Recent crowd disasters have left deep scars on the public. The first was the Kanjuruhan tragedy in Malang, East Java, where hundreds of people died after a soccer match. Most victims were reported to have suffered from exposure to tear gas, being crushed, and a lack of oxygen.

Another was the Itaewon tragedy in South Korea during Halloween celebrations, where hundreds of people died from cardiac arrest caused by an insufficient oxygen supply while trapped in a crowd.

These two events are not the only crowd-related disasters that have ever occurred. With concerts, festivals, sporting events, and other activities that attract huge numbers of people, similar risks remain. To stay as safe as possible, it is important to understand how to protect yourself in a dense crowd.

 

A crowd crush describes a large number of people moving or being pushed in the same confined space at the same time, increasing the risk that people will fall, be trampled, run out of breath, sustain injuries, or even die. This kind of incident can happen in tightly packed crowds, such as at major public events.

Being trapped in a crowd crush is particularly dangerous because it greatly increases the chance of breathing difficulties. People may lose consciousness when their lungs cannot get enough oxygen, which can then lead to cardiac arrest. Many victims suffocate because of oxygen deprivation, trampling, and severe injuries.

 

Once you realize you are in a packed crowd and your body is being pushed or jostled, you need to be alert and focus on protecting yourself. The steps below can help you improve your chances of staying safe in a dangerous crowd situation. 

 

If you feel the crowd is becoming so dense that you can no longer move freely, look for a way to move out of the crowd as soon as possible.

Even if you still want to enjoy the event, feeling uncomfortable, breathless, or squeezed is a sign that your body needs a safer area away from the central crush.

 

Stay on your feet. Keeping a standing position is critical because it is very difficult to stand back up once you sit or fall in a dense crowd. Remaining upright also helps reduce the risk of being trampled by people around you.

 

Lack of oxygen is one of the main causes of death in crowd crushes. To help your lungs keep working, hold your forearms in front of your chest so your lungs has enough space to expand and you can continue breathing.

 

Movement in a crowd wave spreads like a chain reaction: when one section is pushed, the force travels through everyone around them. If you push back against people near you, the pressure on your body can increase, so it is safer to move with the flow of the crowd while trying to keep your balance and avoid excessive force.

Being stuck in the center of a crowd wave becomes extremely dangerous if people start pushing in different directions, because this can create crossing waves of movement, cause pressure to build up, and lead to more severe crushing and injuries.

 

Severe or fatal injuries are more likely when solid objects such as statues, barriers, fences, or walls are nearby. Whenever possible, keep away from walls or any structures that can increase the risks of injury.

Being able to estimate how crowded an area is can help you understand the level of danger.

By paying attention to how packed the area feels, you can sense when the density is rising. It is best to leave the crowd early, before you become completely trapped.

As soon as you see an opening that leads to a wider space, try to move steadily toward that area and get out of the crowd.

It is also important to think ahead about the event you are attending: whether the venue is large enough, how many people are expected to come, and whether there appears to be a good security and crowd control system.

With this awareness, you can still enjoy concerts, festivals, and other large events more safely, while staying alert to sudden crowd surges that may occur.

 

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