Check Out That Drinking Joint
I do entire presentations about watching out for bad guys. Unsafe places are just as dangerous. For example, predators hang out in, and near, drinking establishments because they provide a target-rich environment but club managers can put you at just as much risk by failing to properly train their employees and by ignoring safety regulations. That can quickly lead to overcrowding, blocked exits, and fire hazards.
Cases in point: in February 2003, security guards used pepper spray to break up a fight at Chicago’s E-2 nightclub. The fumes caused many in the crowd to believe the club had been attacked by terrorists using poison gas. Panic ensued and fifteen-hundred people stampeded for the exits. Twenty-one people died in a pile-up at the foot of a flight of stairs leading to the closed front door. Less than a week later, a nightclub fire in Rhode Island killed 100 people.
Thankfully, such tragic events are not common but even a fist fight in a crowded establishment can escalate and, if weapons come into play, injure far more than the original combatants. Therefore, it’s imperative you stay tuned in to your surroundings. That should begin when you walk through the front door.
First, assess geographical details of the place you plan to party.How does the neighborhood look? Do the premises feel secure to you? Is the establishment’s main entrance wide and do the doors open outward for easy exit? (The front door at the E2 nightclub improperly opened inward.) Does the interior of the club appear to be in good shape or is it run down? Are tables crammed so closely together that movement between them is restricted? Are there side and rear exits? Are they clearly marked and well lit?
Locate every route to the outside. Check to make sure exit doors are not chained or blocked by furniture or other obstacles. If they are, notify management. Leave immediately if the folks in charge aren’t willing to address the issue.
If possible, sit near an exit you’ve verified is accessible and plan the route you’ll use to get to it in an emergency. In the event of a fire or power outage, you may have to make your way in the dark. For that reason, it’s always a good idea to carry a small flashlight in your pocket or purse.
At the first sign of trouble . . . an alarm, fire, smoke or a violent disturbance . . . react without hesitation. Get out and stay out, no matter what.
((Excerpted from: Escaping the O/Zone: Intuition, Situational Awareness and Staying Safe https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...))
Cases in point: in February 2003, security guards used pepper spray to break up a fight at Chicago’s E-2 nightclub. The fumes caused many in the crowd to believe the club had been attacked by terrorists using poison gas. Panic ensued and fifteen-hundred people stampeded for the exits. Twenty-one people died in a pile-up at the foot of a flight of stairs leading to the closed front door. Less than a week later, a nightclub fire in Rhode Island killed 100 people.
Thankfully, such tragic events are not common but even a fist fight in a crowded establishment can escalate and, if weapons come into play, injure far more than the original combatants. Therefore, it’s imperative you stay tuned in to your surroundings. That should begin when you walk through the front door.
First, assess geographical details of the place you plan to party.How does the neighborhood look? Do the premises feel secure to you? Is the establishment’s main entrance wide and do the doors open outward for easy exit? (The front door at the E2 nightclub improperly opened inward.) Does the interior of the club appear to be in good shape or is it run down? Are tables crammed so closely together that movement between them is restricted? Are there side and rear exits? Are they clearly marked and well lit?
Locate every route to the outside. Check to make sure exit doors are not chained or blocked by furniture or other obstacles. If they are, notify management. Leave immediately if the folks in charge aren’t willing to address the issue.
If possible, sit near an exit you’ve verified is accessible and plan the route you’ll use to get to it in an emergency. In the event of a fire or power outage, you may have to make your way in the dark. For that reason, it’s always a good idea to carry a small flashlight in your pocket or purse.
At the first sign of trouble . . . an alarm, fire, smoke or a violent disturbance . . . react without hesitation. Get out and stay out, no matter what.
((Excerpted from: Escaping the O/Zone: Intuition, Situational Awareness and Staying Safe https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...))
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