What Really Happens in an Emergency?
Human behaviour in a stressful situation can be hard to predict. Clear information and instruction are essential and can save lives.
We have all seen the films where there is a fire, bomb scare or some other such emergency in a shopping centre or similar busy public place. In general, it shows human civilisation to be the thinnest of veneers and that at the first hint of genuine peril, it’s a case of everyone for themselves as they scream in panic and trample old ladies and small children underfoot, while rushing for the exits.
In reality, research shows we are not like that at all. When things get tough and lives are on the line, humans are far more caring and heroic than Hollywood might have us believe. However, there is one thing that they do get right, and that is the potential for panic to set in if people do not have a clear idea of where to go and what to do. This is why fire safety signs can save lives in an emergency.
Clear information
If a fire breaks out in a crowded, unfamiliar building, disorientation and confusion are the factors that are more likely to lead to panic. Place yourself in the situation – if you are in a cinema or a large department store in such an emergency, your first question to yourself is “where do I go?” If the answer to that is clear, what usually happens is that people go there, swiftly but calmly, and helping each other along the way.
It is only in circumstances where signage and information are inadequate that the headless chicken mentality can be at risk of taking hold.
Human nature
This is just one of several factors that a mathematical modelling professor from the University of Woolwich has considered in his evaluation of how the human brain reacts to emergency situations.
Ed Galia has examined footage and interviewed dozens of survivors from a wide range of disasters, including the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, the 1999 Ladbroke Grove rail crash and a number of other similar incidents around the world.
The information he has gleaned has produced valuable insights into how people behave in different situations. Interestingly, this can vary depending on your culture and background. For example, Galia saw disturbing footage of passengers trapped inside a burning tube train in South Korea. There was no panic – most just sat and waited for someone to tell them what to do. In the UK or USA, passengers would react in a different way.
Even the side of the road that you drive on or whether you are left or right handed can affect your decision making when escaping from an emergency situation. Galia has fed the information he gathered into a modelling system, which has already been used to help in the design of some of the world’s most well known public places, including the O2 Arena, the Sydney Olympic Stadium and even the Airbus 380.
Ultimately, however, the most important aspect of fire safety is information. And this is why clear, illuminated signs and calm, well trained fire marshals are the factors that can really save lives.