Craziness in the Streets of Your City or Neighborhood? When the Paramedics Can’t Get There

A No-BS Guide to Handling Life’s Most Common Emergencies Until Help Arrives

Craziness in the Streets of Your City or Neighborhood?When the Paramedics Can’t Get There

A No-BS Guide to Handling Life’s Most Common Emergencies Until Help Arrives

The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #598: Tuesday, October 14th, 2025

THE REALITY FEW WANT TO FACE

There’s a dangerous assumption baked into modern life:

That help will always come.
That someone else will show up with the tools…training…and answers.

But the truth?
Sometimes the sirens don’t wail.
The roads are blocked.
The storm doesn’t stop.

When that happens, the only thing standing between survival and tragedy is you.

I spent years as a Navy Hospital Corpsman…a medic who treated and cared for some America’s finest members of the military…in a variety of settings. Some…better than others.

Later, before embarking on my lifelong interest in psychology/human behavior, I worked as an LPN/LVN…treating people in civilian life who had learned the hard way that systems fail…batteries die…and minutes matter.

I learned something ugly but liberating:

You can’t outsource survival.
And you shouldn’t want to.

Because when you learn how to stay functional under pressure…something changes.

You stop being afraid of headlines…storms…and shutdowns.
You start living with calm…command…and confidence.

That’s what this guide is for.
Not theory. Not fluff.
Just what to do before help arrives…told in plain English, from someone who’s been there.

THE FIRST LAW OF SURVIVAL: PREPAREDNESS IS FREEDOM

Most people prepare by buying gear.
The smart ones prepare by training their minds.

In chaos, it’s not what you have…it’s what you know and can do under pressure.

What follows are the eight emergencies every household should understand and rehearse.

Read them. Discuss them. Practice them.

And you’ll be the calm in the room when everyone else is losing their mind.

1. SEVERE BLEEDING / TRAUMA

When you see blood…the goal is simple: Stop the leak.

If someone’s bleeding heavily:

• Apply direct pressure with anything absorbent…shirt…towel…bandage.

• Keep the pressure steady. Don’t lift to “check.”

• If that doesn’t work…press harder.

• If the bleeding is from an arm or leg and it’s life-threatening…a tourniquet can save a life…tighten it until bleeding stops…not until it “feels snug.”

What not to do:

Don’t waste time hunting for perfect supplies. The best tool is the one in your hand.

The key principle: pressure + patience = survival.

2. HEART ATTACK / CHEST PAIN

A heart attack isn’t always a Hollywood scene of clutching the chest. Sometimes it’s short breath, nausea, or jaw pain.

If someone suspects a heart attack:

• Sit them down calmly…loosen tight clothing.

• If they’re awake and not allergic…chew one adult aspirin (325mg)…it thins the blood.

• Call for emergency services immediately.

• Stay calm; anxiety spikes heart rate and worsens strain.

If they lose consciousness and have no pulse:

Begin hands-only CPR…hard and fast in the center of the chest, 100–120 compressions per minute.

That’s about the beat of the song “Stayin’ Alive.” Yes, literally.

3. STROKE

Strokes are sneaky but brutal. Every minute counts.

Use FAST to remember:

• Face drooping

• Arm weakness

• Speech slurred

• Time to act…call for help immediately.

While waiting for help:

• Keep them on their side to protect the airway if they vomit.

• Don’t give food…water…or pills.

The faster you recognize it…the more brain cells you save.

4. CHOKING / AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION

Airflow is life.

If someone can’t cough…speak…or breathe…act fast:

• Stand behind them…one fist above the belly button…the other hand over it.

• Thrust inward and upward sharply.

• If alone…press your own abdomen against a firm surface…chair back…countertop.

• For infants: alternate back blows and chest thrusts.

Even if you dislodge the obstruction…always have them checked afterward.

Airways are fragile. So is time.

5. SHOCK / DEHYDRATION / HEATSTROKE

When the body’s system crashes…blood loss…dehydration…heat…the signs can blend:
pale skin…confusion…fast pulse…weakness.

Immediate steps:

• Lay the person flat.

• Elevate legs if no injury.

