Club Fire

Many people have lost their life this week due to panic and lack of awareness. I just left KnifeForums where we were discussing this issue. Please,when you enter any large venue know your exits, those closest and the alternates. Leave at the first sign of trouble.
I generally carry a multitool and a SF to help me get out. If you see chained exit doors gather your family, notify the manager, and then leave. When you are safely outside call the fire department and let them know about the locked exits.
Tonight, say a prayer for the families who have lost loved ones and for the fire fighters who have a grim job today.

I have watched a few shows on peoples' responses to fire. It is exactly opposite of what you would think. People usually move slowly, like there is no worry. One show went to show how people will use the entrance they came in, even if they are standing next to an exit. This holds true if they have to go through the danger area, too. Sort of a scary human response, in my opinion.

When I was in college in the 60's in Boston, I bartended part time. Every time we were inspected by the Fire department the entire staff was lectured about the lessons learned in the "Coconut Grove Fire" that occurred in a night club in the '30's or '40's. The lessons were the same then.

Too many people tend to ignore the common sense observations of public safety officers about overcrowding and adequate and well marked multiple points of egress. Remember the people who died in a Chicken processing plant fire a decade or so ago because management had chained most of the exits in order to reduce pilferage of chickens?

Wait... there was a fire? I thought it was people being crushed trying to get out because some security guy sprayed pepper spray on two women that were fighting...

Another incident Logicnerd:

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/Primetime/clubfire030221.html

When I first started working in entertainment venues, one of my bosses was involved with Summerland, on the Isle of Man, which burnt down in 1973 with 51 fatalities. Never met anyone so sensitive about unlocking fire exits, double checking exit and emergency lighting and against anything combustible on stage.

In Edinburgh we recently had a fire that destroyed 13 buildings and took the best part of two days to bring under control.Luckily despite several of the destroyed buildings being nightclubs and bars, no one was killed or injured. To see a fire on this scale first hand re-enforces how fast and unpredictably fire can spread, and that major disasters can occur on the most hum -drum dull day.

Nothing can bring back the lost of Rhode Island and we can only offer our thoughts and prayers to those who survive.

If we can learn lessons and take some of the good advice that has already been offered in this thread, this would be the best way we may serve their memory.

More information is on the National Fire Protection Association`s site:

http://www.nfpa.org/Research/FireInvestigation/RIslandFire/rhode_island_fire.asp

Adam

It is scary, as I've found in the psychological literature I've had to read thru, research into human responses in emergencies. People are so dumb (no offensive people).

Because fires and other emergencies are rare, when they do occur we humans tend to dismiss them. One paper I read, there were these people eating at a cafe when the kitchen caught fire. Fire alarms went off, smoking coming thru the door, kitchen staff exiting and telling people to get up and leave. Outside, folks were looking into the window and pointing, yelling, screaming etc. Yet the diners inside kept on eating their meals. Questioned afterwards, most didn't think it was what it was and didn't take the situation seriously. One couple thought it was a play...

I believe this day in age, we shouldn't assume anything is harmless, and act accordingly. But at the same time don't jump to conclusions and start mass panic.

All the thing on TV which educate people, people merely change the channel to entertainment, rather than pay attention. It is like the cat4/5 hurricane that nailed the Yucatan Peninsula some years ago. Mexican Authorities warned people to evacuate. Those that did not (mostly american tourists) did not and had the brazen audacity to whine on CNN. I had no sympathy for them.

In the video of the Rhode Island Club, the ceiling looked to be way too low for pyrotechnics to start with. I do hope something can be learned from this: ban pyrotechnics from stages that are at or below certain criteria for safe use of such. The physical effects crowd in the movie industry can advise on the needed criteria for safe usage.