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Why you shouldn’t try to be a hero

  • This is because both people are dragged down into their attempts to escape
  • A Canadian researcher said: ‘Foolhardiness is not a good strategy for rescuing’
  • In such situations, people should be selfish, Waterloo University scientists said

By

Stephen Matthews For Mailonline


Published:
10:46 EDT, 23 June 2017

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Updated:
10:46 EDT, 23 June 2017

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If you ever find yourself on a sinking ship or in another life-or-death scenario, don’t stop to help the elderly or children.

Kind-hearted folk who try to help strangers before reaching safety themselves cause more people to die, research suggests. 

This is because both are dragged down into their attempts to escape, leaving the group as a whole to suffer.  

Eishiro Higo, who was behind the University of Waterloo study, said: ‘Foolhardiness is not a good strategy for rescuing.

‘In very critical situations, we have to be kind of selfish, but we can still help others if we have proper equipment and proper strategies.

Kind-hearted folk who try to help strangers before reaching safety themselves cause more people to die in group emergencies, research suggests

Kind-hearted folk who try to help strangers before reaching safety themselves cause more people to die in group emergencies, research suggests

Kind-hearted folk who try to help strangers before reaching safety themselves cause more people to die in group emergencies, research suggests

‘We have to identify what is brave and what is reckless. Helping people from a safe location is still good behaviour and the result is actually much better.’

The findings were based on a computer model of 30 people in a flooded subway station.

It showed overall survival rates of emergencies involving groups were substantially higher when ‘strong’ people reached safety first.

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Emma Hammett, founder of FirstAidForLife, told MailOnline that the research concurs with advice from experts that the rescuers’ safety is paramount.

She said: ‘It is vital to protect yourself from harm in order to be in a position to save others. It makes total sense.

‘If someone has been hit by a car and is lying in the road and you go to rescue them without it being safe to do so – if you are hit by another vehicle then you are no help to them and whoever is next to rescue now has two casualties rather than one.’ 

How was the study carried out? 

CONCENTRATE ON THE QUIET ONES 

Should you find yourself in a life-or-death situation, concentrate on the quiet ones, experts previously advised 
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