Saturday night saw at least 154 people die in a crowd surge during Halloween celebrations in Seoul.
The tragedy happened in a small alleyway in the South Korean capital, when people started to push forward, prompting others to fall down, according to local officials.
While most crowded events do not result in such accidents, it’s always good to know what to do if you ever find yourself in such a position.
Here are just some of the tips people are sharing online to help raise awareness.
1. Pay attention to the exits in a venue
When you first enter a new place, try to locate all of the exits.
If there is an issue with overcrowding, the main way you came in may not be an option. It’s important to look around and find other ways out if needed.
“Most venues provide maps online so you can have a general idea prior to attending about where exits are,” Nate Morrish-Smith, emergency medical technician told US magazine, Self.com. He also urged people to charge their phones fully beforehand, to make it easier to get in touch with their friends or even contact the emergency services.
2. Learn to measure how dense the crowd is
If there are more than six people per square metre, it might become too difficult for you to exit a space.
And if there are too many people, the crowd starts pushing people like a liquid, according to one Twitter user, but don’t fight it – that’ll only make your chances of falling over higher.
When the crowd stops surging, try to move diagonally rather than going straight through people. Try to avoid walls too, as you could be pressed up against them, making it harder to breathe.
3. Make sure you’re well hydrated
This means not having too much alcohol and drinking a lot of water.
This should help reduce the risk of fainting that comes with standing for a long time. The heat from a crowd can also increase your likelihood of fainting as well.
4. Try to leave early
Most crushes happen in small spaces such as alleyways, like in Seoul at the weekend. If you leave at a different time to most people in the crowd, you’re more likely to have a safe exit.
Paramedic Ginger Locke, associate professor of emergency medical services at Austin Community College, told Self.com that it is a good idea to organise where to meet your friends ahead of the event.
“Before cell phones, groups of people attending an event would chart out a plan [like], ’If we get separated, everyone meet back at this location at this time,’” she said.
5. Speak up
Try to alert security and event organisers to stop the music and make everyone aware of the situation emerging.
The best way to do this is to climb up on a higher platform, if possible, and get any music to be turned off to improve communication.
6. Make space near your chest
When you’re in the crowd, try to put your elbows out around your chest with your arms, so that your torso cannot be compressed.
The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention suggests taking on a “boxer-like” pose with your hands up and in front of your chest, with feet planted firmly on the ground when you’re not moving.
7. Do not take off any bags and wear secure shoes
While that would make more space, putting such bags on the ground would become a tripping hazard.
If your shoes fall off, it will leave your feet open to injury, either from the crowd or leaving them open to infection from the ground. This could make another tripping hazard too.
8. Don’t panic
Do not scream or push, because those near you will start acting the same – and if one person falls, it could cause a chain reaction.
Take deep calming breaths. Locke told Self.com: “The [calmer] you can keep your body and mind, the better. But that’s easier said than done.”
9. Try not to fall
This is very difficult, but important. People could be pushed on top of you if you fall to the ground, and you may not be able to stand back up.
If you do fall down, try to protect your body by adopting the feotal position and covering your head.
10. Help your neighbour after helping yourself
If you are unstable and someone is pulling you down to try and get help, you could both fall over. It’s important to only help someone if you’re in a strong position.
11. Follow public safety officers
While all these tips are important, if there is a health official nearby it’s best to follow their advice. They are experienced professionals who will have been properly trained to deal with such events.
