# Dangerous Situations Part of the Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/emergency-preparedness/guide/index.md) > **4.** Show how you could save a person from the following dangerous situations without putting yourself in danger: > **4a.** Live household electric wire > **4b.** A structure filled with carbon monoxide > **4c.** Clothes on fire > **4d.** Drowning, using nonswimming rescues (including accidents on ice). Each of these four situations is life-threatening — and in every case, the most important rule is the same: **do not become a second victim.** A rescuer who gets hurt or killed cannot help anyone. Every technique in this requirement is designed to keep you safe while you help someone else. > **Safety First!** > > In all four of these scenarios, **call 911 first** (or direct someone else to call). Professional responders have the equipment, training, and experience to handle these situations safely. Your role is to help until they arrive — not to replace them. --- ### Requirement 4a: Live Household Electric Wire Electricity can kill instantly. A person who is touching or near a live wire may be unable to let go because the electric current causes muscles to lock up. If you touch them directly, the current will flow through you too. **How to help safely:** 1. **Do not touch the person** while they are in contact with the wire. 2. **Disconnect the power** if possible — unplug the appliance, flip the breaker, or turn off the main power switch. 3. **If you cannot disconnect the power**, use a dry, non-conductive object (wooden broom handle, rubber-soled shoe, thick rope, dry towel) to push or pull the person away from the wire or push the wire away from the person. 4. **Stay dry.** Water conducts electricity. Do not stand in water or on wet ground near a live wire. 5. **Call 911** and begin first aid once the person is clear of the electrical source. > **Safety First!** > > Downed power lines outside your home carry thousands of volts — far more than household current. Never approach a downed power line. Stay at least 35 feet away and call 911 immediately. If a downed line is on a car, stay in the car until emergency crews arrive. Video: [Rescue and First Aid for Electric Shock](https://youtu.be/O2VpgB8Xrzs?si=gEteTmTENwWE4AWh) --- ### Requirement 4b: Carbon Monoxide Rescue Carbon monoxide (CO) is called the "silent killer" because it is colorless and odorless. You cannot see it, smell it, or taste it. It is produced by anything that burns fuel — furnaces, gas stoves, generators, car engines, and fireplaces. Breathing CO causes confusion, unconsciousness, and death. **How to help safely:** 1. **Do not enter the structure** without fresh air. If you walk into a CO-filled building without protection, you will be overcome within minutes. 2. **Open doors and windows** from the outside if possible to ventilate the area. 3. **If the person is near the door**, reach in and pull them out while holding your breath — but only if you can do it in seconds. 4. **Call 911** immediately. Firefighters have self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to enter CO-filled structures safely. 5. **Move the person to fresh air** once they are out of the structure. 6. **Begin CPR** if the person is not breathing. > **Did You Know?** > > Carbon monoxide detectors are as important as smoke detectors. Install them on every level of your home, especially near bedrooms. CO detectors cost less than $30 and save lives every year. If your CO detector alarms, get everyone out of the house immediately and call 911. Video: [Rescue from CO Poisoning](https://youtu.be/bnjg17WkxHI) --- ### Requirement 4c: Clothes on Fire When a person's clothes catch fire, panic is their worst enemy. People instinctively run, which fans the flames and makes the fire worse. The correct response is universally known — but many people forget it in the moment. **How to help safely:** 1. **Stop the person from running.** Shout "STOP!" and physically block them if you can do so safely. 2. **Get them to drop** to the ground. This takes the upright flame pattern away from their face. 3. **Roll** them on the ground to smother the flames. If a blanket, coat, or rug is nearby, throw it over them to cut off the fire's oxygen supply. 4. **Cool the burn** with cool (not cold) water once the fire is out. 5. **Call 911** for any significant burns. Do not remove burned clothing that is stuck to the skin. **If YOUR clothes catch fire:** - **Stop** — do not run - **Drop** — fall to the ground - **Roll** — roll back and forth to smother the flames - **Cover your face** with your hands to protect your airway and eyes while rolling Video: [Stop. Drop. Roll. Get Low and Go.](https://youtu.be/stNSH-wy5nI) --- ### Requirement 4d: Drowning Rescue Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death. A drowning person is in a state of panic and will grab onto anything — including you. Swimming rescues should only be attempted by trained lifeguards. For everyone else, the safe approach is: **Reach, Throw, Row — Don't Go.** **Reach:** Extend something to the person — a pole, branch, paddle, towel, or belt. Lie down on the dock or bank to brace yourself so you do not get pulled in. **Throw:** Toss a flotation device — a life ring, throw bag, cooler, or even a sealed empty jug — to the person. Aim beyond them so the rope or the current carries it to them. **Row:** If a boat is available, row or paddle out to the person. Approach carefully and extend something for them to grab. Do not let them climb into the boat — they can capsize it. Have them hold on while you tow them to safety. **Don't Go:** Do not swim out to a drowning person unless you are a trained lifeguard with proper equipment. A panicking person will push you underwater. > **Safety First!** > > **Ice rescue is extremely dangerous.** If someone falls through ice, do not walk out to them. Call 911. If you must attempt a rescue, lie flat on the ice to distribute your weight and push a long object (ladder, rope, branch) toward the person. Stay as far from the break as possible. Video: [Reach, Throw, Row, but Don't Go!](https://youtu.be/WyOkVhEEFQI) Video: [A Patrol Performs an Ice Rescue](https://youtu.be/plTSz7in_Xk) ![Three panels showing the Reach, Throw, Row rescue methods for a drowning person near a dock](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/emergency-preparedness/guide/reach-throw-row?v=77b01e58) --- - Previous: [Preventing Accidents](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/emergency-preparedness/guide/req3/index.md) - Next: [Signaling for Help](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/emergency-preparedness/guide/req5/index.md)