How to: "Survive a Mace Attack" (Pepper Spray Survival)

[housewolf]

Everything you ever (or never) wanted to know about being pepper-sprayed is in this article. It's too long to post in its entirety here so go to the link and read the whole thing. Here's the bottom line:

In the event that you overlooked the survival tips or were just in the wrong place at the wrong time:
- Do not rub!
- Water and lots of it on any skin surface that's been contacted by the spray. A cool shower if you can get it.
- Flush your eyes with cool water (remove contact lenses if you wore them). While some sources claim other remedies for soothing the skin, such as milk, baby shampoo, or antacid, studies suggest plain old water is just as effective as anything else. It's cheapest, doesn't spoil, easy to carry and find in volume, plus you'll want water anyway for flushing out the eyes.
- Do not apply salves, creams or lotions until skin is thoroughly washed (otherwise irritants can be trapped against the skin, extending the fun).
- Blow your nose, spit out any phlegm.
- This goes without saying, but wash the clothes you were wearing when you were pepper sprayed. They may have residual irritants on them.


Survive a Mace Attack
So you're worried about being Maced? Forewarned is forearmed, and here's what you need to know if you anticipate being on the receiving end of a spray canister.
Contents


1 Know what you're up against
1.1 Etymology
1.2 Specs
2 Prevention
3 Recovery

http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Survive_a_Mace_Attack?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29

[yellerpup]

1. This is great information that everyone OWS should

have. Trust you to go find it! Had to kick this very relevant post. :kick: & Rec.

[housewolf]

3. You know what? Twitter is an amazing source!

All kinds of things come to me that I would have never thought to go research on my own. Thanks due to John Dean for this one!

Thanks for the K&R, Sweetie.

[yellerpup]

4. I don't do twitter but I love John Dean!

:loveya:

[Mnemosyne]

2. K&R...

[Lionessa]

5. I don't know if mentioned as the article is long and will take, but here's another tip:

For those clothes that get sprayed, wash in cool water, don't worry it won't come out, then sun dry. For some reason the sun bleaches most pepper stains I've ever gotten, generally from hot wings with Frank's RedHot, which I believe is the same basic pepper as pepper spray.

[truedelphi]

6. Good to know. Thanks for the post. n/t