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NARRATOR: LIFE HAPPENS FAST AND IN AN INSTANT
DISASTER COULD STRIKE.
WHEN THE CHOICES YOU MAKE MEAN THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
PUT YOURSELF TO THE TEST AND SEE IF YOU HAVE
WHAT IT TAKES TO STAY ALIVE.
WOULD YOU DO OR DIE?
GAS, IT KEEPS AMERICA RUNNING.
AS A NATION, WE FILL UP AT A RATE
OF 16 TO 18 BILLION TIMES A YEAR.
MOST OF US TAKE THIS SIMPLE TASK FOR GRANTED.
BUT FOR THIS 50-YEAR-OLD AIR FORCE VET FILLING UP
A GAS CAN IN THE BACK OF HIS PICKUP, NEVER AGAIN.
IT LITERALLY HAPPENS IN A FLASH.
WHAT YOU DIDN'T SEE IS THE MAN STICKING THE
METAL NOZZLE INTO THE PLASTIC GAS CAN.
THE FLOWING GASOLINE BUILDS UP A STATIC CHARGE.
IF HE WERE DOING THIS ON THE PAVEMENT,
AS EXPERTS RECOMMEND, THIS CHARGE WOULD DISSIPATE
INTO THE GROUND.
BUT SINCE HE'S DOING IT ON TOP OF AN INSULATED TRUCK BED
THE STATIC HAS NOWHERE TO GO BUT OUT,
CREATING A SPARK BETWEEN THE FUEL AND THE NOZZLE THAT
IGNITES ALL THE GAS VAPORS IN THE AIR.
A FIRE ERUPTS AND THE MAN PANICS,
THROWING THE GAS CAN, COVERING HIMSELF IN FUEL.
TERRIFIED AND BURNING, HE STOPS, DROPS AND ROLLS.
BUT NOTHING HAPPENS!
HERE'S WHERE YOU COME IN.
PUT YOURSELF IN THE SHOES OF BYSTANDERS TO SEE
IF YOU HAVE THE SMARTS TO EXTINGUISH THIS BLAZE.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
A, TELL HIM TO KEEP ROLLING AND SMOTHER THE FLAMES?
B, USE YOUR JACKET TO BEAT OUT THE FIRE?
OR C, DUMP THE GAS STATION'S WINDOW CLEANER
OVER THE FIRE?
HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER.
A MAN IS ON FIRE, SURROUNDED BY GAS AND
HE NEEDS YOUR HELP TO STAY ALIVE.
RIGHT NOW, HE'S TRAPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT
EXPERTS CALL, "THE FIRE TRIANGLE."
THE CONFLUENCE OF OXYGEN, HEAT, AND FUEL.
TO SAVE HIM, YOU'LL HAVE TO KNOCK DOWN
AT LEAST ONE SIDE OF THE TRIANGLE.
ON THE FUEL SIDE OF THE TRIANGLE IS THE
MAN'S GAS-SOAKED PANTS, LIKELY MADE OF 100% COTTON,
A HIGHLY FLAMMABLE TEXTILE WITH A QUICK BURN RATE.
IT'S NO WONDER THEY USE IT IN WICKS AND
AS FILLER IN GUNPOWDER.
IT'S ALSO CAPABLE OF SOAKING UP TO 80 TIMES
ITS OWN WEIGHT IN OIL.
THAT'S LIKE A 50-POUND DOG DRINKING
A 480-GALLON HOT TUB FULL OF WATER.
BUT FOR THIS MAN, IT MEANS ALL THAT GAS HE
SPILLED WAS INSTANTLY SOAKED UP,
CAUSING HIS PANTS TO BURN FASTER
AND HOTTER THAN THEY WOULD ON THEIR OWN.
IT'S A VOLATILE SITUATION.
HOW WILL YOU DEFUSE IT?
MAKE YOUR CHOICE.
A,
B,
OR C?
SO WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
ACTING FAST, YOU MAY CHOOSE TO RIP OFF YOUR JACKET
AND START BEATING OUT THE FIRE.
BUT WOULD THAT GET THE JOB DONE?
AS ANY BLACKSMITH WILL TELL YOU,
FEEDING OXYGEN TO A FLAME IS THE QUICKEST WAY
TO INTENSIFY THE BLAZE.
AND BY WAVING YOUR JACKET AT THE FIRE,
YOU'RE DOING JUST THAT.
BUT THERE'S ANOTHER DANGER.
MANY MODERN JACKETS ARE MADE WITH SYNTHETIC
TEXTILES LIKE POLYESTER.
AT JUST 350 DEGREES, POLYESTER BEGINS TO MELT.
WHEN THAT HAPPENS, YOUR MELTING JACKET CAN FUSE
TO THE VICTIM'S SKIN LIKE HOT WAX FROM A CANDLE.
