EVACUATION!

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EVACUATION!

• Understanding Behavioral Aspects of Emergency
  Response in Individuals
• David R. Blossom, ALCM, CFPS, CIF1
• Sr. ConsultantAmerisure PCG

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Sponsored By

• Fire Protection Branch
• Engineering Practice Specialty

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David R. Blossom

• Sr. ConsultantAmerisure PCG
• Past President ASSE CFC
• NFPA Technical Committee Principal Member 80A
  1620
• Orange County, FL
• City of Orlando, FL
• ALCM, CFPS, CFI1

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WHY?
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• The period between detection and the arrival of
  the fire department is the most crucial life
  saving period in terms of the first compartment
• The response to fire alarm bells and sounders
  tends to be less than optimum.

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Why This Topic?

• RevelationChallenged
• I think that when people die in fires its not
  because of panic, its more likely to be the lack
  of panic
• Neil Townsend
• Divisional Fire Officer
• London Fire Brigade

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Why This Topic?

• We must understand how people react.
• This will allow us to
• Anticipate challenges
• Conduct Effective Planning
• Avoid evacuation problems
• Provide effective training
• Save more lives

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SHAPING INCIDENTS

• Triangle Shirtwaist
• Cocoanut Grove
• Ringling Circus
• Beverly Hills Supper Club
• Our Lady of Angles
• MGM Grand
• DuPont Plaza
• World Trade Center
• The Station

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New York 1911
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Boston-1942
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Ringling Circus--1944
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Our Lady of Angels--1958
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Beverly Hills Supper Club--1977
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MGM Grand--1980
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WTC 1993 2001
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The Station--2003
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IMPACT

• Incident driven
• Code changes
• Behavioral understanding
• Conflict between codes and behavior
• Missing Parts
• One Size Fits All

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How We React
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Incident Perception

• Recognition
• Validation
• Definition
• Evaluation
• Commitment
• Reassessment

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RECOGNITION

• Identification of cues
• Elements of notification
• How we first become aware
• Prior personal experience a factor
• Threat recognition
• Often cues must be overwhelming

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Event Recognition

• Event recognition
• Different recognition/same event
• Different response/same recognition
• Key elements
• Individualized Factors

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Recognition CompleteWhat Next???
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Movement from realization to reaction
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VALIDATION

• Validate the initial cues
• Ambiguity more information
• More information delay in response
• Reassurance of the situation
• Action not taken yet--confirmation

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DEFINITION

• Relating information to the individual
• Just what are we experiencing
• Correct identification of the incident
• Proximity and magnitude
• Lack of definition increased stress
• Personalization of the threat
• Most stress before definition occurs
• Structure and interpretation to define

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EVALUATION

• Understanding the situation
• Necessary to develop response
• Development of strategies
• Initial decision making
• Putting it all together
• Formulating a response
• Initiating response

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COMMITMENT

• Initiate the behavioral response
• Formulated in the evaluation process
• Results in the active response
• To a perceived threat
• Results completion, partial completion,
  non-completion of response strategy.

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NON-COMPLETION RESULTS

• Reassessment
• Commitment

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REASSESSMENT

• Most stressful
• Failure of previous attempts
• Increased intensity
• Less selective response

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SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME

• Commitment / Reassessment
• Rapid decrease in anxiety
• Reassurance

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SUCCESSIVE FAILURES

• Increased anxiety
• Frustration
• Probability of success decreases
• Increased potential for panic
• Alternatives decrease
• Less responsive
• More reactive

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PANIC

• Is Panic bad?
• What is Panic?
• What causes Panic?
• Is Panic Good?

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PANIC BEHAVIOR

• A fear-induced flight behavior which is
  non-rational, non-adaptive, and nonsocial, which
  serves to reduce the escape possibilities of the
  group as a whole.
• Flight or fleeing behavioral response that also
  involves extravagant and injudicious effort.

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NONADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR

• Panic Behavior
• Reentry Behavior
• Rescue

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EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THIS

• Multiple studies
• Panic often not a factor
• Should have been
• Understanding

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FIRE STUDY RESULTS

• Panic is very rare
• Central motivationseek information
• Often a social response
• Problems encountered during normal building use
  will be exacerbated during an emergency.

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REALITYWHAT WE DO

• Investigate conditions
• Compare with experiences
• Decide on action(s)
• NOT code related
• Familiar entry routes most often selected

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Were Only Human

• You must think about peoples reactions to a
  fire in terms of the three basic stages of making
  sense of whats going on, preparing to act and
  then acting
• David Carter
• Professor, Liverpool University

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What Next?

• That is up to each of you

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Questions?

• Thank you!