5 ways to survive a float plane accident

Orientation: Before takeoff , carefully note your surroundings in the aircraft. Identify the nearest door, as well as an alternative, in case your door becomes jammed. Note how the door handle operates. Make a mental road map of how you are going to reach the door handle. One way is to put your hand on your knee with your knee against the interior of the aircraft. Then use familiar references such as the armrest and door seam to guide your hand to the door handle. Try it now with your eyes closed. Listen to crew safety briefings.

Life Vest: If you have time before the crash, remove the life vest from its pouch and put it on. Be careful not to inflate the vest until you are clear of the aircraft to prevent it trapping you inside. If you don't have time, familiarize yourself with where the life vest is stored in hopes you can take it with you upon escape. Consider buying your own life vest, especially if you fly frequently on float planes on the B.C. coast.

Resist Panic: Brace yourself for impact. After the plane hits the water, wait for the movement to stop. Use these few seconds to think about your actions. Re-orient yourself with your surroundings. It might be possible to open a door immediately; if water pressure from outside is too great, you might have to wait until much of the cabin fills.

Escape: If you are immersed in water, revert to your mental road map. Find the door handle and open it. Only then -while keeping one hand on a reference point -unbuckle your seat belt and pull yourself out. Unbuckling your seat belt earlier could prove fatal should either the crash or the flood of water propel you to an area of the aircraft with which you are unfamiliar.

Hypothermia: You may not have grabbed your life vest. The plane may have sunk with the floats. Rescue may not be imminent. Reduce loss of body heat by holding the inner side of the arms tight against the sides of the chest while thighs are pressed together and raised to close off the groin area. Huddling with other survivors may be an option.

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