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COMIC: Don't panic! 6 strategies to keep you calm in a crisis

By Andee Tagle,
Anika Orrock
Published June 4, 2025 at 5:00 AM EDT

House fires, mass shootings, emergency medical procedures and mental health crises. Emergencies can happen at any time — and knowing how to overcome feelings of panic, stress and indecision can be a matter of life or death.

Ryan Fields-Spack, a veteran first responder who has worked as a paramedic, a fire captain and a firefighter, and Dr. Italo Brown, an emergency physician and assistant professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, share real-world tactics they use on the job to stay cool and focused.

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Anika Orrock is a writer, illustrator, cartoonist and author of The Incredible Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

This story was edited by Malaka Gharib. The visual editor is Beck Harlan. We'd love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at LifeKit@npr.org.

Listen to Life Kit on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and sign up for our newsletter. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit.

Copyright 2025 NPR

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Andee Tagle
Andee Tagle (she/her) is an associate producer and now-and-then host for NPR's Life Kit podcast.
Anika Orrock

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The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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