USE YOUR JACKET TO BEAT DOWN THIS BLAZE AND
YOUR GOOD DEED COULD HAVE BAD CONSEQUENCES.
BUT YOU NEED TO FIGHT THE FIRE SOMEHOW AND
AS EVERYONE KNOWS, NOTHING BEATS FIRE LIKE WATER,
SO YOU MIGHT THINK TO PULL THE WINDOW CLEANER
FROM THE WALL TO DUMP OVER THE FLAMES.
THERE'S JUST ONE PROBLEM.
THAT'S NOT JUST WATER.
SOME GAS STATION WINDOW CLEANERS ARE MIXED
WITH UP TO 40% ALCOHOL.
RATED AS A CLASS 3 FIRE HAZARD,
THE ALCOHOL HAS AN IGNITION POINT OF JUST
100 DEGREES, 26 TIMES LESS HEAT THAN
GENERATED BY A DISPOSABLE LIGHTER FLAME.
BUT GUESS WHAT?
EVEN IF YOU WERE USING 100% WATER,
IT STILL WOULDN'T BE THE RIGHT MOVE.
BECAUSE GAS IS LESS DENSE AND FLOATS ON WATER,
TRYING TO DOUSE THIS MAN COULD ACTUALLY
SPREAD THE BURNING PETROL.
USE WINDOW CLEANER TO FLOOD THIS FIRE AND WATCH
YOUR EFFORTS GO UP IN FLAMES.
SO WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
THE BEST WAY TO ATTACK A BLAZE THIS INTENSE IS TO
STARVE IT OF OXYGEN AND THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT
IS TO TELL THE VICTIM TO KEEP ROLLING,
WHILE FINDING SOMETHING HEAVY TO SMOTHER THE FIRE.
IN THE VIDEO, THE VICTIM IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK,
BUT THEN STOPS AFTER JUST A FEW ROLLS,
NOT NEARLY ENOUGH TO TAMP OUT THE FIRE.
THE MAN NEEDS TO KEEP ROLLING,
MAKING AS MUCH CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AS POSSIBLE.
AT THE SAME TIME, DOUBLE UP HIS EFFORTS
BY COVERING THE FLAMES WITH SOMETHING HEAVY,
LIKE A NON-SYNTHETIC COAT OR BLANKET.
THESE BYSTANDERS HAD THE RIGHT IDEA,
BUT INSTEAD OF SMOTHERING THE FIRE,
THEY TRY TO BEAT IT OUT, FANNING THE BLAZE,
AND FEEDING IT WITH MORE OXYGEN.
BUT IF YOU AND THE VICTIM FOLLOW THE CORRECT STEPS,
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO KNOCK OUT THAT OXYGENATED
THIRD WALL OF THE FIRE TRIANGLE.
THIS MAN MADE A CRITICAL MISTAKE BY FILLING
UP HIS GAS CAN ON THE BACK OF HIS PICKUP.
LUCKILY, IT'S A MISTAKE; HE'LL LIVE TO LEARN FROM.
NARRATOR: NEWLYWEDS SAM AND FIONA MARSHALL ARE
ON WHAT THEY HOPE WILL BE AN UNFORGETTABLE HONEYMOON,
AN AFRICAN SAFARI.
FOR THE COUPLE, IT'S A CHANCE TO GET UP CLOSE
TO SOME OF NATURE'S MOST IMPRESSIVE CREATURES.
AND THEY DON'T GET MUCH MORE IMPRESSIVE THAN
AN AFRICAN ELEPHANT.
WEIGHING UP TO 7 TONS AND STANDING UP TO 13 FEET HIGH,
THEY ARE NATURE'S TRUE POWERHOUSES.
BAD NEWS FOR THE MARSHALS BECAUSE THEIR BUS IS STOPPED
BETWEEN A HELPLESS BABY ELEPHANT AND ITS
OVER-PROTECTIVE MOTHER.
THE ELEPHANT SLAMS INTO THE VEHICLE!
THE MARSHALLS ARE THROWN OUT,
BARELY GETTING CLEAR BEFORE THE MOTHER ROLLS
THE BUS ON ITS SIDE.
IT'S TIME TO DO OR DIE.
PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR PLACE.
WOULD YOU KNOW HOW TO ESCAPE THIS MOTHER'S WRATH?
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
A, DUCK DOWN BEHIND THE OVERTURNED BUS?
B, RUN FOR THE NEAREST TREE AND CLIMB?
OR C, SCARE OFF THE ELEPHANT BY MAKING LOTS OF NOISE?
HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER,
YOU'RE ON AN AFRICAN SAFARI,
CROUCHED DOWN BEHIND YOUR OVERTUNRED VEHICLE
AND TRAPPED BY ONE OF THE MOST PROTECTIVE
MOTHERS IN NATURE.
