Even with the price of gasoline over $4 a gallon, we Americans are still on the go, though perhaps not as far or as often.  When we leave the friendly confines of home, however, our nemesis—fire—can be lurking just around the next corner.  When you and your family are away from home this summer, take responsibility for your own fire safety by keeping a few things in mind when eating out, staying in hotels, etc.

When you eat out or go to the movies or stay in a hotel, do you pay attention to the location of the emergency exits?  Not the door you entered through, but the ones with the illuminated red EXIT sign above them.  In surveys, most people do not pay attention to this small detail: in the event of a fire in a crowded room or theatre it could save your life.

How would you react in such a situation?  Let’s take a little quiz.  You and your significant other are out for a night on the town together at the local mystery dinner theatre.  Midway through the evening’s “whodunit” you notice a thin haze of smoke dropping down from the ceiling.  Right now it’s about a foot below the ceiling tiles.  What are you going to do?

Patrons of the Beverly Hills Supper Club, across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, Ohio, were presented with just such a scenario in 1977.  What did they do?  Most did nothing, despite being alerted to the impending danger by a young busboy who attempted to sound the alarm, until it was too late:  165 people died that night in the fire that gutted the club and another 200 were injured.

What happened?  Survivors told fire investigators that they’d seen the smoke and that they saw the smoke increasing in its intensity.  So why didn’t they “exit stage left”?  The fire investigators concluded that while there were many other factors involved, the primary behavioral issue was that people failed to take action because they were waiting to have their personal “evaluation” validated by the actions of others.  Put more simply: subconsciously they did not want to be viewed as alarmists by others.

Protect your family and those you love when you leave home this summer.  Know how to safely get out of your hotel or restaurant or theatre as soon as you arrive.  Talk about safely evacuating with your children and have a plan every time, just like the Flight Attendants conducting the safety briefing before the plane ever moves from the airport gate.

Oh yeah, and quit ignoring the fire alarm when it sounds in your hotel at 2:00 a.m.  Have clothing ready to “throw on” so you can quickly leave your room if necessary according to the hotels evacuation plan.  Look at it as an opportunity to meet new people: at least you’ll have something in common to talk about!