(U.S. Army Photo | Released)
Knowledge is power. While you might not be in a combat zone or in possession of live grenades, there’s no harm in knowing what to do just in case you find yourself nearby a deadly grenade blast.
Youtuber Mark Rober is a former NASA engineer who worked on the Curiosity Rover. Though his NASA days are behind him, Rober puts his creativity and science know-how to use by creating how-to videos. He’s taught his one million subscribers how to skin a pumpkin, how to beat board games using math and–of course–how to survive a full-on grenade blast with minimal injury.
So far, the tutorial has been viewed 15 million times.
After the grenade’s pin is removed, the handle disengages and triggers a five-second fuse. Rober explains that those five seconds are key to saving your life.
Once you see someone let go of the handle of an unpinned grenade, sprint at least 15 feet away. Lay flat on the ground with your feet pointing towards the grenade. If the grenade explodes, everywhere but the soles of your feet will be shielded from the shrapnel. If you are wearing good shoes, even your feet will be fine.
Always thorough, Rober also explains what to do if a live grenade falls into the water. He suggests that you climb out of the water or at least to the surface, not dive deeper. The intense water pressure caused by the explosion can squeeze your lungs.
Got any more advice to add? Leave ’em in the comments.