HER TRUNK ALONE CONTAINS UP TO 150,000
BUNDLES OF MUSCLES AND IT'S STRONG ENOUGH TO KILL
A LION WITH ONE SWIPE.
IN CHARGE OF THAT POWERFUL TRUNK IS AN 11-POUND BRAIN.
THEIR MASSIVE CEREBRAL CORTEX HAS NEARLY THREE
TIMES MORE SURFACE AREA THAN A HUMAN'S BRAIN,
PUTTING THEM ON PAR WITH DOLPHINS IN THEIR
ABILITY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.
AND RIGHT NOW, THE ELEPHANT'S PROBLEM IS YOU.
MAKE YOUR CHOICE:
A,
B
OR C.
CHOOSE WISELY.
SO, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT BEING FLATTENED
WITH ONE STOMP, YOU COULD CHOOSE TO TAKE
SHELTER BEHIND YOUR OVERTURNED VEHICLE.
IN BRUTE STRENGTH, ELEPHANTS ARE THE STRONGEST
LAND MAMMALS ALIVE.
BY ONE ESTIMATE, WORKING ELEPHANTS CAN CARRY
AS MUCH AS TWO AND HALF TONS,
MORE THAN 160 CINDER BLOCKS.
ONE MORE THRUST OF HER MIGHTY HEAD AND SHE CAN FLIP
THAT VEHICLE LIKE A TIN CAN.
HIDE BEHIND THIS BUS AND YOU COULD BE
CRUSHED LIKE A GRAPE.
IF STAYING PUT ISN'T THE ANSWER,
YOU COULD MAKE LIKE A MONKEY AND RUN FOR
THE NEAREST TREE.
ELEPHANTS CAN'T CLIMB.
THAT MUCH IS TRUE.
BUT WITH ITS TRUNK FULLY ELONGATED,
THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT CAN REACH UP TO 23 FEET HIGH
TALL ENOUGH TO PULL THE GUTTERS OFF A TWO-STORY HOUSE.
BUT EVEN IF IT CAN'T REACH YOU, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO.
A FULL GROWN AFRICAN ELEPHANT HAS THE ABILITY TO
EASILY UPROOT TIMBER.
TRY TO CLIMB FOR SAFETY AND YOU'D BE
BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE.
SO WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
WHENEVER OBSERVING DANGEROUS WILDLIFE,
YOU SHOULD ALWAYS KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE AND
BE READY FOR A QUICK ESCAPE.
BUT IT'S TOO LATE FOR THAT.
RIGHT NOW, THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS MAKE
LOTS OF NOISE WITH WHATEVER YOU HAVE HANDY.
IN THIS CASE, YOU HAVE THE BUS'S HORN.
WHEN ELEPHANTS ARE COMMUNICATING OVER
LONG DISTANCES, THEY EMIT A LOW FREQUENCY RUMBLE.
AMAZINGLY, OTHER ELEPHANTS CAN HEAR THESE
RUMBLES UP TO SIX MILES AWAY DUE TO
THEIR INCREDIBLY SENSITIVE INNER EAR.
WITH THAT KIND OF SENSITIVITY,
IMAGINE HOW STARTLING A LOUD BLAST FROM THE HORN
OF AN OVERTURNED SAFARI BUS COULD BE.
EXPERTS EVEN RECOMMEND BANGING ON
THE SIDE OF YOUR VEHICLE.
OF COURSE, IN THE WILD, THERE ARE NO GUARENTEES,
BUT MAKING LOTS OF NOISE MAY BE YOUR BEST BET
TO ESCAPE THE WRATH OF THIS NOT-SO-GENTLE GIANT.
FOR THIS SAFARI GROUP IN INDIA.
HONKING THE HORN MAY HAVE MEANT
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.
AS FOR THE MARSHALLS THEY SURVIVE
THEIR TERRIFYING ENCOUNTER.
BUT THE TUSK SIZED HOLE IN THEIR BUS SHOWS
JUST HOW CLOSE THEY CAME TO HAVING ONE
VERY UNHAPPY HONEYMOON.
MAKE LOTS OF NOISE.
THAT'S WHAT YOU DO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DIE.
NARRATOR: HIGH IN THE MOUNTAINS NEAR
BEDFORD, WYOMING, A HARD-CHARGING SNOWMOBILER
IS IN HIS ELEMENT.
Man: Nice and pristine day!
NARRATOR: BUT EVEN THOUGH HE FEELS LIKE HE'S ON TOP
OF THE WORLD, HE'S ABOUT TO LEARN THAT IN NATURE,
THE BOTTOM CAN DROP OUT IN AN INSTANT.
HE ROARS UP TO A LEDGE 400 FEET ABOVE A VALLEY,
TOTALLY UNAWARE OF THE HIDDEN DANGER
DIRECTLY BENEATH HIM.
