When a fire, active shooter, or other emergency breaks out in a crowded place, everyone runs to the entrance. People panic and start pushing. Some fall down. Some even die. When you walk into a public place, plan an exit strategy. And keep in mind, the best way out may not be the way you came in.

On February 20, 2003 at The Station nightclub in Rhode Island, 100 people died needlessly when the band’s stage pyrotechnics ignited nearby walls and ceilings. Immediately, more than two-thirds of the 400-plus people in attendance started for the main entrance. But the quick spread and intensity of the smoke and flames caused the crowd to panic and surge forward. Individuals fell, causing others to fall and, in less than 90 seconds, the front door was hopelessly blocked.

www.haveanexitstrategy.com

www.championsfire.org

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