The likelihood youll be stuck in a tunnel with other panicking people is only going to get greater.
It makes you re-breathe your own carbon dioxide, she said, which helps balance your oxygen intake.
Theyll either pass out or itll help them.
Both ways it helps.
Eye contact is helpful, too.
So is positioning yourself as an expert on whats going on i.e.
Distract them from what theyre obsessing about in their head, Smith said.
The strategy here is to bring panicking passengers back to the moment.
Instead, opt for something straightforward, such as, Right now your limbs are all intact.
Everything around us is OK, Thompson suggests.
You take an authoritative role a little bit.
Most times, people are just angry and frustrated and want to be heard, she said.
She will squat down to be on their level as shes speaking to them.
I dont want to be standing above the passenger ever, she said.
I always squat down, at eye level or lower, and just let them know that Im listening.
Thompson then goes into problem-solving mode.
I have to figure out what it is they need.
Where are they coming from?
Are they scared of something?
Thats what it all boils down to, theyre scared of the unknown.
Even a subway pole or an umbrella can help.
almost always works too.
Its good to actually speak up, to be the mouth that asks for a doctor, Thompson said.
It actually has worked out every time.
If they cant speak, the flight attendants suggest looking for medicine in their bag.
Fires inside a subway car are rare, but the close quarters could make even a small one dangerous.
), flammable liquid (oil, grease), or electrical (someones laptop burst into flames).
To handle an electrical fire, flight attendants are trained to remove the power source first.
you might find the MTAs official guidelineshere.
But when in doubt, your biggest priority should be to get away from the fire.
Smoke is usually the biggest threat, not the flames themselves.
Youve got to get out of the train straight away if you could, Smith said.
Though the MTA strictly advises against self-evacuating from their trains, well,its been done before.
You dont want to freeze to death.
Parents, moms: they can be the coolest under pressure, Thompson said.
They can take direction.
