or a child to remain under water and still be revived without brain damage? (a) five minutes; (b) 30 minutes; (c) over an hour.
   

2. What should you do if you smell gas coming from under the door of your neighbor's apartment? (a) try to break in and open a window; (b) ring the doorbell to alert your neighbor; (c) leave the building and call fire department.
   

   

3. In many high-rise buildings, the windows consist of heavy sheets of glass that cannot be opened. If there is a fire in such a building, should you break the glass in order to clear the room of poisonous gases or fumes? (a) yes; (b) no.
   

   

4. Your friend, who is diabetic, says he feels dizzy and appears to be in a confused state. You should give him some sugar immediately. (a) true; (b) false.
   

   

5. Allergic reactions to drugs such as penicillin, insect bites such as bee stings, or food such as shellfish can be fatal. (a) true; (b) false.
   

   
   
   
   Answers

1. (c) Surprisingly, over an hour in some cases. When the water is very cold, it can cause a physiological change in the victim's body. This adoptation mechanism allows him to endure a longer period f of time without oxygen. Moreover, if there is an air pocket in the back of the car, a person may even be able to breathe for a time prior to being rescued. Thus, once a victim is removed from the water, every attempt should be made to revive him, even after prolonged submergence. heck for his breathing. If he is not breathing, he may have a plug of water or a spasm of the windpipe. Start mouth to mouth resuscitation immediately. Tip the head way back, pinch the nose and breathe four times quickly and fully into the open mouth.

2. (c) Leave the building and call the fire department. Ringing the doorbell may touch off a spark that will cause an explosion. If you break into the apartment, you may be overcome by gas. But if you can safely open any windows from the exterior, from the fire escape or at ground level this may help the victim in the apartment while you're waiting for the fire department.

3. (b) No, except as a last resort. If you break the glass, it could well fall to the street and kill someone. Moreover, at upper levels of high-rises, the wind can reach hurricane force. If you break the glass on the negative pressure side of the building, you could be sucked out through the opening, or it could pull the fire and smoke toward you. Generally, the best procedure is to get down and crawl out of the room below the smoke and toxic gases. Work your way to the fire stairs, not the elevator. If you can't reach the stairway, try to call the telephone operator or the fire department and give your exact location.

4. (a) True. Occasionally a diabetic's blood sugar may fall to dangerously low levels, resulting in disorientation, coma, and death. To raise his level of blood sugar, put several teaspoons of blood sugar into a glass of fruit juice or water and have him drink it. A diabetic should carry a proper identification, so if he is found in a confused or comatose state, people will know what to do immediately. Remember, never give fluids to an unconscious person.

5. (a) True. If after this sort of exposure you get hives or your face starts swelling, or you start to have difficulty breathing, seek medical attention immediately. If you suspect you are allergic to a substance, don't re-expose yourself. The allergic reaction could kill you within ten minutes.