COTW - Surviving Plane Crashes: 90 seconds

Prior to takeoff, smart travelers briefly prepare a plan in their minds to follow in the event of an accident or crash. The most important thing to do in this regard is to look around the plane, count the number of rows between your row and the nearest two emergency exits in front and behind you, and determine how you can get to them quickly. In the event of a crash, the cabin interior can fill with smoke extremely quickly, making it difficult or impossible to see anything. This way, you will be able to make your way to an exit by using your hand to count the number of rows. You need to remember this information for two exit rows as the first one you come to may be blocked by fire or other passengers.

If you are traveling with any family members, quietly tell them, “Whatever happens, we’re going to survive this. As soon as the plane stops, we have to move as fast as we can to get out one of the emergency exits.” With little children, parents should divide up the responsibility for helping them exit as it may not be possible for all the family members to stay together.
Return your seat to its full upright position, put your shoes on and remove from your pockets any sharp objects, such as pens, combs and eyeglasses.
If you are going to be landing on water, put your life vest on but do not, repeat do not inflate it until you are out of the plane and have gone down the emergency slide. An inflated life vest will make it extremely difficult for you to move around inside the plane and go down the slide.
Pull your seat belt snugly around the upper ridge of your pelvis below your waist so there is no slack in the seat belt. This will help to avoid any internal stomach injuries.
Again, count the number of rows between your row and the two nearest emergency exit rows in front and behind you. Some of the exits may end up not being usable.
Jam your handbags under the seat in front of you to prevent your legs from snapping under it.
Assume a brace position to get your body down as low as possible to stop yourself from flying forward into the seat or bulkhead in front of you and getting head or neck injuries. If you can easily reach the seat in front of you or are close to a bulkhead, lean forward, place the palm of one hand firmly on the upper part of the seat or bulkhead, cross your other hand palm down over your first hand, and rest your forehead against the back of your hands. Do not lace the fingers of your hands. If you have a pillow or something soft handy, put it between your head and crossed hands. When the seat or bulkhead in front of you is not close enough to brace in this manner, bend over and wrap your arms tightly around your legs or under your thighs. In either brace position, keep your feet flat on the floor slightly in front of your knees.
Remain in your brace position until the plane comes to a complete stop. Sometimes, there can be more than one impact.
Remind yourself that, as soon as the plane stops moving, you need to undo your seatbelt and focus all your attention on exiting the plane as fast as you can.

Whenever a plane loses oxygen pressure, an oxygen mask will fall down from a small overhead compartment above each passenger. When this happens, it is important that you put the mask over your own mouth and nose first before trying to help anyone else with their oxygen masks, including small children. Usually, you have to tug slightly on the air cord to start the flow of oxygen. Place the elastic band behind your head to keep your mask firmly in place. Put masks on your seatmates even if they appear to be unconscious. Leave your mask on until the flight crew announces that it is safe to remove it. Information on how to use the oxygen mask is contained in the safety instructions card in the seat pocket in front of you.

Release your seat belt by pulling the latch Look out the closest window to determine if there is any fire on that side of the aircraft.
Jump up from your seat and start moving quickly to the nearest emergency exit. If you are traveling with a family member, have her or him follow right behind you, staying in constant contact by holding on to your hand or belt.
Never attempt to take any of your handbags, luggage or other belongings with you. They will just slow you down and you need your hands free to navigate over obstacles. If you can, however, bring a wet cloth with you.
When the main aisle is blocked, scramble over the back of seats if possible but do not crawl on your hands and knees along the floor as you’ll probably get trampled by other passengers. Also, do not push passengers ahead of you but urge them to keep moving as quickly as possible towards the nearest emergency exit.
If the cabin starts to fill with smoke, keep your head low and hold a cloth or handkerchief (preferably a moist one) over your mouth and nose as the smoke will likely cause you to pass out if you breathe much of it.
When you are not sure where the exits are located, follow the row of white light strips running along the floor of both sides of the main aisle. The color of these lights should turn to red or another color at the location of exit rows and the galley which also has exits.
As soon as you come to an exit, look out through a window to check that there is not any fire or other hazard on the other side of the exit. If an exit is blocked or not safe, go to the one on the opposite side or proceed quickly to the next closest exit.
When you come to an exit with an evacuation slide, take off and hold your shoes in one hand, and jump feet first into the center of the slide with your arms folded across your chest and your legs together as you go down it. At the bottom, quickly move away from the slide to avoid impeding other passengers going down it and then put your shoes on. Never throw any handbags or luggage down the slide. In the event the slide fails to inflate properly and no other exit is available, climb down the slide hand over hand. The reason for taking off your shoes is that they can catch on the slide material and upend you as you are going down the slide. The higher the heels, the greater the risk of this happening.
If the exit opens on to a wing, climb outside, look for a marked walkway highlighted in grey non-slip paint, and follow that to the rear edge of the wing. If the wing flaps are extended, slide down them on your back, feet first with your hands at your side. Otherwise, jump from the wing down to the ground.
Once you are on the ground outside of the plane, keep moving until you are at least 500 feet or 150 meters upwind from the plane as it could explode at any time. When you crash on water, swim away from the plane if it has come apart and is sinking. In the event the plane has remained intact, you may want to use the wings as a floatation device, especially if the water is cold. Sometimes, life rafts will be deployed from the plane.
When you are free of the plane and safe, check on the first aid needs of yourself and others nearby. Absolutely do not re-enter the plane to obtain any articles there.

Sources: “The Great Escape” by Barbara S. Peterson, Condé Nast Traveler, November 2005; “How To Escape Down an Airplane Slide” by Amanda Ripley, Time, January 23, 2008; “How To Survive a Plane Crash: Learn Ways To Increase Chances of Surviving Airplane Crashes” by Mia Carter, http://airplanes.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_survive_a_plane_crash, January 17, 2009; “How To Survive a Plane Crash” by Milla Harrison, BBC News Magazine, October 3, 2006; “What It Takes To Survive” by Ben Sherwood, Newsweek, February 2, 2009; and “What It Takes To Survive” by Ben Sherwood, the Sunday Times, June 14, 2009.