An expert on disaster response yesterday demonstrated self-protection options in the event of a crowd crush, noting the importance of protecting one’s head, neck vertebrae and thoracic vertebrae.
At least 153 people were killed in a stampede at a Halloween event in South Korea’s popular Itaewon district late on Saturday, mostly teenagers and people in their 20s and 30s.
New Taipei City Fire Department senior executive officer Shang Shao-hua (尚少華) said that people should curl their bodies to protect their head and rib cage when encountering a stampede.
Photo courtesy of the New Taipei City Fire Department
If pushed to the ground, a person should protect their head with their elbows, while protecting their chest and abdomen by bending their knees, Shang said.
If able to stand, a person should clench their left fist and hold it with their right hand over their heart to keep space for the lungs to breathe when being pushed, he added.
Broken ribs can easily stab the heart or lungs, possibly leading to death, which can be prevented when people hook their arms and stand in a circle, Shang said.
People should stay away from staircases in a stampede, he added.
Emergency physicians at the scene of the Itaewon tragedy said that most of the victims died of suffocation that led to cardiac arrest.
Meanwhile, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) yesterday responded to questions about safety measures to be taken at the city’s Christmasland, which is to begin on Nov. 11.
Safety measures are in place and will be monitored throughout the event, he said, adding that “safety is everything.”
Additional reporting by Chou Hsiang-yun
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