Personal Risk Management
For most people, an “active shooter” in a public venue is their worst nightmare. A theme emerges when watching the interviews on television with those who were present: “What can we do to be safe?”
Unfortunately, we can’t control many risks, such as random violence. But, we can reduce our personal risk by following a few basic steps:
1.Have exit plans. When in a movie theater, stadium, arena, performing arts center or any venue with a large crowd, check to see where the nearest exits are. Identify two exits and quickly answer the question: “If I (and my family, friends, etc.) had to leave here in a hurry, which is the fastest and safest route?” Have a first and second choice. Two issues to remember — first, people will normally want to leave a venue the same way they entered. It is basic human nature, but not having an alternate exit route could result in injury or worse. Second, research clearly shows that, in past disasters, people who escaped serious harm typically had a predetermined “mental picture” of how to get out.
2.Be aware of your surroundings. Check out your environment. Can you see exits? Are there barriers to an evacuation? If an elevator is out of order, where are the stairs? Can you avoid a “crowd crush” in an emergency? Again this is all part of having a mental picture of emergency actions.
3.Lose the hero mentality. Unless you are a Navy Seal, Army Special Forces, law enforcement, etc., you are not likely to effectively intervene in a violent scenario. So give up the fantasy about overcoming the bad guys and focus your energy and planning on simply evacuating the venue as quickly and safely as possible.
4.When the alarm sounds, take action immediately. Crisis response research has shown that a majority of people will not immediately take protective actions in a crisis. Odd as it may seem, people will take the time to gather up personal belongings, make cell phone calls, tweet, or just wait to be rescued. However, to have the best chance of escaping unharmed, we must act immediately when we hear an alarm or perceive a dangerous situation. Wasting precious seconds may make the difference between life and death.
Remembering and following these four basic steps can make all the difference in an emergency situation.
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Source: Joe DesPlaines, Empathia, Inc.
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