Looking back on the first emergency situations I ever dealt with, I was always amazed at how the brain would start to racing no matter what you did.

In modern society we can almost always find help. Landmarks are everywhere and getting permanently lost or turned around is rare.

So what do we do in an emergency, when there’s no help around the corner or just a phone call away? Research shows that when an individual can’t find help, they begin to PANIC.

If an emergency happens, you should always deal with the immediate life threatening aspects first and then control panic by follow the STOP acronym. Each letter represents a step to follow. So lets take a look:

The S T O P acronym:

S - Sit

T - Think

O - Observe

P - Plan

First sit down. Don’t run and create more trouble by racing around like a chicken with his head cut off.

Now follow the next step and think. Use your head and think, not panic, focus. Then, while you’re thinking, observe the details and try to analyze all information. Your observation might reveal something that most who panic would miss.

Finally, with your wits about you make a plan to deal with the situation in the best possible way.