A MASSIVE BLOCK OF SNOW SUDDENLY BREAKS AWAY AND
NOW HE'S TEETERING ON THE EDGE OF A 400 FOOT DROP
TO THE ROCKS BELOW.
IF YOU WERE ON THE PRECIPICE OF THIS DISASTER,
WOULD YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO?
WELL GET READY, BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING YOU
TO THE EDGE, TO SEE IF YOUR INSTINCTS
WOULD KEEP YOU ALIVE.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
A, SLOWLY GET OFF THE SNOWMOBILE AND CREEP AWAY?
B, THROW YOUR RIDE IN REVERSE AND
BACK OFF THE LEDGE?
OR C, DIVE AWAY FROM THE EDGE AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN?
HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER.
YOU'RE ON A MOUNTAIN RIDGE,
SEATED ON A RUMBLING SNOWMOBILE AND
THE SNOW BELOW YOU IS FALLING AWAY RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES.
WHAT YOU'VE STUMBLED ONTO IS A DEADLY TRAP
KNOWN AS A "CORNICE FALL,"
WHERE AN OUTCROPPING OF SNOW CALLED
A "CORNICE" HIDES A STEEP, LETHAL CLIFF.
CORNICES ARE CREATED WHEN INTENSE WINDS DRIVE BLOWING
SNOW UP AND OVER THE CREST OF A RIDGE,
LIKE A BREAKING WAVE IN THE OCEAN.
THE POWDER BUILDS UP ON THE OTHER SIDE,
LIKE A HOUSE OF CARDS,
CREATING THE ILLUSION OF SOLID GROUND.
IN REALITY, THE ONLY THING HOLDING THIS CORNICE UP
ARE MILLIONS ICE CRYSTALS LOOSELY FIT TOGETHER
LIKE A FLIMSY JIGSAW PUZZLE,
ONE HANGING OVER A STEEP ABYSS.
EVERY YEAR, THERE ARE STORIES OF WINTER SPORTSMEN
WHO'VE PLUNGED HUNDREDS OF FEET TO THEIR DEATHS
FROM THESE TREACHEROUS HAZARDS.
ONE STEP TOO FAR AND YOU COULD BECOME ONE OF THEM.
THINK FAST AND MAKE YOUR CHOICE:
A,
B
OR C.
SO, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
WITH THE SNOW DISINTEGRATING BELOW YOU,
THE ANSWER MAY SEEM OBVIOUS,
DIVE OFF THE MACHINE AND QUICKLY GET AWAY FROM THE EDGE.
BUT IS THIS REALLY YOUR BEST OPTION?
JUMPING NOT ONLY PUSHES YOU UP IT ALSO
PUSHES THE GROUND DOWN.
IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF PHYSICS:
FOR EVERY ACTION, THERE IS AN EQUAL
AND OPPOSITE REACTION.
FOR INSTANCE, WHEN A BASKETBALL PLAYER LEAPS,
HE CAN GENERATE 1400 POUNDS OF FORCE AGAINST THE FLOOR.
THE COURT UNDER A HOOPSTER'S FEET CAN HANDLE
THAT MUCH WEIGHT BUT THE SNOW UNDER YOUR SLED CAN'T.
TRY TO JUMP CLEAR AND THE LEDGE WILL CRUMBLE.
SINCE LEAPING OFF IS A BUST,
YOU COULD PUT THE MACHINE IN REVERSE AND
SIMPLY BACK OFF THE EDGE.
BUT NO MATTER HOW STATE-OF-THE-ART
SNOWMOBILES ARE, THEY CAN STILL GENERATE
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF VIBRATION,
WHICH IS TRANSFERRED INTO THE GROUND.
AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW WHAT CAN HAPPEN TO
SNOWPACK UNDER INTENSE VIBRATIONS.
THE FRAGILE BONDS THAT HOLD LOOSE SNOW TOGETHER,
CAN BREAK, LIKE A GLASS SHATTERS WHEN AN
OPERA SINGER HITS THE RIGHT NOTE.
SO IF YOU CHOSE TO REV IT IN REVERSE YOU CHOSE WRONG.
SO, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
EXPERTS AGREE, IF YOU FIND YOURSELF ON
A COLLAPSING CORNICE, TURN OFF THE ENGINE,
THEN SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY BACK AWAY,
TRYING YOUR HARDEST NOT TO DISTURB THE SHIFTING SNOW.
THIS RIDER'S LUCKY, HE'S ABLE TO DRAG HIS SLED
BACK FROM THE EDGE.
BUT YOU'RE BETTER OFF TOWING IT OUT AFTER
THE SPRING THAW, THAN GOING DOWN WITH THE SHIP.
SLOWLY GET OFF AND CREEP AWAY,
THAT'S WHAT YOU DO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DIE.
Man: Everybody hear how hard I'm breathing?
It's 'cause I just (bleep) my pants.