• Loosen tight clothing.

• Keep them cool (not cold).

• If conscious…small sips of water with a pinch of salt help restore balance.

Never pour water on someone who’s fainting.

Cool the skin…calm the mind. That’s how you stabilize a human system under stress.

6. ALLERGIC REACTION / ANAPHYLAXIS

When a person’s body turns against itself, you don’t have time to “wait and see.”

Signs: swelling…hives…breathing trouble…dizziness.

If they carry an EpiPen…use it immediately…press into the outer thigh and hold for 3 seconds.

Call 911.

If they stop breathing…start CPR.

Even if symptoms ease…they must be monitored…reactions can rebound.
Speed and certainty save lives.

7. FRACTURES / BROKEN BONES

You’ll know it when you see it…pain…deformity…loss of movement.

Principle: Immobilize what’s broken.

• Don’t try to “straighten” it.

• Pad both sides with soft material (towels, clothing).

• Secure with belts…tape…or strips of fabric.

• Support joints above and below the break.

• Apply ice or a cold pack to reduce swelling if available.

Move only if absolutely necessary.

Better a stiff joint than a shattered one.

8. BURNS

For burns…cool…don’t freeze.

• Run cool (not cold) water over the area for several minutes.

• Don’t apply butter…oil…or ointments.

• Cover loosely with clean…non-stick cloth or dressing.

• Watch for infection: redness…swelling…pus…fever.

If it blisters over a large area or affects the face…hands…feet…or genitals…get professional care ASAP.

A small burn is first aid.
A large burn is an emergency.

VISUAL FIELD TRAINING FOR THE SELF-RELIANT CITIZEN

You don’t learn calm by reading about it…you learn it by seeing what competence looks like.

The difference between panic and control is often a single image burned into your brain before the crisis hits.

That’s why I hand-picked the short demonstrations below. They show…in plain language and real motion…what trained responders do in those first…frantic minutes.

Don’t just watch them. Study them. Bookmark this page. Practice once a month.

Because when the systems stall and the sirens are silent…skill is freedom…and freedom has always belonged to those who prepare.

Severe Bleeding / Trauma

Takeaway: Pressure, pack, tourniquet. Three moves that buy minutes…and minutes save lives.

Heart Attack / Chest Pain

Takeaway: Push hard, push fast, don’t stop until help arrives. It’s not about elegance…it’s about oxygen.

Stroke Recognition

Takeaway: FAST-Face, Arms, Speech, Time. Know the signs.

Choking / Airway Obstruction

Takeaway: Confidence saves lives when panic kills seconds.

Shock / Dehydration / Heatstroke

Takeaway: Lay them flat, elevate legs, loosen clothing.

Allergic Reaction / Anaphylaxis

Takeaway: Act fast. Seconds matter. Epinephrine first, 911 second.

Fractures / Broken Bones

Takeaway: Stabilize above and below the break. Secure with what you have…sticks…belts…towels.

Burns

Takeaway: Cool water, never ice. Cover loosely…watch for infection.

CPR (Adults & Infants)

Takeaway: Depth and rhythm beat fear and hesitation every time.

WHEN YOU’VE WATCHED THEM ALL…DO THIS NEXT

Now you’ve seen what competence looks like.
The next step is turning it into muscle memory…because when chaos hits…you won’t rise to the occasion… you’ll default to your level of preparation.

Print the Quick-Reference Sheet I’ve included for paid subscribers. Stick it on your fridge…glovebox…or go-bag. Review it once a month. That repetition hard-wires calm where panic used to live.

Every system you trust…911…hospitals…supply chains…can break.
Your skills don’t.

That’s why what we’re building here isn’t just information.
It’s independence.

BONUS: The Psychology of Calmly Handling Medical Emergencies

Most people panic not because they don’t care…but because they don’t know what to do with their adrenaline.

The body floods. The mind blanks. The hands shake.

That’s why calm in a crisis isn’t luck…it’s conditioning.

You can train your brain to respond under stress…just like you can train your body to lift weight.

And the formula is surprisingly simple:

1. Breathe First…Then Move

Every effective responder I’ve ever met has one thing in common: they breathe before they act.

Your breath is the steering wheel of your nervous system.
Control it, and you control your focus.

Rule of Calm:

“Slow is smooth. Smooth becomes fast.”

Mental cue:

One breath in… one breath out… then act.

2. Narrow the Frame

In chaos…the mind wants to see everything.
That’s how it freezes.

Instead…narrow your focus. One patient. One problem. One action.
It’s triage for your mind.

“Handle what’s in front of you. Everything else can wait thirty seconds.”

That single shift saves lives…and sanity.

3. Talk to Yourself Like You’d Talk to a Rookie

People think inner dialogue is weakness. Wrong.
It’s a tool.

When you speak out loud…you give your brain commands instead of questions.
“Apply pressure.”
“Check breathing.”
“Call 911.”

It sounds simple…but it turns emotion into execution.

Phrase to remember:

“Narrate. Don’t negotiate.”

4. Control the Tone in the Room

Panic spreads faster than blood.

If you stay calm…you pull others into your rhythm.
If you lose it…you amplify theirs.

We used to say:

“Your voice is medicine.”

Even if you’re not sure what to do…keep your tone low…your pace steady…your words few.

Calm is contagious. So is fear. Choose which one you spread.

5. Think Like a Medic…Act Like a Coach

A medic knows the science. A coach knows the human.
In a crisis, you need both.

Don’t freeze because you’re not a doctor…you’re not trying to cure…you’re trying to buy time.

That’s your real job: extend the timeline until help arrives.

Repeat this under pressure:

“I’m not saving a life forever…I’m buying them time.”

That single line will drop your pulse ten beats.

6. Anchor to Action…Not Emotion

The human brain can’t hold two primary states at once.
You can’t act decisively and panic fully at the same time.

So give your body something to do.
Action breaks paralysis.

“Do the next right thing.”

That’s it. That’s the mental reboot every first responder uses when everything goes sideways.

7. Rehearse Calm When Nothing’s Wrong

The time to build composure isn’t during a crisis…it’s at the gas station…in traffic…at the grocery store.

The same brain that handles a delay at the register is the one you’ll rely on when someone collapses next to you.

So use the small frustrations as training reps.
Practice your breathing.
Rehearse your mental phrases.

“If I can stay calm here, I can stay calm anywhere.”

That’s how you wire composure into your daily operating system.

8. Reset After It’s Over

The aftermath is just as important.
Once help arrives…breathe again. Walk. Hydrate. Talk it out.

Your nervous system has been in fifth gear…it needs to downshift.

“Debrief or repeat.”

If you don’t discharge the stress…it lingers…waiting for the next event.
And the next one. And the next.

Learn to reset…and you’ll recover faster…mentally and physically.

QUICK-REFERENCE QUOTES TO LOCK IN CALM

Here’s a short list of mental “flash cards” to burn into memory. Use them as anchors.

Mental Anchors for Crisis Calm

Seeing blood or injury:

“Slow is smooth. Smooth becomes fast.”

Overwhelmed by chaos:

“Handle what’s in front of you.”

Losing focus:

“Narrate. Don’t negotiate.”

Crowd or family panicking:

“Your voice is medicine.”

Feeling helpless:

“I’m not saving a life forever…I’m buying them time.”

Caught in fear:

“Do the next right thing.”

Ordinary stress moments:

“If I can stay calm here, I can stay calm anywhere.”

After it’s over:

“Debrief or repeat.”

One Last Thing from This Navy Corpsman…

Mastery isn’t about memorizing medical charts.
It’s about training your physiology to stay functional when fear spikes.

If you can slow your breath…narrow your focus…and take one action…any action…
you’ve already crossed the invisible line that separates responders from victims.

And the more you practice these mental anchors…the less you’ll ever need luck.

Because luck runs out. Skill doesn’t.

If you’ve been reading the Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter for long…you know my priority to deliver at least 10 X the value of an annual subscription each year…at least.

If this issue of JHN helps put you in command of a situation that saves a life…you might argue that this issue alone…was worth 100X an annual subscription. If you did…I’d certainly agree.

I’ll be back soon…and you know this.

-Jack